CFL Charlie is having a busy October in South Carolina, marking both Co-op Month and Energy Efficiency Awareness Month. Seventeen co-ops have teamed up with the statewide to take the Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives mascot on a three-week tour of third-grade classes.

The state already has Palmetto Power,  an energy education program developed by the co-ops with the South Carolina Energy Office and others. It targets students in kindergarten through grade seven.

“We felt that the Super Energy Saver Kit  really complemented Palmetto Power, and it was a great way for us to get into the schools and to promote Touchstone Energy,” said Van O’Cain, director of public and member relations at The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina.  Nearly 1,000 kits will be distributed.

CFL Charlie’s first outing was Oct. 14, visiting four schools in the service territory of Palmetto Electric Cooperative. 

“We went into one class and they had the lights off,” O’Cain said. “They were so proud. The kids all at once said, ‘We’re saving energy!’”

Some students already knew about compact fluorescents. “When they saw CFL Charlie, a bunch of them said, ‘We have those light bulbs in our house,’” O’Cain said. “That was encouraging.”

Jimmy Baker, vice president of marketing and public relations at Palmetto EC, agreed. “These students really are our members of the future,” said Baker. “We need to develop good patterns of energy efficiency in their lives.”

The message was heard loud and clear by Okatie Elementary School student Katerra Gaston who shared an important lesson she learned: “You have to keep the refrigerator closed so all the cold air won’t go out.”

When CFL Charlie stopped at Hilton Head Preparatory School, some good friends were with him. Jim Bausell, Touchstone Energy COO, led a delegation of Touchstone Energy folks who were in town for the NRECA Regions 2 & 3 meeting.

“For us it was a big thrill,” Bausell said. “Those of us on the national level rarely get to see the ‘roll-out’ of a program.”

CFL Charlie enjoyed meeting the third graders at Hilton Head International Baccalaureate Elementary School.
(Photo By: Kristin Keller/Palmetto Electric)