Published each Thursday Pembroke. N.C. H M
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VOLUME 29 NUMBER 40 THURSDAY, OCTOBER " Pembroke NC 283/20510 25l
I W
Robert Strickland
Ruth Oxen dine
Herbert Clark
Maggie Hunt
Robert Strickland seeks
re-election to EMC Board
Robert Strickland who has represented
District 3 on the
Lumbcc River Electric Membership
Corporation Board of Directors
for the past twelve years announces
his bid for re-election
to that position Strickland
pledges to continue, if re-elected,
to make sound fiscal decisions
and to continue to be an advocate
for the consumers Mr Strickland
is proud to have served the consumer
owned cooperative for the
past twelve years and believes the
success demonstrated by the
board is an indication of strong
leadership and commitment to the
continued growth and progress of
the cooperative
Mr. Strickland released the following
statement relative to his
bid for re-election:
"It has been a privilege for me
to be a part of the fastest growing
cooperative in the nation. I have
worked diligently to ensure our
cooperative is operated as the
multi-million dollar business that
it is This requires sound fiscal
decisions and knowledge of how
a cooperative works and the ability
to apply this knowledge to the
day-to-day operation of the cooperative.
"LREMC continues to be one
of the most progressive consumer
owned companies w hich provides
reliable products and services
This tremendous growth and
progress docs not happen without
proper training and planning I
have worked hard and have completed
my Board Leadership
Training Course for Rural Electric
Systems. It is my desire to
continue to share my training and
leadership with the member owners
of our cooperative.
"I am especially proud of the
fact that over the past five years
there has been no rate increase
and we have returned over $4 million
to the members in capital
credits. In addition, we have upgraded
all the lines which ensures
less power failure outages during
extreme weather conditions Our
technology has also been upgraded
and this results in our being
able to predict bad weather and
respond accordingly
"Keeping abreast of the latest
technological advancements is
critical in running a successful
.business and especially so in the
operation of an electrical cooperative
"1 strongly encourage members
to attend the Annual meeting on
October 8, 2002 and vote for continued
progress and growth Registration
begins at 6 p.m. and the
Annual Meeting will be held at the
Givens Performing Arts Center
on the campus of the University
of North Carolina at Pembroke.
"I solicit your vote and support
on October 8. 2002 Thank you
for your support in the past and
on October 8, 2002."
Kutn uxendine seeks second term
on LREMC Board of Directors
Ruth Oxendine announces her bid
for re-election to the at-large position
on the LREMC Board of Directors.
Ms Oxendine is seeking
her second elected term, although
she has served since 1997 when
she was appointed to replace her
husband, the late Mr. Conrad Oxendine
In 1999 she sought election
for the first time and was
elected by an overwhelming majority.
Ms Oxendine serves as Secretary
of the Board, a position she
has held for the past four years
In making her announcement, Ms.
Oxendine released the following
statement:
"Serving on the LREMC board has
been a rewarding experience for
me I see it as an opportunity to
serve My civic and community
activities in my community.
Wakulla, and my church, Cherokee
Chapel Holiness Methodist, is
indicative of my desire and ability
to serve others. Serving on the
LREMC Board is very challenging
and is a challenge that I have demonstrated
1 enjoy and am up to the
challenges It is an opportunity to
expand my knowledge and 1 have
learned a great deal about the cooperative
program. 1 wish to continue
to be of service to the member
consumers of our cooperative
and am proud of the growth and
progress we have made since I
have been a board member
"Four million dollars have been
returned to the consumers in the
form of capital credits and our rate
for electricity has not increased
during my tenure as a board member
The addition of Pope Air Force
Base and Fort Bragg to our service
area is further expansion and
growth I am happy to have been
a part of this important decision.
" There arc several programs available
to help our elderly and disabled
These programs are there
for those who arc on fixed incomes
and may need extensions on their
electric bills or with the assistance
of our Help A Needy Friend Program.
we can help those who need
help paying their electric bill I am
happy that these programs arc
there to assist out consumers.
"I would greatly appreciate your
vote and support at our Annual
Meeting on OctobGr 8 at the Givens
Performing Arts Center at
UNCP, beginning at 6 p.m A vote
for Ruth Oxendine is a vote for
continued commitment and concern
for our cooperative."
Herbert Clark of Scotland County
Seeks Re-election to EMC Board
Herbert Clark, representative
from Scotland County, announces
his bid for re-election to the
LREMC Board of Directors, representing
District 9. Mr. Clark has
served for fifteen years on the
board and has served as the president
of the board for more than
one term.
Mr. Clark issued the following
statement: "1 have served with
pride and dignity for the past fifteen
years. Knowledge and training
arc necessary ingredients for
successfully operating a cooperative.
It has been several years
since I completed my Board Training
Course for Electric Systems,
however, I have continued to attend
workshops and training
/courses to keep informed and
abreast of the latest improvements
in the delivery of electrical services.
"For more than eight years. I
have had the privilege of representing
LREMC on several state
ooards Tius has served to enhance
my learning and knowledge
and has resulted in the continued
growth and progress of our local
cooperative.
"We have had extensive expansion
of our service area, including
Wal-Marts in Lumberton and
in Cumberland County, a new
shopping center in Cumberland
County and a new State Correction
Facility in Scotland County.
These are just a few of the newest
expansions we have made
" I am proud also of our programs
that arc geared to accommodate
and assist those who arc
elderly, handicapped and on fixed
incomes We have programs available
to assist them w ith their electric
bills. We offer a program where
the consumer can pay the same
amount on their electric bill each
month. This allows them to know
how much they must budget for
electrical service We also have
the Help a Needy Friend Program
which is a fund raising program wc
do each year to help the economically
disadvantaged pay their electric
bill These arc all valuable programs
and arc available to help
those who arc less fortunate than
others This is what the cooperative
means to me. an opportunity
to serve the people.
"While I am proud of my distinction
as a member of the board of
directors of LREMC. I am even
more excited about my service at
my church. Gray Pond Baptist
Church, where I serve as a Deacon
and Sunday School teacher of the
Adult Class and I have been privileged
to hold various other offices
I sincerely solicit your support and
pledge to continue to represent
you, the member consumers, with
the same diligence and commitment
1 have demonstrated over the past
fifteen years Thank you for voting
Herbert Clark in ihc past and
please do so again on October 8th.
A
Gospel Singing Planned at
Pembroke First Baptist
Gospel Singing will be held at Pembroke First Baptist Church on Sat
Octobcr5. 2002 beginning at 7:OOp.m
Featured singer will be The Pierce Family;Thc Jacobs Family;Thc
Lumber River; Coharie Singers from Clinton N C
Pastor Kent Chavis and members invite you to come and be blessed.
Mclntyre Announces $244,150 for
Robeson County Schools
Waslungton-D C - L S Representative Mike Mclniyrcannounced
today thai the Robeson County Public Seliools lias received $244.1><>
in federal funds for sc\cral areas of importance to our students
Congressman Mclnt> re stated "This is superb news for Robeson
County students and schools' Federal funds will assist in impro\ ing
student htcrac> skills and academic aclue\ cincnt
Congratulations to all who were involved m this grant application.
and 1 am pleased to see our taxpaying dollars coming back
home to our area'"
Mclntyre explained that the congressionally appropriated funds
from the U.S. Department of Education will 1) help replace 6.000
outdated books with new \olumcs. 2) extend library hours. 3) purchase
a standardized testing program to create reading programs
for at-risk children. 4) provide professional development and 5)
pros ide collaboraUon activ ities for teachers, media specialists, parents.
and students
Congressman Mclntyre is a member of the House Education Task
_Eorcc on Capitol Hill
Hoke Representative Maggie Hunt
Seeks Re-Election to LREMC Board
Ms Maggie Hunt announces her
bid for re-election to the LREMC
Board of Directors Ms Hunt represents
District 7 which comprises
Hoke County A life time resident
of Hoke County. Ms Hunt has
served on the LREMC Board
since 1997 She replaced her husband.
the late James Albert Hunt
She ran unopposed in 1999 and
was elected by acclamation. This
is the first time Ms Hunt has had
opposition and is facing her opponent
in the same manner she
has faced other challenges, with
determination, faith and straight
forward campaigning
Ms Hunt is a dedicated member
of her church. South Hoke Baptist
Church, where she is extremely
active in the affairs of the church
A well-known businesswoman in
her community Ms Hunt pledges
lo continue to apply her business
acumen to the operation of the locally
owned cooperative Ms Hunt
released the follow ing statement
"Operating an 80 million dollar cooperative
must be done as a business.
It is. aftcrall. a business that
is owned by the consumers and all
decisions should be made with the
idea of keeping the costs of delivers
as low as possible w hile delivering
lop quality service I am
happy to have had the opportunity
to apply sound business principles
to an already flourishing
business. It has been an exceptionally
rew arding experience and gives
me a great deal of pride to know
that I have had the opportunity to
be at least a small part of keeping
our cooperative progressing, expanding
and increasing our service
area.
"It has been a pleasure to work
with lite present board The board,
the administration and employees
have worked well together and
this spirit of unity has resulted in
keeping the rates as low as possible
w hile providing the best service
to the owners, the member
consumers
"If I am re-elected I promise to
continue to make sound business
decisions and keep the best interests
of the consumers in mind. I
wish to remind the members that
you must vote for four, one in each
district and one at-largc. in order
for your vote to be counted. I sincerely
request that you make
Maggie Hunt one of your four
votes Thank you in advance for
voting Maggie Hunt on October
8th at the Annual Meeting of
LREMC at the UNCP Performing
Arts Center
Pastor Appreciation Day held at Berea Baptist
Berea Baptist Church of Pembroke, NC observed Pastor and wife Appreciation Day,
Sunday September 22, 2002.
Speaker for the occassion was Dr. Michael Brooks.
Rev. Bruce Swett is pastor of Berea Baptist Church.
A covered dish followed the service in the Fellowship Hall
COMtech groundbreaking Sept. 30
PEMBROKE-Monday was a
red letter day in the counts as
some 500 business and community
leaders gathered to take
part in groundbreaking ceremonies
to officially introduce the
public to what is happening at
the Carolina Commerce and
Technology Center near Pembroke
(COMtcch)
-The COMtech. a 612 acre industrial
site, is located on NC
711 between Pembroke and
Lumbcrton (4 miles from Pembroke.
7 miles from Lumbcrton)
and will be home to mans industries
and enterprises that ssill
in time produce jobs, including
a technology high school by the
Public Schools of Robeson
County, and facilities by Robeson
Community College and the
University of North Carolina at
Pembroke Executive Director
Tony Normand also announced
during the ceremonies that two
clients ("taxpaying businesses")
have already announced plans
to build on the site
The official reason for the ceremony
svas to officially break
the ground for a community facilities
building to be built in the
near future Ceremonies included
the presentation of a
check for $434,500 from U S
Department of Agriculture officials
to help offset costs for
the proposed 3.200 square-foot
building.
Congressman Mike Mclntyrc
was the guest speaker and
praised the partners of the enterprise.
including the county
commissioners, local towns like
Pembroke and Lumbcrton.and
federal, state and local
govcrments He called it
"standing together in unity."
Congressman Mclntyrc praised
Pates Supply Company who
sold the land to COMtcch and
thp riPM >1 r\fi nivprnp Pftn>mnnit\.
IIIt I 1^11 dira uiTviav WIilllTTTTTtt V
of Robeson County that has
seemingly banded together to
make COMtcch a reality Congressman
Mclntyrc called the
project "Robeson County and
her citizens working together for
the greater good " One leader,
who begged anonymity, said. It
is banding together in an almost
unheard of way in our racial and
multi-cultural counts "
Remarks were also given by
Continued on page 2
The entrance to COMtech or, more correctly,
"Carolina Commerce and Technology Center"