SLECA News Joe Ticheli, General ManagerAlexander Doyle, President
South Louisiana Electric Cooperative Assn.P.O. Box 4037, Houma, LA 70361 (876-6880)Low Rates. High Expectations.
Page 6 • Louisiana CountRy • February 2013 February 2013 • Louisiana CountRy • Page 7
Did you know that each month sLECa gives away CasH just for reading Louisiana CountRy? it’s true. Every month, sLECa
account numbers are randomly selected by computer. Four account numbers are hidden in the articles in the sLECa news
section of Louisiana CountRy. then it’s up to you. if you see your account number, call sLECa and win $25.00 in cash or have your winnings applied to your bill. it’s that simple. so, if you are not reading Louisiana CountRy you’re missing out on great local
articles and the possibility of winning extra money.
SLECA SWEEPSTAKES
SouthLouisianaElectricCooperativeAssociation’s(SLECA)EnergyEmer-gencyDeferredBillingProgramprovideseligiblecustomerswithamechanismtodeferutilitypaymentsintheeventtheLouisianaPublicServiceCommissionshoulddeclarean"EnergyEmergency." Toqualifyfortheprogram,aresidentialcustomerorgovernmententitymustmeetcertainrequirementsandbepre-qualifiedandpre-enrolledpriortoanyLPSCdeclaredenergyemergency. Fordetailsandtherequirementstobecomea"QualifiedConsumer,"contactSLECAatP.O.Box4037,Houma,LA;985/876-6880. Eligibleconsumers—Eligiblecustomersincludeanyoneofthefollowing: •Thosepersonswhoseincomedoesnotexceed150%ofthepovertylevelasestablishedbytheFederalGovernmentandwhoare65yearsofageorolder. •Thosepersonswhoreceiveeitheroneofthefollowing:(1)Foodstamps;(2)TemporaryAssistanceforNeedyFamilies(TANF). •ThosepersonswhosesoleincomeconsistsofSocialSecuritypayments. •AsdeterminedbytheCommissionorothervitalgovernmententitieswhoprovideservices,theabsenceofwhichcouldresultinimminentperiltothepublichealth,safety,andwelfare.(Acct.No.103003001) •Thosepersonswhoneedlife-sustaining,electricallyoperatedequipment,orlife-sustainingmedicaltreatmentthatrequireselectricityinordertolive.
Energy emergency deferred billing
SLECA offers scholarships to local students
south Louisiana Electric Cooperative association (sLECa) is offering schol-arships for the 2013-2014 fall and spring semesters at nicholls state university or the L.E. Fletcher Community College. Four scholarships valued at $1000 each are being offered to graduating high school seniors to help with the costs of tuition, room and board, or books. Qualifying students must live on sLECa electric lines or have a parent who is a manager or owner of a company that is a sLECa member. Financial need is consid-ered as well as scholastic performance. see your guidance counselor for an application or call sLECa at 876-6880 in Houma or 631-3605 in amelia. you may also download an application from www.sleca.com. (acct. no. 204303001) the deadline for applying for this scholarship is March 31. send in your application now!
SLECA district meetings scheduled SLECAhasannouncedthosememberswhohavequalifiedascandidatesforboardofdirectorpositionsinDistricts1,2and3. InDistrict1,incumbentdirectorBrianRivet,111SouthLeonDr.,Gheens,andMarkA.Breaux,160St.JamesSt.,Gheens. InDistrict2,incumbentdirectorJ.D.Boudreaux,183AzaleaDr.,Don-ner,returnsunopposed. ReturningunopposedinDistrict3isLarryJ.Daigle,3265Hwy.316,Gray. Thedistrictmeetingsarescheduledasfollows:
District 1Tuesday,March12,2013
Vacherie-GheensCommunityCenterHwy.654,Gheens,LA
District 2Wednesday,March13,2013DonnerCommunityCenter
Donner,LA
District 3Thursday,March14,2013
St.LouisCatholicChurchHall2226BayouBlueRd.,Houma,LA
Registrationforallmeetingsbeginsat6:00p.m.andclosessharplyat7:00p.m.Themeetingsbeginimmediatelyafterregistration.Refreshmentswillbeservedandprizeswillbeawarded.(Acct.No.85116002) DirectorselectedatthedistrictmeetingsaresworninatSLECA’sAn-nualMembershipMeetingonFriday,April19,2013,attheHouma-Terre-bonneCivicCenter,346CivicCenterBlvd.,Houma,La.
Across the BoardDecember 3, 2012
PresentweredirectorsAlexanderDoyle,president;DavidLuke,vice-president;BrianRivet,secretary;TerryTrahan,treasurer;TracyDuval,J.D.Boudreaux,EroyAcosta,RogerDaleDeHart,LarryJ.Daigle,andAdvisortotheBoard,LloydGib-son.AlsoattendingwereJosephTicheli,generalmanager,JamesFunderburk,attor-ney,andElaineRobertson,memberservicessupervisor. Aftertheinvocationandpledge,theboardapprovedminutesandsummaryoftheNovember5,2012regularboardmeetingand194newmembers. Thefinancialreport,approvedbytheboard,highlightedinterestearnings,cashonhand,ratecomparisonshowingSLECAhavingthelowestratescomparedtootherareautilities,lineloss,kilowatthoursalesforthemonth,cumulativesalestodate,costofservice,equity,TIERandelectricandtotalrevenueversescostperkilowatthour.(Acct.No.95390002). Followinganupdateonupcomingschools,meetingsandevents,Mr.Tichelireportedonthefollowing:(1)ScottAngelleisthenewlyelectedPublicServiceCommissionerforDistrict3;(2)CongressmenCharlesBoustanyandJeffLandrywillfaceoffintheupcomingrun-offelectionscheduledonDecember8th;(3)Hur-ricanerepairsinLakeDecadewerecompletedandthelakelinesenergizedonTues-day,November20th;(4)The2013proposedbudgetwasbeingfinalizedandaskedthattheBoardBudgetCommitteemeetonMonday,December17thatnoon.Theboardagreedtothemeeting;(5)SLECAisstillawaitingananswertoitsappealtoNERCbuttherewerenoknownviolationsduringthisperiod. TheboardthenchoseMr.LarryDaigleasvotingdelegateandMr.BrianRivetasalternateforthe2013annualmeetingsandapprovedSLECA’smedicalinsurancerenewal,themanager’sreportandexpenses,andthesafetyreportshowingemploy-eeshaveworked2,638,485hourswithoutalosttimeaccidentsinceDecember,1996.Theboardthenapprovedtheattorney’sreportandfees. Followingexecutivesession,themeetingwasadjourned. YoumayobtaincopiesoftheminutesbycontactingSLECA,P.O.Box4037,Houma,LA70361orbycalling(985)876-6880or1-800-256-8826.
Bayou Blue Cakes serves up sweets for all occasions Ifyouhappentobeattendingawed-dingreceptionwheretheconfectionsarecateredbyBayouBlueCakes,youbettergettothedessertlinefastbecausesupplieswillbelimited. “Peoplejustreallyseemtolikewhatwedo,andIthinkit’sbecausewealwaysusefreshingredientsandtakethetimetotalkwiththecustomertofindoutjustwhattheywant,”saidNicoleTheriot,whoopenedthebusi-nesstwoyearsago. Theaffable28-year-oldhasalwaysenjoyedbaking,followinginthefoot-stepsofherbigsister,Connie,andhermother,Gayle.WhenNicolewasalitltegirl,thethreealwaysseemedtobeintheprocessofmakingcakesforbirth-daysandweddings,orwhippingupahomemadepecanpieforthefamilytoeataftermeals. Theriotshowedaknackforbak-ingandcreatingnewdesserts,andshedecidedtopickupsometricksofthetradebyworkinginthebakeriesofsev-erallocalfoodstoreswhereshelearnedaboutorderingingredients,designingcakesandpastries,dealingwithcus-tomersandmanaginginventory. Beforelong,shewasmakingupherownrecipesforpralines,fudge,brown-ies,turnovers,cupcakesandpies.Soonfriendsandneighborswereencouraginghertoopenherownshop. Withthehelpofherfather,Mo,akitchen,preparea,storagespaceandfrontcounterfacilitywereaddedontothefamilyhomeandTheriothungouthershinglein2010.Thebusinesshas
beengoinggang-busterseversince.CustomersfrequentlycallorstopbythesmallshopasTheriotstaysbusyfillingordersandmakingsurecustom-ersalwaysgetexactlywhattheywant,whentheywantit. Theworkloadisespeciallyheavy
duringholidayssuchasChristmasandMardiGras,andalsoduringthespringandsummerwhenmanyanniversaries,weddingsandshowerstakeplace. Thoughshe’dmuchratherhaveherhandsdeepindoughandicingratherthansittinginfrontofacomputerscreen,Theriotsaidsheislearningtodealwithallthetedioustasksandresponsibilitiesofrunningasmallbusi-ness. “It’salotofpaperwork,butit’s
beenagreatexperience,”shesaid.“Ispendalotoftimeonmyfeet,soit’snicetositdownandtakeiteasy.Acou-pleofweeksagosomeoneordered100six-inchroundcakes.Ittookmetwodaystomakethem,butIwashappywhenIgotfinished.”
Theeffortisworthit,shesaid,whenaspecialeventgoesoffwithoutahitchandthecustomerpaysacomplimenttothebakerychef.Thishappenedrecentlywhenshefulfilledanorderforafive-tierfondantweddingcakeandthebrideexpressedherappreciationwithacall. “Gettingthank-younotesandphonecallsandcomplimentsmakesitallworthwhile,”shesaid.“Peoplewillcallaweekorsoafteraweddingandletmeknowhowgooditwas,andthat’s
reallygratifying.Itmakesyouproudandhappythatyoucouldcontributetomakingsomeone’sspecialeventeventhatmuchmorespecial.” AccordingtoTheriot,thesecrettobecomingasuccessfulbakerychefispatience–andlotsofit.Sheexplainsthatwhendoingcustomorderssheoftenworkswiththecus-
tomeroncomingupwithgeneralguide-linesbutinsteadoftakinga“cookie-cutter”approachsheneverreallyknowswhatthefinalproductisgoingtoactu-allylooklikeuntilshe’sfinished. “It’slikeaworkofart.EverythingIbakeisunique,”shesaid.“Peoplegive
metheircolorschemesandwediscusswhethertheywantaroundorsquarecake,orribbonsorbowsorpolkadotsorwhatever.Somepeoplewanttoknowexactlywhattheircakeisgoingtolooklike,butIcan’treallytellthemuntilit’sdone.IcanshowthempicturesofwhatI’vemadeinthepastandtheycanseethegeneralidea.MostofthepeopleIbakeforaregoodcountryfolks.Aslongasittastesgood,theydon’tcarethatmuchaboutwhatitlookslike.” Asforthefuture,Theriotsaidshehasnointerestinopeningupastore-frontlocationatamallorshoppingcenter,andshedoesn’tcaretobecomeoverburdenedwithhighoverhead.Butshedoeshaveagoalofbeingabletoofferone-stopserviceforeventssuchasweddingsandshowers. Shesaidsheisalsoskilledatcreat-ingflowerarrangementsandwouldliketobeabletohandlealltheelementsofaspecialevent. “Now,youhavetocallalotofpeo-pletotakecareoftheflowersandthephotographyandthemusicandthefoodanddesserts.I’dliketobeabletobethesinglecontacttomakeallthathap-penandcutdownonsomeoftheworkforthebride,sortoflikeaweddingplanner,”shesaid. Theriothasordersbookedallthewayto2014andsuggestsplanningearlyforaspecialevent.Formoreinformationontheshop,callTheriotat873-8096.
at left, nicole theriot cuts up some fresh fudge; above, sLECa employee ivy Deroche visits with Mo theriot at the cake shop. Mo is nicole’s father, who has supported her in getting the small business off the ground.
nicole theriot, shown above working with customers and at right stirring the ingredients for one of her unique cakes, hopes to become a one-stop wedding planner in the future.
SLECA NEWS Pages 6-7 • Feb. 2013
Vol. 29, No. 11
Bayou Blue Cakesserves up sweets for all occasions
