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UGI Connection

a blog from UGI Utilities, Inc.

UGI Contribution Bolsters Red Cross Home Fire Campaign

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

UGI contributed $100,000 to the American Red Cross last month to continue its support of the Red Cross’ Home Fire Campaign. The funds were presented to Red Cross officials during separate press conferences at the Western Berks Fire Department in Wernersville, Berks County, and at Harrisburg Area Community College’s Public Safety Center in Dauphin County.

“UGI is pleased to support the Red Cross in their efforts to prevent home fires, which take such a toll on families across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” said Robert F. Beard, UGI president and CEO.

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Red Cross Central Pennsylvania Region CEO Jeri Sims talks about her organization’s Home Fire Campaign.

This is the third year that UGI made a contribution of this size and was recognized as a Red Cross Community Partner. UGI’s donation supports the Red Cross’ Home Fire Campaign in eastern and central Pennsylvania. The Red Cross Home Fire Campaign is aimed at reducing the number of home fire-related deaths and injuries by 25 percent nationally. As part of the campaign, the Red Cross offers free smoke alarm installations and works with families to create escape plans.

“UGI has been a longstanding partner with the American Red Cross,” said Judge Renée Cardwell Hughes (Ret.), CEO, American Red Cross Eastern Pennsylvania Region. “The support of UGI allows the Red Cross to bring to life its promise to always help in times of need. The generous gift of UGI makes possible this initiative to install smoke alarms and train families on escape plans which will save lives. UGI understands that a safe community is a strong community and a better place for its employees and its customers. The American Red Cross is proud to stand with UGI to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania.”

“Our partnership and support from UGI Utilities allows us to make communities safer one home at a time,” said Red Cross Central Pennsylvania Region CEO Jeri Sims. “Having working smoke alarms can double a person’s chance of surviving a home fire, and an escape plan increases it even more.”

All American Red Cross disaster assistance is provided free of charge to communities and is made possible by voluntary donations of time and money. Visit www.redcross.org or call
1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to learn more.

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June Little Reader Pick: I Love My Daddy

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

June I Love My Daddy 222x300 - June Little Reader Pick: I Love My DaddyJune 18 celebrates Father’s Day, a day dedicated to honoring the wonderful qualities of fathers everywhere. In recognition of the hard work and love our fathers share with us, UGI has chosen I Love My Daddy as this month’s Little Reader Pick.

Written and illustrated by Sebastien Braun, I Love My Daddy tells the story of a little bear cub who loves his daddy very much. Each page details the many different ways little bear experiences the love and warmth of his daddy bear. Whether it’s splashing together in the babbling brook or eating together under the stars, I Love My Daddy shares some of the many ways fathers love their children.

From the publisher: Sometimes daddies are loud and playful. Other times they are quiet and compassionate. And they are always loving. Sebastien Braun’s appealing text and charming illustrations follow a day in the life of a bear and his bear cub in this celebration of the bond between father and child.

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At UGI Utilities, we are deeply committed to children’s literacy.  Studies have shown that children who are not reading at grade level by third grade will experience significant difficulties throughout their lives. Today’s students will be tomorrow’s business and government leaders, employees and customers.

Check back each month for new Little Reader picks and follow @UGIReads on Twitter for more book selections, author quotes, and tips and tricks to help your own little reader. Have a suggestion for a Little Reader Pick? Let us know in the comments below.

Happy Reading!

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Steer Clear of Your Gas Meter

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

Planning to landscape or dig this summer? UGI reminds customers to protect meters and associated equipment from potential damage when working around your home this season.

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To ensure your safety and proper functioning of your meter, UGI personnel must have easy access to your meter to perform meter readings, periodic safety checks, and routine maintenance.

Follow these tips to keep your meter operating properly this summer:

  • Keep your meter clear of any landscaping that obstructs access or visibility. Shrubs and plants should be trimmed regularly.
  • Keep power landscaping tools and equipment clear of your meter.
  • Do not build decking or fencing that blocks access to the meter.
  • Instruct children not to climb on, or play near, a meter.811 Logo 300x297 - Steer Clear of Your Gas Meter
  • Do not tamper with your meter, or attempt to service or maintain the meter yourself.
  • Always call 8-1-1 to have your utility lines marked at least three business days prior to digging on your property.
  • If your meter is indoors, do not build walls or paneling that obstructs access to the meter. Also, keep the area surrounding the meter clear of boxes, furniture, shelves, and other obstacles.

For more information about natural gas and meter safety, visit www.ugi.com/safety.

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June Featured Community Organization: Junior Achievement

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

FCO JA Logo 300x88 - June Featured Community Organization: Junior AchievementAs students begin their well-deserved summer break after a year of hard word, UGI would like to recognize and thank the many educators, volunteers, and organizations committed to helping these students learn and grow. This month, UGI is pleased to spotlight one of these organizations, Junior Achievement (JA), for their efforts to develop career awareness and readiness skills with programs for students of all ages.

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UGI’s Denise Yost assists students during the Math Challenge session of the Junior Achievement Summit last December.

Junior Achievement was established in 1919 by Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co.; and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts. JA was initially offered as an after-school program for high school students to learn about business and entrepreneurship.

Today, JA’s programs provide students in grades K-12 with the training, materials, and support necessary for economic success. Programs focus on the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy with the intent to ignite the spark to realize their full potential in the 21st century.

Junior Achievement chapters in Pennsylvania include:

To learn more about Junior Achievement, visit www.juniorachievement.org.

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Save Smart with an Energy Smart Kitchen

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

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Cut costs on your utility bills while saving energy in your commercial kitchen with UGI.

UGI’s Save Smart energy efficiency and conservation program offers restaurant owners a variety of energy saving appliance rebates and programs to help turn your commercial kitchen into an energy smart kitchen.

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Available Commercial Kitchen Rebates:

  • Receive up to $1,900 in rebates when you install an ENERGY STAR® rated fryer in your kitchen.
  • Install an ENERGY STAR® rated steam cooker in your kitchen and get a $600 rebate.
  • Get a $50 rebate when you install a WaterSense rated pre-rinse spray valve in your dishwashing area.

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For full program details and to apply for available commercial rebates, visit www.ugi.com/commgasrebates. Have a question about UGI’s Save Smart program? Email us at savesmart@ugi.com.

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May is Electrical Safety Month

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

AdobeStock 64350030 300x225 - May is Electrical Safety Month

Did you know an average of 51,000 electrical home fires occur each year in the United States?

To help raise awareness about electrical safety, the month of May has been designated as Electrical Safety Month.

UGI is committed to providing safe and reliable electric service to our customers and we encourage our customers to follow safe practices whenever you use an electrical source.

Celebrate Electrical Safety Month with UGI by following these safety tips:

  • Use a surge protector with all electronics
  • Do not overload outlets or power strips
  • Never use power tools near live electrical wires or water sources
  • Always wear appropriate protective wear when working with power tools
  • Remember to look up and live when working around power lines

To learn more about electrical safety, as well as find information about electrical power outages, visit www.ugi.com/safety.

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Juniata College’s ROAR Program Receives $3,000 from UGI

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

UGI continues its commitment to early education with a $3,000 grant to support Juniata College’s ROAR (Rural Outreach and Reading) program. This grant will go towards improving student literacy rates as well as provide additional teacher education and training in elementary schools throughout the Huntingdon Area School District in Huntingdon County.

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UGI’s Tammie Lowry, Community Relations Manager-West Region, presents $3,000 to Juniata College’s ROAR program.

Established in 2012 as a collaborative effort between Juniata College and a rural elementary school district with more than 50% of students living in low socio-economic status, ROAR aims to improve literacy achievement as well as to improve pre-service teachers’ training to work with struggling readers, so that they can better identify students with reading disabilities and create effective learning opportunities.

To participate in ROAR, students in grades one through four who meet enrollment requirements are nominated by their teachers. Parents also have the option to nominate their children for program participation. Participants receive approximately 75 hours intensive remedial instruction in literacy and communication skills throughout the school year.

UGI believes early childhood education literacy is the first step in economic and workforce development. In 2016, UGI donated more than $1 million in education grants to education agencies and programs across Pennsylvania to improve literary and STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) learning for students throughout the UGI service territory. By supporting programs such as Juniata College’s ROAR program, UGI is helping to build the next generation of innovators, educators, employees, and customers.

For more information about UGI’s involvement in the communities we serve, visit www.ugi.com/community and to learn more about Juniata College, visit www.juniata.edu.

 

 

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UGI Helps Nardone Brothers Expand Pizza Operation

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

The eastern United States’ largest commercial pizza manufacturer, located in Hanover Township, Luzerne County, is about to get a lot bigger. UGI is making sure Nardone Brothers Baking Company and its 300 employees have the natural gas and electric power they need to make their expansion an extra-large success.

More than a year ago, one of Nardone Brothers’ two locations, a bakery in Wilkes-Barre, was destroyed by an accidental fire. The Nardones decided restoring and renovating the bakery would not meet the company’s growing customer demand as expeditiously as building a 50,000-square-foot expansion at the company’s Hanover Township location. This facility originally “topped” pizza shells baked in Wilkes-Barre and then shipped them throughout the U.S. and Mexico.

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UGI employees Larry Sipsky, Tim Adams, and Joe Bauman inspect the upgraded gas metering facilities.

“We always wanted to do it,” said co-owner Thomas Nardone, speaking of the expansion, “but the longer we waited the bigger (our needs) got. From something catastrophic, we found a way to move forward.”

From UGI’s perspective, the Nardone Brothers’ expansion presents an interesting challenge. The expanded facility requires a diversified electric load, ranging from freezers to ovens and conveyors. Because there will be greater need for electric power, UGI added a second 2000kv electric service to the plant and installed a new electric meter – on a Sunday so as not to disrupt the plant’s production. In addition, UGI added facilities to accommodate the increased gas flow.

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Nardone Brothers’ new facility has been upgraded to include expanded electric and gas power for its operations.

The Nardone family has been in the pizza business since 1942. Thanks to clean and affordable natural gas fueling their continued growth, they look forward to their next 75 years of operation so future generations will continue to “taste the tradition.”

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Carlisle-based Drycleaners Receives $54,600 Rebate for Energy Efficiency Improvements

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

In late April, UGI Utilities, Inc. presented a rebate check for $54,600 to Classic Drycleaners and Laundromats, headquartered in Carlisle, for energy efficiency improvements made to their facility.

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UGI’s Brian Meilinger presents Classic Dycleaners with a $54,600 rebate for energy efficiency upgrades through the Save Smart program.

The rebate is part of UGI’s Save Smart energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C) program, an initiative designed to provide financial incentives for both homeowners and businesses to install energy efficient appliances and equipment. The Classic Drycleaners project is the first commercial project completed under the Gas EE&C program, which went into effect in January 2017.

“UGI’s EE&C program provides incentives for residents to upgrade equipment ranging from Wi-Fi thermostats to high efficiency natural gas furnaces and boilers,” Brian Meilinger, UGI’s manager of energy efficiency and conservation, said. “It also allows commercial customers to design custom programs that best fit their business needs. Classic Drycleaners is an excellent example of how this program can be applied to fit those unique needs.”

Classic Drycleaners 034 720x480 72 RGB 300x200 - Carlisle-based Drycleaners Receives $54,600 Rebate for Energy Efficiency Improvements

Save Smart commercial rebates include savings on water heaters, commercial boilers, and more.

Classic Drycleaners and Laundromats serves the greater Harrisburg area at nine different locations. The firm replaced their two main dry cleaning machines, 13 self-service natural gas dryers, and installed steam traps and steam pipe insulation to qualify for the rebate. The firm expects to save more than $26,000 in natural gas costs annually from these upgrades. This project is part of a larger company renovation focused on energy efficiency.

“Energy efficiency is good for our business, good for our customers, and good for the environment,” Paula Gribble, owner and general manager of Classic Drycleaners and Laundromats, said. “I’m very pleased UGI was able to work with us to achieve these savings, which will help us remain the premier garment cleaning firm in the region.”

UGI customers interested in learning more about the EE&C program are encouraged to visit www.ugi.com/savesmart.

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May Little Reader Pick: Thank You, Mr. Falker

Posted on by Sidney Purnell

May 8 – 12 marks Teacher Appreciation Week, a time to celebrate the educators who lend their passion and skills to shaping young minds and building a brighter future. In honor of our teachers and the important and invaluable work they do, UGI has chosen Thank You, Mr. Falker as our Little Reader Pick for the Month of May.

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Written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco, Thank You, Mr. Falker tells the story of Little Trisha and her struggles to overcome her learning disabilities. After years of being bullied by her classmates, Trisha’s new fifth-grade teacher finally understands her learning needs and introduces her to the magic of reading.

Little Reader Icon 300x299 - May Little Reader Pick: Thank You, Mr. Falker

At UGI Utilities, we are deeply committed to children’s literacy.  Studies have shown that children who are not reading at grade level by third grade will experience significant difficulties throughout their lives. Today’s students will be tomorrow’s business and government leaders, employees and customers.

Check back each month for new Little Reader picks and follow @UGIReads on Twitter for more book selections, author quotes, and tips and tricks to help your own little reader. Have a suggestion for a Little Reader Pick? Let us know in the comments below.

Happy Reading!

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