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6A I DAWSON COUNTY NEWS I dawsonnews.com
Wednesday, January 26,2022
Sawnee EMC to return more than $7 million to eligible members
By staff reports
Sawnee EMC announced
this week that it is getting
ready to return approxi
mately $7.8 million to
approximately 120,208 eli
gible current and former
members through a general
retirement of patronage
capital, according to a
release by the electric mem
bership corporation.
“This includes funds
assigned for the balance of
year 2003 and all of 2004,”
the release said. “This
action will provide funds to
individuals and businesses
who were members of the
cooperative and received
electric service from
Sawnee at any time during
2003 and 2004.”
Because Sawnee EMC is
a not-for-profit electric
cooperative, the release said
that each year its members
receive an assignment of
what is called “patronage
capital” in the records of the
Cooperative. Each mem
ber’s assignment is based on
the amount of revenue they
provided to the Cooperative
through their electric bills in
a particular year.
“Patronage capital is
defined in Sawnee’s Bylaws
as an ‘allocation of the reve
nue in excess of operating
costs and expenses’ and is
required by Georgia law,”
the release said. “Sawnee
EMC’s Board of Directors
regularly considers the
retirement of patronage cap
ital to its members for cer
tain periods and certain
events. The Board approves
a retirement after it deter
mines that doing so will not
impair Sawnee’s overall
financial position.”
All of the current and for
mer Sawnee EMC mem
bers who received electric
service from the corpora
tion at any time during
2003 or 2004 are eligible to
receive a position of this
general patronage capital
retirement, the release said.
“Approximately $7.8
million will be distributed
to these members, with the
average refund being
approximately $65.49,” the
release said. “It should be
noted that each member’s
refund will vary based on
the amount of revenue they
contributed to the coopera
tive, via their power bills,
during 2003 or 2004.”
Existing members who
are receiving a refund will
receive the money in the
form of a credit on the
March 2022 electric bill.
Former members who no
longer receive services
from Sawnee but have a
valid forwarding address on
file will be mailed a check
on or around April 5,2022.
“It is important for us to
demonstrate through this,
and many other actions,
that the cooperative busi
ness model still works for
our members and our orga
nization,” Sawnee EMC
President and CEO Michael
Goodroe said in the release.
Sawnee EMC also volun
tarily retires patronage capi
tal to the estates of
deceased members, Vice
President of Member
Service Blake House said
in the release. Thousands of
dollars are claimed every
year by families of former
members who are now
deceased.
Executors of the estates
of deceased members who
have not yet received their
refund should contact
Sawnee’s Customer Service
Center by calling 770-887-
2363, texting 678-999-8124
or emailing customerser-
vice@sawnee.com to learn
if their family member’s
estate can qualify for a vol
untary early retirement of
patronage capital.
For more information or
questions about this general
retirement of patronage
capital, call 770-887-2363,
email customerservice@
sawnee.com or go to www.
sawnee.com/patcap.
Workit Health offering addiction and mental health care to Georgians via telemedicine
By Erica Jones
ejones@dawsonnews.com
Workit Health, a leading
virtual substance use disor
der treatment provider,
recently expanded into
Georgia with a clinic in the
Atlanta area and virtual ser
vice available for anyone in
the state.
According to a press
release by the organization,
the group’s telemedicine ser
vices will be available to the
entire state to help address
substance use, mental health
and other common co
occurring conditions like
Hepatitis C.
“Georgians can connect
with licensed clinicians and
counselors via live chat and
video through the Workit
Health app and receive med
ication e-prescribed to their
local pharmacy,” the release
said.
Workit Health uses a
medicine-first, evidence-
based approach to addiction
treatment, according to the
release.
“Only 30 percent of treat
ment centers nationwide
offer medication, and most
people have to drive hours
every week to receive it,” the
release said. “Clinical evi
dence supports that FDA-
approved medication plays a
critical role in recovery from
substance use and co-occur
ring disorders, cutting over
dose death rates from opi
oids in half.”
According to the release,
the goal is to use treatment
methods to alleviate with
drawal symptoms, provide
necessary support and
reduce the risk of relapse or
overdose.
“From 2010 to 2020, the
total number of opioid-relat
ed overdose deaths in
Georgia increased by 207
percent,” Workit Health co-
CEO Robin McIntosh said
in the release. “Giving peo
ple the opportunity to
receive evidence-based clini
cal care — including medi
cation for substance use and
mental health — leads to
improved outcomes, evi
denced by our 73 percent
retention rate at the 90-day
mark.”
Lisa McLaughlin, the
organization’s co-CEO, said
that the organization focuses
on the individual and lets
them dictate their own end
goal, whether that is com
plete abstinence or modera
tion.
“Our mission is to make it
easy to access the gold stan
dard of addiction care from
home,” McLaughlin said in
the release. “Since recovery
looks different for everyone,
we prioritize the individual’s
goal by implementing a
harm-reduction-based pro
gram that allows for person
alized care and goal setting.”
For more information
about Workit Health, go to
https ://www. world thealth.
com/.
Dawson County Humane Society
a no kill shelter
706-265-9160
Doggy Spotlight
Hi! I’m Atlas, a staff!/lab mix. I am 5 years old. Here is my story:
I originally lived in a home with another dog and small children. I didn’t
really mind the other dog for the most part, but I didn’t like the little
child constantly messing with my food, toys, and in my face. I started
growling and becoming aggressive. From that point on, I developed food
and toy resourcing. It’s been a work in progress, but I still have a ways to
go with it. I was surrendered for that reason, other than that- I did great
with the child. I would be okay in a home with children who understand
personal space and not make me feel cornered, even though i am 85+lbs,
so older kids would be fine. I would be great in a home where my owners
understood my developed concerns and continued to help improve. I
know I look intimidating, but the reality is, I’m confused and not really
sure why I ended up here. Most people overlook me because I look
“scary”. I am really just a big happy go lucky baby. Some things I do love:
cuddling, trying to be a lap dog even though I’m way to big, and treats!
Atlas
For more information contact the 706-265-9160 | 633 Martin Rd, Dawsonville
Dawson County Humane Society Adjacent to the Rock Creek Sports Complex
Visit our RESALE SHOP & BOUTIQUE
Wed. - Sat. 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. | 54 S. Lumpkin Campground Rd.
All proceeds benefits
the Humane Society
Bradley M. Maple
CPA, PC
706-216-2362
2390 Thompson Rd • Ste 100
Dawsonville
Dawsonville
Veterinary
Hospital
706-265-8381
ANH Collision
Specialists
706-216-0992
103 Industrial Park Road,
Dawsonville
