Mayor of Sublette, Jery Bailey- poses for a picture in the new mobile chair lift purchased with H.U.G.S. funds for the Sublette City pool.
Official Press Release
Southern Pioneer Electric's H.U.G.S Team helps out local pool.
July 31, 2014 - Giving back to the communities we serve is a part of Southern Pioneer Electric Company's business plan. Our employees live, work and raise families in the same communities as our consumers; we have a vested interest in developing our communities to be strong and viable for years to come. Two years ago, the H.U.G.S (Helping Us Give to Society) team was formed to do just that - give back to the communities we serve. The H.U.G.S team is proud to announce the completion of another project.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), made it mandatory all public pools have an ADA Compliant Pool Chair Lift installed. Budget restrictions for the City of Sublette kept them from being compliant with the ADA and most of all limiting the accessibility of the community pool to all citizens. The H.U.G.S. Team couldn't wait to dive head first into helping the city with their project. A H.U.G.S. grant helped the city purchase a mobile chair lift that can be stored inside when not in use to prevent weathering, and wear and tear. H.U.G.S. Team members, City of Sublette employees, councilmen, Mayor Jery Bailey, senior citizens from the Satanta Nursing Home, and senior citizens from Sublette’s Pride of Life gathered at the pool for a small pool party, including complimentary beach towels. The attendees also got to see a demonstration of the new chair lift. Pool Manager, Whitney Hampton, said the chairlift has already been put to use, "We had an older gentleman here the other day at his granddaughter's birthday party. He really just wanted to dip his feet in the pool, but it was too hard for the man to get down that low. So we wheeled out the lift and lowered him into the water. It was really neat to see how such a simple action brought so much joy to someone."
Pictured are H.U.G.S. Team members, City of Sublette employees, Mayor Jery Bailey, senior citizens from the Satanta Nursing Home, and senior citizens from Sublette’s Pride of Life.
The H.U.G.S team is funded by Southern Pioneer Electric's recycled materials. Any pieces of steel, aluminum or copper that have been taken out of service due to a repair or rebuild are recycled. Southern Pioneer Electric Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pioneer Electric Cooperative, is headquartered out of Ulysses, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company has local offices in Liberal and Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company serves approximately 17,200 customers and operates in 10 counties and 34 communities. Southern Pioneer Electric Company's service territory stretches east from Liberal to Medicine Lodge and north to Kingman and back west to Greensburg, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company is dedicated to providing customers with safe and reliable electric service.
For more information, please contact Energy Services Coordinator, Elyse Molstad. (Phone: (620) 655-5051 and E-mail: emolstad@southernpioneer.net)