FEBRUARY 2025
THE MESSENGER A Publication for North Arkansas Electric Cooperative Members
ARKANSAS YOUTH TOUR Washington, D.C. & Philadelphia June 14-20 High School Juniors: Apply at naeci.com by March 5!
ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIP OF THE MONTH If you have a home office, look for opportunities to save energy in your workspace. Use ENERGY STAR®-rated equipment, which consumes up to 50% less energy than standard models. Set equipment like printers and scanners to automatically switch to sleep or energy-saver mode when not in use. In addition to saving energy, the equipment will stay cooler, which will help extend its life. Another way to save energy in your home office is to use efficient lamps for task lighting. Replace any older bulbs with energy-saving LEDs. —energy.gov
TIPS TO AVOID
ENERGY SCAMS
Scammers will try anything to deceive utility customers, including a tactic that claims customers have overpaid their bill. If you receive a call, text or email from someone claiming you overpaid a utility bill and need to provide your banking or credit card information to receive a credit, it’s likely a scam. In most cases, your utility will apply a credit to your account to cover future charges or refund an overpayment with a mailed check. If you have concerns about your account, hang up with the caller and dial the utility’s main number. Source: Utilities United Against Scams
Scholarship applications due April 1 The North Arkansas Electric Cooperative (NAEC) member-funded Operation Round Up® program awards thousands of dollars in scholarships to local graduating high school seniors each year. In 2024, 15 students were awarded $1,000 scholarships, and three students were awarded $4,000 scholarships to be disbursed in $1,000 installments for up to four years. NAEC is accepting applications for the 2025-2026 scholarship program. The application is available at naeci.com or through high school counselors’ offices. Applicants must mail or deliver the typed application to NAEC by April 1. They must include a transcript and two letters of recommendation — with at least one from a nonschool employee who is not a relative. To be eligible for the scholarship, high school seniors must graduate at the end of the 2025 school year, and their parents or legal guardians must be NAEC members. Applicants also must have a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale through the first semester of senior year. The scholarship must be used to attend an accredited institute of higher learning on a full-time basis. For more information, please contact Tori Moss, NAEC marketing and communications director, at tmoss@naeci.com or (870) 895-6210. Members can help fund future scholarships by enrolling their accounts in Operation Round Up. Volunteers allow their electric bills to be "rounded up" to the next dollar each month. Call (870) 8953221 to join today!