SAT

High:43 Low:25

43°

25°

SUN

High:38 Low:23

38°

23°

MON

High:43 Low:29

43°

29°

Subscribe to the Wilkes-Barre Times Leader
Wilkes-Barre, Scranton and NEPA Garage SalesWilkes-Barre, Scranton and NEPA JobsWilkes-Barre, Scranton and NEPA Cars for SaleWilkes-Barre, Scranton and NEPA Homes
Times Leader FacebookTimes Leader TwitterTimes Leader YoutubeTimes Leader RSS Feeds
View Story As PDFView story as PDF
January 24, 2009

Aid agency wins national honor

Commission on Economic Opportunity one of three winners of national energy award.

The Commission on Economic Opportunity of Luzerne County is one of three recipients of the first annual National Weatherization Award sponsored by an energy program consortium.

CEO, the only Pennsylvania agency to win the award, was selected for the way the nonprofit agency provides assistance to renovate homes to make them more energy-efficient.

The other two agencies are from Arizona and Minnesota.

“The judges were impressed by the quality of the Commission on Economic Opportunity’s work and dedication to serving the housing needs of low-income families,” Mark Wolfe, publisher of the State and Local Energy Report, a bi-monthly publication, said in a press release.

CEO began offering the weatherization program in 1976 to residents who pay home heating costs and meet certain income guidelines.

CEO Executive Director Gene Brady was happy that members of the commission’s weatherization department were being honored for their hard work.

“This is something they work really hard at and they should be recognized,” Brady said.

The commission uses funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to send its employees to analyze applicants’ residences to determine how to make a home more energy-efficient. This year the commission will help about 1,500 families by installing attic or wall insulation, weather stripping and educating residents on how to use heat more effectively.

“The idea is to reduce the energy bill and make it more affordable,” Brady said.

Weatherproofing a home reduces a resident’s annual energy costs by an average of $274, according to State and Local Energy Report.

The award is sponsored by the magazine and the National Association of State Energy Officials, National Association for State and Community Services Programs and the National Energy Assistance Directors’ Association.

CEO will be honored next month during the National Association for State Community Services Programs Mid-Winter Training Conference in Washington, D.C.








Times Leader Commenting Guidelines
Saturday January 24, 2009, 12:00:00 EST


The Times Leader Directory



Find Local Restaurants, Shopping & Businesses


Place Quick Ads