National Grid Lights Up Casey’s Place with Holiday Cheer

Festive decorations feature energy-efficient LED outdoor lighting

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Volunteers from National Grid teamed up today for the first time with Casey’s Place in Syracuse to decorate the respite services facility for the holidays. The newly added outdoor lighting features energy-efficient LEDs in purple, marking National Family Caregivers Month and this year’s theme, “Caregiving Around the Clock.”

Casey's Place provides short-term respite services for Central New York children and youth, up to age 22, who have developmental disabilities and/or complex medical conditions. A program of Elmcrest for Children and Families, Casey's Place offers a break for caregivers while providing a safe, nurturing environment that helps children develop socialization skills, peer relationships and independent living skills, in a home setting and in the community.

“National Grid is about giving back to the communities we serve,” said Alberto Bianchetti, National Grid Central New York Regional Executive. “We recognize the impact of Casey’s Place on young people and their families and its tireless work to provide support to those in need. Our volunteers are committed to supporting local charitable organizations like Casey’s Place, and we look forward to future volunteer opportunities to help make our community a better place to live and work.”

David's Refuge – which provides overnight respite and resources for parents and caregivers of children with special needs – will host families as Casey’s Place debuts its holiday lighting tonight at 4:30. “The collaboration with National Grid is a symbol of the way that David’s Refuge and Casey’s Place work together to care for caregivers and special needs families in our community,” said Kate Houck, Executive Director of David’s Refuge. “Our goal is the same: to remind these families that they are not alone and we are here for you!”

“Our doors remain open throughout the holidays,” said Diane Nappa, Casey’s Place Director, Developmental Disability Services. “We feel blessed National Grid volunteers are helping to make the holidays a little better for the families who call Casey’s Place home.”

The lights are also purple this week on the National Grid downtown Syracuse office building to honor family caregivers across the company’s upstate New York service area. “It’s another way we can help bring some holiday cheer to families,” said Bianchetti.

Tom Baron, Program Manager for Residential Energy Efficiency for National Grid, was on hand at Casey’s Place to offer tips to keep the holidays safe, healthy and affordable:

• Turn Off the Lights – Limit the time that lights are on. Wait until dark to turn on your holiday lights; then turn them off before you go to bed or use a safety-approved timer to do the work for you. Turning off room lights when the tree is lit can also make a difference. Holiday tree often provide more than enough lighting to navigate around the room.
• Inflatables – Yard inflatables range from simple to extravagant. Operating some of these inflatables can be expensive. Larger displays consume anywhere from about 150 watts per hour to as much as 200 watts. At 10 hours per day, the total cost of electricity could be $10 per inflatable, per month.
• Safety Approved Lighting – Make sure your lights have a safety listing from a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as the Underwriters Laboratories (UL). A safety approval seal means the lights have been tested and are safe to use. Use lights only as intended. Thoroughly examine all lights before putting them up, even newly purchased lights.
• Christmas Trees – If you have an artificial tree, make sure it’s been tested for flammability by the Underwriters Laboratories. To prevent electrical shock, never use electric decorations on artificial trees with metallic needles, leaves or branches. Instead, place colored spotlights above or beside the tree—never attached to it. Keep your natural tree well-watered to prevent bulbs from igniting dry branches. Keep extension cords and light sets away from the tree stand.
• Don’t Overload – Don’t overload your electric circuits. Check your fuse or breaker panel to see how much your home can handle and stay well within limits. String together only the number of lights recommended by the manufacturer.
• Avoid Shock – Make sure there’s a bulb in each socket. If a bulb has burned out, leave it in until you have a replacement.
• Outdoor Connections – Plug outdoor lights into Ground Fault Circuit Interrupters, which are available at hardware and electrical supply stores. If there is an electrical fault with a light string, GFCIs will automatically shut off the electricity well before any electric shock could occur. Also, cover outdoor plugs and joints with a layer of plastic wrap and electrical tape.