Community Peninsula Light Company Newsletter
Peninsula light ComPany newsletter
BE C a len dar
Prepared!
Our 3-day Emergency Kit that contains a 72 hour
supply of water, food, first aid essentials & other
If you have any upcoming events you would
like considered for the Community Calendar,
please enter your event on the website at www.
penlight.org under the quickLINKS Community Calendar.
ONGOING EVENTS & MEETINGS
Oct
2011
nov
emergency items in a durable nylon tote bag. This MultiCare CanCer Support Group
kit is ideal for cars, boats, RVs & home. Meeting the second and fourth Friday of every month at 1:30 p.m. to
3:00 p.m. For more information, call 253.403.3169.
Makes a GiG Harbor StaMp Club
great If you have an interest in knowing more about stamps and stamp collecting join
the Gig Harbor Stamp Club. For more information, email maccrone@yahoo.com or call
gift!
BPA
253.853.5551.
CatHoliC CoMMunity ServiCeS Senior lunCH proGraM
Meeting every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at the Jim and Carolyn Milgard family
0 2593 HOPE center at noon. Come early to socialize or play cards. For more information and to
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make reservations, call 253.474.1200.
St. antHony CanCer Support Group
On the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Jane Thompson Russell Cancer Care Center,
survivors and caregivers learn about topics related to survivorship, share experiences and gain
strength from one another through the facilitated discussion by our cancer nurse navigator and
other professionals. For more information, call 253.530.2642 or email jennalewis@fhshealth.org.
The Kit Contains the Following:
• 3 Days of Emergency Food Rations
GiG Harbor KiWaniS
Helping children in our community. Meetings are held every Wednesday at 7:00 a.m. at Madrona Links
announces rate increase
Golf Course. For more information, visit www.gigharborkiwanis.com or call 253.691.7085. As of October 1, 2011, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) will
• 1 Space Blanket
arCadia MonteSSori be raising its wholesale electric rates (rates that Peninsula Light Co. is
• 1 Flashlight with Batteries Opening our new Gig Harbor campus on Crescent Valley Drive opens Fall 2011. Servicing preschool charged to purchase electricity) by 7.8 percent. This is the second rate
through 3rd grade from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information, call 253.858.1114.
• The Value of Your Membership increase by BPA in the last two years. PenLight is a full requirement
• 1 Emergency Poncho with Hood
MattHeW’S MealS – a plaCe Set for everyone utility of BPA.
• 3 Bio Hazard Bags Free dinner is served from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. the second Monday of every month at King of Glory
In response, PenLight will be raising the rates for all classes of service
• 1 Toilet Paper Lutheran Church, 6411 154th St. NW, Gig Harbor, WA 98332. For more information, call 253.857.4574. • Storm Season Cometh an average of 5.9 percent; residential rates will increase by 4.9 percent.
Gifted HandS
PenLight’s board has decided to delay the increases until spring of
• 9 Antimicrobial Hand Wipes Meeting the second Monday of every month at the Peninsula Library on Pt. Fosdick from 2:00 p.m. to
2012 to offset the impact on the membership. For the average PenLight
• 3 Paper Towels 4:00 p.m. Gifted Hands is a group of volunteer knitters, knitting hats and other items for chemotherapy
residential member, this increase will mean about a $4.00 per month
patients. For more information, email bmuggeridge@centurytel.net or call 253.265.6436. • Preparing Makes Sense addition to their electric bill.
• 1 Soap GiG Harbor aMeriCan leGion
Post 236 meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the Gig Harbor Eagles Hall. For Mr. Spence Nordfors, PenLight Board President, stated, “By delaying the
• 1 Whistle
more information, email billmsgt@centurytel.net or call 253.265.2277. rate increase and offsetting its impact, PenLight is doing what it can to
• 3 Pair Latex Gloves tHe open table
• Community Calendar lessen the burden on members, especially during the upcoming winter
• 1 N-95 Respirator Mask Free food, good friends. Everyone is welcome the third Monday of every month from 5:30 to 6:30 months.” Mr. Nordfors added, “The utility provides a number of ways to
p.m. at Gig Harbor Methodist Church. For more information, call 253.851.2625. assist its members through payment assistance for residential users as
• 12 Emergency Drinking Water well as conservation programs designed to help conserve electricity for
freedoM froM tobaCCo
Packets Franciscan offers a FREE support group at St. Anthony Hospital on Tuesdays from 5:30 to both residents and commercial enterprises.”
6:30 p.m. Please call to confirm location before you attend your first group. For more In 2009, PenLight signed a new long-term, 18-year contract with BPA that
$40.00
Available through Peninsula Light Company.
information, call 253.223.7528 or email HeidiHenson@FHShealth.org.
aarp drivinG CourSe
Drivers over the age of 55 may qualify for lower auto insurance rates by taking the
sets in motion a new rate structure and a requirement to meet all future load
growth with market rate power. In addition, PenLight is also required to meet
the conservation and renewable mandates of Initiative 937 that was passed by
AARP Driver Safety Program. The 8-hour course is $12 for members and $14 for non- voters in 2006.
members. For more information, call 253.858.3393.
Jafar Taghavi, PenLight CEO, states, “BPA is changing how it does business, and we will
CHapel Hill balanCed fitneSS atHletiC ClaSSeS
have to adapt to its new business model. The board and PenLight management are exploring
Meeting Monday through Friday, with several class choices for varying
3 068 ways we can help members conserve energy and also keep PenLight fiscally sound. Our new
levels of fitness. For more information, visit www.chapelhillpc.org or call 078
relationship with BPA means that tomorrow’s way of doing business will not be business as
253.851.7779.
HIDDEN ACCOUNT NUMBERS [continued inside]
w w w.penlight.org Phone 253.857.5950
Supervising Editor: Jonathan White Editor: Julie Richards 253.857.1526
Every month five randomly chosen account numbers are hidden
in Lights. If you spot yours, call Julie at 253.857.1526 and
HOLIDAY CLOSURES: November 11 – Veteran’s Day
Produced by: North Woods Graphics www.northwoods-graphics.com you’ll receive a $50 credit in your next bill. November 24 & 25 – Thanksgiving
Storm
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Peninsula Light Company Newsletter 0602391 For More Information Call Member Services
october/november 2011 at 253.857.5950 or Toll Free 1.888.809.8021
BPA RATE INCREASE [continued]
usual.” “And,” he continued, “I want members to know that PenLight is
stringently managing its costs.”
If only it were this easy...
Peninsula Light Company is a member owned, not-for-profit
cooperative located in Gig Harbor, WA and is a full requirement
utility of the Bonneville Power Administration. The utility
began in 1925. Since then, the cooperative has grown to
be the second largest cooperative in the Northwest with SEASON IS APPROACHING
25,000 members and serves over 31,000 meters on the Gig
We would like to remind you to update both your cell and home
Harbor and Key Peninsulas. The utility provides electric
phone numbers in our automated outage reporting system.
power as well as water services.
Our phone system (Porche) is capable of automatically
FOR AN EMERGENCY
For more information, visit www.penlight.org or call recognizing you by the phone you use to report your outage.
Member Services at 253.857.5950. It is important to register the phone number(s) that you will
most likely be calling from when reporting an outage into
our automated system. It saves you time and insures that
we are aware of your outage. It also allows us to handle a
large volume of calls if the system has everyone’s current
Value
information.
DON’T WAIT – ACTIVATE
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by calling (253) 853-1388.
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The chance that you will survive an emergency depends largely on how you prepare. The automated system also provides an option for you
You must have tools and plans in place so you can make it on your own – at least for some time – no matter where you are when disaster strikes. to leave a recorded voice message during your call. It is
Get a Kit of Emergency Supplies. Be prepared to survive on your own for at least three days. Think first about fresh water, food and clean air. Consider not necessary for you to repeat your name, address, and
making two supply kits: one that stays at your home and one that you can take with you if you have to relocate. phone number on the message recorder if the system
has already recognized you. The message option is
Plan a gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation, and include a three-day supply of nonperishable foods such intended for you to leave helpful information relative
to the outage, such as reporting the location of downed
THE as protein bars, dried fruit or canned food. Include warm clothes and a sleeping bag for each family member.
live power lines or lines burning or sparking.
Some disasters could poison the air, so have something for each member of the family that can cover their mouth or nose, like
several layers of cloth or filter masks. Include duct tape and plastic sheeting for sealing windows and doors to create a barrier
from contamination outside.
Develop a Family Communications Plan. Depending on the nature of the emergency, the first
OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP important decision is whether you should stay put or relocate. You should plan for both possibilities. Use common sense, watch
television and listen to the radio for official instructions if possible.
Did you know that your Peninsula Light Company
membership has real value? It’s actually a type of Your family may be separated when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact each other. Everyone should plan on contacting the same out
personal property worth $100 and can be counted as an of town friend or relative. Be sure everyone knows the phone number and has a phone card to make the call. 058
asset. Since your membership is a legal document, it should 0 11 4
be kept in a secure place. Create a plan to shelter-in-place. If you suspect that the air is contaminated, you should shelter-in-place and seal the
room. Consider precutting plastic sheeting to seal windows, doors, air vents, fireplace dampers, forced air heating systems, etc.
Occasionally, members need to make changes on their
certificates. You may wish to change a name; add or remove Create a plan to get away. Plan in advance a family meeting place. Choose several destinations in different directions.
a spouse’s name, for example; or add another location to your If you have a car, keep at least a half tank of gas in it at all times. Become familiar with alternate routes as well as other
existing membership. means of transportation to get out of your area.
If you have any reason to update your certificate, please contact our Be informed. Significant differences between potential threats will impact how you should respond. Visit
Member Services Department at 253.857.5950 www.ready.gov or call 1.800.BE.READY to learn more about what to do in various types of emergencies.
Get Involved in Preparing Your Community. After preparing yourself and
your family, consider taking the next step by joining Citizen Corps, which involves
citizens in making our communities better prepared. For more information, go to
www.citizencorps.gov.