All across the Tennessee Valley, you can spy local power companies helping spread good cheer throughout their communities during the Christmas season. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has canceled some holiday traditions like parades and traditional tree lighting ceremonies and Christmas markets, TVPPA members have shown creativity and resourcefulness in keeping beloved holiday traditions alive and launching new ones. With their usual holiday events canceled due to COVID, Paris (Tenn.) Utility Authority Marketing Specialist Meagan Hart enlisted the help of Energy Advisor Barry Flood to create a unique and memorable way to make spirits bright. Enter “Elf on the Shelf Barry,” who could be spotted throughout the community helping to promote local charities like the Henry County Sheriff’s Office Animal Shelter; getting his flu shot; helping collect donations at the Paris-Henry County Food Bank; and collecting toys in the PUA lobby for the Henry County Familly Resource Center. And of course, as elves are wont to do, Barry did get into mischief as well, trying to scale the city’s replica Eiffel Tower and attempting to swim at the wastewater treatment plant. “As a public power provider, we are deeply rooted in our community and love the opportunity to engage with members of our community. As with most things in 2020, our chances to engage with our customers have been limited due to COVID precautions. To end the year on a high note, we wanted to feature some of our community partnerships as well as our services while also spreading a little cheer,” said Hart.
In Scottsboro, Ala., city officials carried on with their annual Jingle Bell Trail — a series of Christmas trees designed and decorated by local businesses and displayed around the town square. Scottsboro Electric Department showed off a little lineman pride with their entry featuring a bucket truck delivering a Christmas tree decked out with yellow hard hats. And in Hopkinsville, Ky., right-of-way crews delivered the city’s majestic Christmas tree to the town square for a virtual tree lighting streamed by the city’s parks and recreation department in lieu of the annual Hopkinsville Electric System & EnergyNet Christmas Parade.
