Hearts And Winners
Heartfelt equipment
SOMERSET
Five minutes. That’s all victims of a sudden cardiac arrest have to get lifesaving care. Saving those lives is why South Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative installed automated external defibrillators in all of its offices and trucks.
“We were reminded of the importance of always being prepared for the unexpected,” recalls Allen Anderson, president and CEO of South Kentucky Electric Co-op. “The event happened with a good friend and manager of a sister co-op, whose life was miraculously saved by an employee who had an AED and was trained on how to use it. This event resonated strongly and convinced me that if we were ever in a situation like this, we must be prepared. I would never want to see a life lost for something we failed to do.”
Winning with energy
GRAYSON
Grayson Rural Electric Co-op member April Haight and Fleming-Mason Energy Co-op member Connie Buschman were winners in the Rowan County Extension Council’s second Home Energy Reduction Contest. Haight reduced her family’s kilowatt use by more than one-third by installing a geothermal water heater, using LED bulbs, and turning off items when not in use. Buschman increased her use of wood heat. The contest encourages citizens to put energy-saving techniques into practice.
Farm star
ELIZABETHTOWN
Kerby Grey has increased acreage and production steadily during 10 years of running the farm. He added buildings and grain bins. He implemented conservation practices.
Nolin Rural Electric Co-op member Grey was recognized as the 2011 Kentucky Young Farmer Association Member of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Electric Cooperatives, Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, and other sponsors.
“Kerby Grey has been one of the most outstanding leaders in the Hardin County chapter of the Kentucky Young Farmer Association,” adds Bruce Metzger, state advisor for KYFA.
Grey, who farms 2,220 acres in Cecilia, says he loves farming because each day is different. “It just makes life more interesting,” he says.