LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor:
Once again, we'd like to thank all of our customer-members who made contributions to Project Match. Last winter, 487 of SMECO's customer-members contributed $27,755 to Project Match; with SMECO's matching amount, the combined contribution totaled $55,510.
This year, even though many households are feeling the pinch of the increasing cost of living, we have continued to receive a generous amount of contributions from our Southern Maryland friends and neighbors. As of January 28, 2008, we've received $20,375 from 338 individual donors for this winter's campaign. SMECO will match donations through April 15, up to a total of $50,000.
Project Match helps local needy families who simply can't afford to heat their homes. Our customer-members can contribute to this worthy cause by including a separate check, made out to Project Match, along with their electric bill payment. Customers who normally pay their bills online can mail a check to the attention of Natalie Brown, SMECO, P.O. Box 1937, Hughesville, MD 20637.
The Project Match program benefits residents who may be unable to pay their oil, gas, or electric heating bill. Donations are forwarded to the Tri-County Fuel Fund, which is administered by the Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee.
SMECO is asking all Southern Marylanders to "conserve and contribute." By conserving energy, residents can keep heating bills down. SMECO includes energy-saving tips in electric bills and on our Web site at www.smeco.coop. We encourage our customer-members to use these helpful measures to save energy and to save money.
As a cooperative owned by its customers, SMECO offers programs and educates customers to keep energy costs down, and by working together with the Southern Maryland community, we keep electric rates as low as possible.
Sincerely,
Austin J. Slater, Jr.
SMECO President and Chief Executive Officer