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Local utilities give back to community

Molly Hulsey //January 24, 2022//

Local utilities give back to community

Molly Hulsey //January 24, 2022//

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(Photo/File)Laurens Electric Cooperative sponsors Washington and Columbia Youth Tour 

Laurens’ electric provider is sponsoring an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for three high school juniors across its service area from June 18 to June 23. 

Leaving from the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport, the tour will include opportunities to meet local legislators in the U.S. House and Senate, tour historical sites and to compete for $5,000 in scholarships. 

For one high school sophomore in the Laurens Electric service area, The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina will offer an all-expense paid three-day trip to Columbia, including a private tour of the Statehouse, a meeting with Gov. Henry McMaster or Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and an educational program on the co-op business model. 

The Cooperative Youth Summit trip will last from July 11 to July 14 and also will offer opportunities to compete for the $5,000 scholarship. 

The application deadline for both programs is Feb. 4, and is open to residents of Laurens, Greenville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Abbeville, Newberry and Union counties. 

Applicants who do not receive electricity from Laurens Electric will not be disqualified, according to the utility. 

Duke Energy names Festival of Tree winners 

Duke Energy’s World of Energy Education Center has crowned the decorators of the best-dressed evergreens at the utility’s ninth Festival of Trees

The first-place winner, Calvary Home for Children, will receive $2,500 thanks to the decorating efforts of one of the organization’s volunteers. Stratton’s Snuggles, a nonprofit that provides blankets and stuffed animals to children in intensive care, will receive $1,500 in second place, thanks to the decorating expertise of Century 21 Hometown Realtors, and in third place, the Wounded Warrior Project will receive $1,000 for the work of McLain’s Custom Silk Flowers and Gifts

Each of the 19 trees on display were decorated by nonprofit volunteers or a local business sponsoring a nonprofit. According to a news release, Duke Energy has donated about $25,000 to local nonprofits through the Festival of Trees program over the years.

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