Oil Company Steps Up To Help Needy
By GARETH HENDERSON
Staff Reporter
Vermont Standard, July 24, 2008
With a difficult home heating season approaching, a number of individuals and organizations are doing what they can to help those most hurt by high fuel prices.
Mark Sherrod of Simple Energy told the story of one elderly customer who recently signed up with Simple Energy for his fuel.
"He was paying for his fuel, and we looked up and he had tears in his eyes, and he started crying," Sherrod said. The man's main concern was how he was going to pay for his heat, food and medicine all at the same time.
It's stories like these that have prompted Simple Energy of West Lebanon and Woodstock to join forces with the LISTEN Center of the Upper Valley to help those most in need. Simple Energy is now accepting $5 donations or more, every cent of which will go to the LISTEN Heating Helpers program. The $5 amount is meant to represent the approximate cost of a gallon of home heating oil. Donors will receive a small green wristband.
In an interview Tuesday, Sherrod said he hoped the wristbands would help spread the word about the new effort. Sherrod, who lives in Woodstock, said this new collaborative effort is not about marketing, but is meant to help those who are struggling the most with pressing heating costs. He said it's an effort to be "socially responsible to the community."
He added that there are people in the area who won't be able to solve the problem on their own.
"There are people whose circumstances are beyond their control," Sherrod said.
Sherrod said the interest in Simple Energy's effort with the Listen Center has been growing. He described a recent visit to the Woodstock Rotary Club. Sherrod had attended the Rotary meeting to merely speak about the new effort, but he walked away with $150 in donations.
"The response has been overwhelming," Sherrod said. The company has not yet counted the donations for a total number.
For questions about this effort, Sherrod can be reached at (802) 738-9005. Anyone who would like to send a donation should make the check out to "Simple Energy c/o Listen Heating Helpers." The mailing address for Simple Energy is 99 North Main Street, West Lebanon, NH, 03784.
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Mark Sherrod Joins
Simple Energy Team
SIMPLE ENERGY is expanding to Woodstock.
(Photo credit: Paul Bousquet)Mark Sherrod, center is flanked by owners Kinson Craft of Hanover, left and Rob Stenger of Enfield.
Simple Energy of West Lebanon has recently announced that it has engaged Mark Sherrod of Woodstock to expand its business in the Woodstock area. During the past six years, Mark had been associated with Johnson & Dix and most recently at Dead River Co. as district manager. He brings knowledge of the Woodstock region as well as experience in the field to Simple Energy.
Simple Energy is a locally owned energy supplier of fuel oil, biofuel, and heating equipment. Owners Kinson Craft of Hanover and Rob Stenger of Enfield have been involved with energy services for decades. They take a keen interest in the service aspect of supplying the energy needs to the area to the extent that they, themselves, despite a dozen employees are on call weekends. They attribute the growth from 300 to 2,000 customers in the past three years in large part to this kind of personal attention. Unlike some larger firms, Simple Energy answers inquiries with a live person interested in responding to one's needs. Affirming this is Charlie Rattigan of Woodstock who was contacted by Simple Energy when its delivery driver found he was unable to negotiate the ice-covered driveway. One of the determined owners finally reached the Rattigans who arranged for sanding. The oil company driver promptly returned to deliver product.
Office space is currently being sought in Woodstock in a continuing effort to provide service to the community.
Mark can be reached at (802) 738-9005 or via email at Mark.Sherrod@SimpleEnergyonline.com. Simple Energy's main office is (603) 298-7200.
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