Just the thought of the holiday season brings a smile to my face and evokes a sense of nostalgia and reflection. 

At Orange County REMC, we’re driven by a sense of mission and purpose and our team feels a strong connection to our community and our members, because we live here too.

While many community-focused programs and activities such as food drives or gift giving programs ramp up this time of year, we have several programs and services in place to help our members year-round. I’d like to remind you about some of these offerings in hopes you’ll find them beneficial.

We hope you’ll take advantage of SmartHub, an app that empowers you to monitor, manage and pay your energy bill conveniently through your phone. You can download the SmartHub app, or go to our website, www.myremc.coop and click “SmartHub” to log into SmartHub.

 Another service we offer is prepaid electric service, which is intended to help budget your monthly energy costs. Orange County REMC’s Prepaid Electric Service program allows members to structure energy payments in a way that best fits their needs. The program allows members to view their daily electric use online and receive notifications about the status of their account by telephone and/or email. The PrePaid program also eliminates the requirement for a security deposit.

​Individuals must become members of Orange County REMC by completing an application for service and paying a $25 refundable membership fee. Members must pay all applicable fees and charges prior to commencement of the service.Members receiving service under the Prepaid Electric Service program will NOT receive a monthly paper bill, but can check their account balance by phone or online.

Our Operation Round Up program makes it easy for school programs, fire departments, 4-H groups, non-profits and other local organizations to receive grants to fund worthwhile programs and projects. By simply choosing to “round up” your energy bills to the next whole dollar amount, you can be part of this program that helps others right here in our community. Through members’ generous donations over the last 18 years, we’ve been able to give $527,000 to those in need. If you’d like to participate in our Operation Round Up program, please visit the “News and Events” section of www.myremc.coop, and look for Operation Round Up in the drop-down menu.

But the most important investment we make is in our local youth. Orange County REMC has logged numerous volunteer hours supporting schools, youth clubs and programs along with providing thousands of dollars in scholarships for local students over the years. Each year, through our Youth Tour program, we send high school seniors-to-be to Washington, D.C., for a week-long immersion to experience democracy in action.  Junior high students can apply for  a chance to attend Camp Kilowatt for three days. (You can learn more about these programs on page 8.)

At the heart of all of these programs is you — the members we proudly serve. Looking back, I’m grateful for so many wonderful community partners and for the positive impact we can continue to make. This holiday season, I wish you and your loved ones peace, joy and prosperity. Speaking on behalf of our team at Orange County REMC, I know the future will be bright, because of you.