TVA calendars to be mailed out by Thanksgiving

By Karen Middleton
karen@athensnews-courier.com

November 17, 2008 01:51 pm

— A few years back, those involved in communications at the Tennessee Valley Authority decided that no one was reading their emergency preparedness brochures, so they decided to put the information in a calendar.
Since then, residents look forward to the stunning photos in the calendars and by hanging on to them for at least a year, are more likely to read the valuable information contained on the forward pages.
“The calendars really are a team effort,” said Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant spokesman Craig Beasley. “Clerinda Mynatt leads the team of communications and creative services department people.”
Beasley said when TVA first began putting out the calendar about 20 years ago they used photos taken by staff members in the service area.
“Now, we work with an outside company for the photos, but they are all representative of the TVA area,” said Beasley. “Myra Ireland and Kay Whittenburg, colleagues in client services, were also in on the photo selection.”
Tim Cornelius of TVA communications said that one woman told him she takes the photo pages from the calendar, laminates them for placemats and gives them as gifts.
“She asked for two calendars,” said Cornelius.
He said another man asked for even old and out-of-date calendars when he went on a mission trip because he said the people in the country he visited loved the pictures.
“Tim Cornelius works with the emergency preparedness people and coordinates with the state making sure all the information in the calendar is accurate and up to date,” said Beasley. “All of these folks begin work in late spring to make sure the calendars are out and mailed and in homes by Thanksgiving. And we can’t forget Spencer Black, Rita White and Daphne Ellison who are responsible for the emergency preparedness plan in Limestone County. The local EMA is a big part of this effort.”