Member Service Representative Angel Caughorn paid forward $500 to the Joanna Fire Department.
Founded in 1966, the department has 32 volunteers who provide fire repression service as well as attending emergency events from fires to road accidents to floods.
Angel, who is a resident of Joanna, says, “It’s a small town and I know many of the volunteers. I see what they do for this community, and I wanted to give back.”
The funds will be used to purchase personal protective equipment and gear, such as gloves and helmets.
According to the South Carolina State Firefighters’ Association, “Becoming a volunteer is a serious commitment. A new recruit without any training can expect to spend 200-300 hours their first year going through the process, initial training, events and more.”
“The bottom line in our business is measured by the loss of life, pain and suffering, and the property damage we have prevented and reduced.”
Find Joanna Fire Department on Facebook and visit scvolunteerfire.org to learn more about volunteering.
The Pay It Forward program began in 2015.
Every Laurens Electric Cooperative employee is entered into a random drawing to receive $500 to pay forward in any way they choose. Each month a new name is drawn, and the employee then has one month to apply the funds toward their own act of kindness.
This initiative is budget-neutral; the funds come from Laurens Electric’s charity events, which employee volunteers make possible.