Blog
The Texas Domino Hall of Fame
If you’re familiar with the small town of Hallettesville, you may know a few things about it. It’s home to the Lavaca County Courthouse; it hosts an annual Kolache Festival and Fiddlers’ Frolic state championship fiddling contest; and it’s also home to the Knights of...
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The Road to Resolution
As the holidays wrap up, marking the end of one year and ushering in a new one, many people are making their New Year’s resolutions for 2020. Then again, there are many people who think this is a silly, unnecessary tradition and don’t bother making resolutions at all....
read moreJanuary Message from General Manager Darren Schauer — Energy Experts Preparing for Your Future Needs Today
At GVEC, we serve a large area of small town and rural customers and members. But this does not mean we stand idly by while the world around us advances in energy solutions, renewable options and technology. In fact, quite the opposite usually occurs—many times GVEC...
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Staying Warm Without Cranking Up the Heat
January’s arrival means we find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of winter weather. Your first inclination when you feel a chill in your home may be to crank up the heat. This could mean more energy consumption, resulting in higher electricity bills. Freeze! Don’t...
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A History of Christmas Lighting in the U.S.
For over a century after Christmas trees became popular in the U.S., electricity as we know it didn’t exist. Decoration with holiday candles was prevalent during the era—having a “merry Christmas” often meant not burning down the house. The movement toward widespread...
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Five Tips for Surviving a Central Heating Failure this Winter
AC/heating system failure during cold weather is no fun; for some people, a heating outage can even be dangerous. Don’t worry, though; if your heat pump or furnace unexpectedly goes out during cold weather, there are measures you can take to help beat the chill until...
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How to Minimize Winter Electric Bills when Temperatures Drop
Weather is the single biggest driver of home electricity bills. No matter the season, outside temperature determines how often your AC/heating system cycles on and off. In winter, the colder it is outside, the harder your heater works. Heating and cooling represent...
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Space Heaters: Dos and Don’ts for Efficiency and Safety
Small as they are, space heaters are high-wattage appliances that can add serious expense to your monthly energy bill. What’s more, they can present a severe fire hazard if operated improperly. Now is the time of year when people are more likely to use space heaters...
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Delivering for Community: Meals on Wheels and GVEC
In 2018, GVEC put wheels to the road in service to community by volunteering to help deliver Meals on Wheels within our service territory as the program transitioned to a new local coordinator. Pictured is GVEC Accountant Julie Stock standing beside Sparky the EV....
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Breaking New Ground on the Economic Future
On Nov. 4, a host of international, state, and local government and business leaders gathered at 565 Bolton Road in Cibolo to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new AW Texas manufacturing facility at the 159-acre site the company purchased from GVDC in August 2019....
read moreDecember Message from General Manager Darren Schauer — Rooted in Cooperative Values as We Build for Tomorrow
As 2020 approaches, I find myself excited not only about the year ahead, but about what the next decade will look like at the Cooperative. 2020 will be a transitional year at GVEC—no doubt about it. Our aim will be to identify the future needs and initiatives of our...
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We Love a Parade!
As we’re drawing nearer to the holiday season, at GVEC we’re also in the midst of another season—parade season! We LOVE a parade, which you may have noticed if you attend local parades and festivals in your area. Parade Season Parade season at GVEC is a long one, with...
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Seasonal Safety Quiz: Holiday Decorating
‘Twas the month before Christmas and all through the house, Dad’s inspecting strings of lights, making sure they weren’t chewed by a mouse. The children are excited for a tree and gifts galore; While Mom and Dad are shopping, they’ll get new extension cords at the...
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The SmartHub® App’s Smart New Look
If you’ve logged on to your SmartHub app since the end of October, you may have noticed something different. But rest assured, although the app may appear different, all the useful information, convenience, functionality and features remain the same. Color One of the...
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The Perfect Time for a Comfort Check!
Ah, feel that crisp autumn air! Summer’s blistering heat has mostly retreated, and you’re able to give your AC a much-deserved break. Fall might be perfect time to throw open the windows and let Mother Nature control the temperature in your home, but it’s also the...
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Sutherland Springs: Healing Through Faith and Community
Community can be defined a few ways. It’s the area you live in, a society you’re a part of, the feeling of fellowship and caring for those around you—in short, it’s belonging to something bigger than yourself. Often, when unfortunate or tragic events strike our...
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GVEC Members Continue Supporting Their Communities Through Power Up
Ten Power Up™ Grants Awarded GVEC’s Power Up community grant program continues to grow, with ten more nonprofit organizations receiving approximately $149,796 during the second grant distribution cycle for 2019. These grants, which provide funding assistance for...
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Today’s Weather Becomes Next Month’s Electricity Bill
Sample of a GVEC member electric bill, with the Service Dates and Billing Date highlighted. As you've probably noticed, the temperature's been dropping recently, and even cooler weather is just around the corner. All over South Central Texas, our long summer of...
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GVEC Recipe Calendars: A GVEC Tradition
Leigh Pirkle is in her kitchen when her mother-in-law, Valasta, arrives. She has come to show Leigh and a friend how to make her “famous” cream cheese rolls—a recipe that has been in their family for a long time. Valasta almost immediately notices the GVEC recipe...
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One of GVEC’s Largest Economic Development Projects
In August, GVEC completed the sale of a 159-acre tract of land, making it one of the Cooperative’s largest economic development projects to date. The acreage will be the future location of the third U.S. facility for Aisin AW, a Japan-based Fortune 500 company and...
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