PICKENS – Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative Inc. recently celebrated its 75th anniversary by naming 75 members of the local community as “Bolts of Brightness.” The recipients were honored Sept. 10 at the Madren Center in Clemson.
“Bolts of Brightness” was established to recognize those who embody the spirit of the cooperative’s mission. Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative opened nominations to Blue Ridge members and selected 75 individuals who have volunteered personal time to serve others in the community.
Honorees also were given $500 to be donated to a charitable organization of their choice.
“There was not a better way for Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative to celebrate our 75th anniversary than to honor our local heroes for their service in our community,” said Charles Dalton, president and CEO of Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative. “We were thrilled to be able to recognize these individuals with a special event and celebrate their work in the Upstate.”
Award recipients were:
Anderson: Blake Berry, Manella Calhoun, Lee Halleck, and Mr. and Mrs. Doug Palmer
Cleveland: Avery Leroy Ashe, In Memory of Alice Hall Lawton, Anna White
Easley: Philip Owens, Patricia Underwood, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hamilton, Shay Hardin, Meg Leatherwood and Anita Richardson
Fair Play: Larry Wilkerson
Landrum: Dave Schaub, Billy Lee Herman, Jeanne Moore
Liberty: Chuck Baker, Deanna Counts and David Moody
Marietta: Kenneth Curtis and Rollan Green
Mountain Rest: Joseph Jones
Pickens: Esther Corn, In Memory of Theron Crenshaw, Sam C. Dunn, Sharon Durham, Teresa Johnson, Betty McDaniel, Gary Monroe, Butch Morris, Kevin Nicholson, Judy Rackley, In Memory of Regina Reece, Bart Turner, Justin Anderson
Salem: Marti Jennings
Seneca: Jenna Black, Dwaine Eubanks, Sam Thrift, Tom Thrift, Helen Westmoreland, Cheryl Brewer, Toni Brewer, Donald Gilstrap, Gwen McPhail, Ronnie Williams
Six Mile: Jimmie Haynes
Tigerville: Patty Snyder
Townville: David Blizzard, Albert Steven Hartsell Jr., Debbie Ann Sloan
Travelers Rest: Ann Trammell
Walhalla: Mr. and Mrs. Jack Arve
West Union: Martha Frady, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis McMahan
Westminster: Olivia Adams, Brian Allen, Vernon Bacher, Jean Carter, Darragh Geist, Paul Graber, In Memory of Shirley Hawkins, Jason Moore, Tim Nix, Lynn Owen, Evelyn Phillips, Kim Richardson, Mildred Spearman, Linda Stone, Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Jones
Williamston: Chris and Jim Wilson
Blue Ridge Electric Cooperative, Inc., established in 1940, is a member-owned, not-for-profit electric distribution utility that serves more than 64,000 customers in the Upstate of South Carolina. The cooperative supplies electric service in Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, Pickens, and Spartanburg counties.
Blue Ridge started operations with 1,680 members inherited from the South Carolina Rural Electrification Authority, which was formed over 75 years ago with the specific task of electrifying the state’s rural areas.
