By Greg Phillips

Gladys Rhynes sits on her front porch, eating peanuts and enjoying a breeze.

She often mimicks this routine, sitting on the porch and watching the cars pass by on Headland Avenue, during the summer months, when temperatures in Dothan can reach the mid-90s and higher.

Her home does have air conditioning — a lone window unit located in the living room — but she relies mostly on a single fan to cool her during the blistering days and humid nights.

After injuring her feet in an automobile accident, she can no longer work, relying instead on Social Security benefits.

Those benefits, she says, aren't enough for her to pay the high cost of using air conditioning.

"I'm trying to save money when I can. I have to stretch the Social Security as much as I can," she said. "I just have the one fan, and I move it around to cool me and my daughter."

Rhynes is far from alone in her plight.

Orrin Owens has lived without air conditioning for more than five years.

"It's real hard," said Owens, 50, of Blackshear Street. "I take the water hose and spray down the side of the house to keep it cool."

Often, staying cool means relocating during the day.

"Mostly, it's just trying to find someplace cool to be," said Anna Johnson, 52. "If I'm walking out in the heat somewhere, I'll maybe try to find a place in the shade to sit down."

Rhynes enjoys the occasional relief of her shady front porch.

"Sometimes I sit out here in the afternoon to keep cool," she said.

Others have to go a bit farther.

"I go to the mall, sit in the mall, go to the library, sit there. At nighttime, there's nowhere like that," he said.

The heat is not just a matter of comfort. Often, it's a matter of health.

Johnson lives in a trailer with her elderly mother. Both women suffer from breathing problems.

According to the American Red Cross, anyone can be susceptible to heat-related illnesses, but the very young and very old are at greater risk.

"There are a lot of people in this neighborhood, especially elderly people, who live in old houses. A lot can't afford to fix up the houses like they should be. Maybe some of them have a fan, but it's not enough to get them enough air to be able to breathe right and just live every day," she said. "The old people, when it gets hot, there's no air flowing nowhere and it's hard for them to breathe. They got age on them, so they can't go out and work or anything to improve their situation. Most of them are on fixed incomes. Some of these folks have disabilities or maybe have a child with disabilities, and it's hard to get their homes fixed up to the level it should be."

According to Linda Bates, social service director of Dothan's Salvation Army, heat stroke is also a risk factor for anyone without air conditioning.

"People usually don't feel one coming on until it's already there," Bates said.

According to representatives from the respective electricity providers, Dothan Utilities charges about 7 cents per kilowatt hour during the summer, Alabama Power charges about the same, and Wiregrass Electric Cooperative charges about 10 cents per kilowatt hour. In addition to those charges, additional taxes and fees are usually levied.

And according to those same sources, the rates are likely to continue growing.

"Fuel costs have a tremendous effect on electric rates," said Cary Hatcher, manager of member relations at Wiregrass Electric. "As it has gone up in the last year, we've been able to absorb some of that cost. The last time we went up for wholesale power adjustment was last February, (but) toward first of next year, we'll probably have to again. All of the reports we're getting from our national organization and wholesale supplier is that prices will continue to increase for everybody everywhere."

Luckily, Wiregrass residents struggling to afford the rising cost of electricity during the summer have options.

That's where the Human Resources Development Corporation comes in.

A nonprofit action agency, the HRDC provides services to low and moderate-income residents in its coverage area, which includes Barbour, Coffee, Geneva, Henry and Houston counties. As part of those services, the HRDC offers a "cooling program" designed to help those like Rhynes pay their power bills.

The program is federally funded, and the HRDC allocates the money to the aforementioned counties.

"With the electricity, it has definitely increased, so people are definitely having a harder time this year," said Peggy Stokes, executive director of the HRDC. "This year, up to today, we've already assisted over 1,400 customers from June 2 to today. That tells you how much-needed the program is for the customers."

The HRDC implements two different cooling programs. The primary program is called the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

The money allocated depends on household income and the number of residents in the household, and it ranges from $90 to $180. The money goes directly to the electricity provider and is applied to the residents' bills.

The second program is termed the Household in Crisis program. It is aimed at keeping residents from having their power turned off.
According to Stokes, the number of households in crisis is up this year.

"Last year, in June of 2007, we assisted 394 households. This year, the program started June 2, and we have already assisted 402 households in crisis," Stokes said.

With Households in Crisis, there are some different criteria applicants must meet.

"Their bill has to be at least one day past due or have a disconnect notice. The household must include someone age 5 or below, 60 or above, or a household member must have a medical condition that requires a cool environment. Of course, it must also fit within income guidelines," she said.
Stokes explained how the program typically works.

"Somebody comes in and they have a past due bill. They're going to be turned off next week, they fit the criteria, they fit into the household income. We would do their application," Stokes said. "Say, for instance, it took $100 to keep them from being disconnected. If they are eligible for $100, we would call the utility company and apply it. The highest max that would be done for a household in crisis would be $360 dollars."

The cooling programs will last until Sept. 30 or until the HRDC runs out of funds.

But it doesn't take government funds to pitch in.

Dothan Utilities (Project CARE) and Alabama Power (Project SHARE) both offer ways for residents to help those in need.

Project CARE allows Dothan residents to pay additional money on their monthly power bill that will be distributed to help power lower income households.
"We allow customers to contribute to Project CARE through utility bills. The money is distributed to an agency, which determines how it's distributed," said Deanna Kinney, utility collections manager for the City of Dothan.

The city collects the money donated and sends a monthly check to the Dothan Rescue Mission.

Alabama Power offers Project SHARE, which offers the same service, except the money is distributed through the American Red Cross.
Alabamians interested in receiving benefits from these programs should contact the Dothan Rescue Mission or the American Red Cross.