We all know such a person. Someone whose integrity
and honesty are widely known, widely respected, and even more widely
defended if questioned. Someone who does good deeds rather than merely
talking about them. Someone who makes a town a community, a community a
neighborhood, a neighborhood a comfortable home.
When I think of such a person, I think of Mary
Sweitzer, of Highland County. Mary appeared on our cover back in January
1998 when Monterey was showcased in our Down Home profile of Virginia
hometowns. She was photographed on a bitterly cold November morning, with
outstretched arms, holding a wand in one hand, the small town of Monterey
spread out behind her, the gentle folds of the Allegheny Mountains in the
distance.
It was a delight meeting Mary in connection with that
story. And it�s been a treat following her activities over the last five
years through her weekly column in the Highland County and Bath County
newspaper, The Recorder, as well as through word of mouth in Highland,
where I have a small weekend getaway. Mary�s column � full of
clean-but-funny jokes, local happenings, vacation destinations of local
folks, club fundraisers and encouragements to visit those who are sick and
shut-in � is the first place I go when I receive my copy of The
Recorder, and the place where I spend the most time, reading and admiring
the way it stitches this remote area�s residents together into a
community that cares about its own, and welcomes those who come to visit.
But I also know that Mary is heavily involved behind
the scenes and behind the microphone at the local volunteer community
radio station, that she helps every year with the county fair, and that
she spreads good wishes and good cheer wherever she goes. In short, Mary
Sweitzer has a good name. And it�s likely that you know a Mary Sweitzer
in your community.
Virginia�s electric cooperatives have worked very
hard for 65 years to build and maintain a good name in the communities we
serve. After all, we�re owned by members of the community, our board
members are elected from the community, and our employees live and work in
the community. Because we�re local, we�ve been able to build a strong
record of reliable service. Because we�re a cooperative and you own us,
we offer electric service at cost, making our rates in the rural areas,
small towns and suburbs where we serve competitive with those of the large
utilities serving Virginia�s metro areas and large cities.
We�re proud and protective of the good name we�ve
built. Unfortunately, sometimes other companies will try to trade on our
good name by claiming that they�re connected with us, or that we endorse
them. Please be very cautious whenever you receive a mailing or a sales
call from someone claiming to represent �rural cooperative members� or
�cooperative members.� These companies may claim that your electric
cooperative endorses their products or services.
If your electric cooperative ever endorses anything
(and most electric cooperatives do not), then you will have no doubt about
it. It will be clearly marked. So please, if you ever receive such a
solicitation, be cautious, and call your electric cooperative to inquire
about it and to report it.
Lots of companies want to benefit from the integrity
and goodwill that we�ve worked hard to establish in dozens of
communities across the Commonwealth. But if we�re behind something,
you�ll know it! It�s all part of being a good neighbor, with a good
name.
