A task force representative will discuss changes to the PSC Cold Weather Rule; the current natural gas price situation; and the current status of deliberations on possible programs to improve long-term energy affordability. The general public is encouraged to attend and express their views and ideas on energy affordability.

The public meeting will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the St. Louis Metropolitan Sewer District Building Auditorium, Room 111/112, 2350 Market Street.

Heat-Up St. Louis unveiled its 2004-05 winter fundraising and awareness campaign, “Baby, It’s Cold Inside…Heat-Up St. Louis.” The project is scheduled to be actually launched next week, and run through April 30, 2005. The babies are representative of small children whose family members, often suffer emotionally under unsafe, and unhealthy conditions due to a lack of home heat or facing a utility shut-off notice.

In addition, St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay announced that qualified City of St. Louis needy residents will have an opportunity to receive energy assistance through a grant of $75,000 from its Utility Tax Fund. The grant was given to Heat-Up St. Louis, the regional, not-for-profit, all-volunteer, energy assistance charity. Heat-Up St. Louis officials present were developer Kevin McGowan, Dr. James Knight and Fire Chief Sherman George.

Mayor Slay challenged other neighboring municipalities to aid the needy with utility funds. The group anticipates additional grant funds from the City of St. Louis in January, 2005. Other heating grants from the regional charity are not restricted to City residents. “Heat-Up St. Louis is making a positive impact each winter, and the City of St. Louis is proud of its partnership with Heat-Up St. Louis,” said Mayor Francis G. Slay.

“The seniors and disabled are anxiety-filled, often every time they receive their high winter heating bills,” remarked Dr. James Knight, vice chair of Heat-Up St. Louis. “Small children’s immune systems are often not strong enough to fight off cold weather related illnesses.” Knight believes that the elderly and the disabled’s health may also be exacerbated by cold weather, or being without heat.

“Many people continue to resort to unsafe methods of heating their homes,” said St. Louis Fire Chief Sherman George, co-chair of the Health and Safety Committee for the regional charity. “This has proven to be deadly, especially because the elderly, the disabled and small children are often the trapped victims.”  George also was representing members of the St. Louis Metropolitan Fire Chief’s Association covering major municipalities in Missouri and Illinois.

Gentry W. Trotter, founder of Heat-Up St. Louis, an Emmy award winning director is producing the electronic and print campaign with  the donated assistance of a group of production and graphic creative services. Technisonic, Clayton Studio, Lightstream Studios, Talent Plus, Chuck Connors, Tribune Communications and Barlow Productions donated the various production components for the campaign.

Heat-Up St. Louis, as a regional safety net provides supplemental heat grants for gas, electric, propane, coal, wood and home heating oil in about 16 Missouri and Illinois counties, including the City of St. Louis. It partners with more than 12  area social service and community action agencies to qualify the needy for funds. It also provides advocacy for utility affordability. Last winter the charity received almost $375,000 in donations from various special fundraising projects. This past winter the non-utility charity impacted the lives of more than 12,500 individuals through its heating grants, referrals, and utility counseling.  Since its inception it has impacted more than 70,000 individuals.

Needy heads of households must qualify for energy assistance based on income eligibility and emergency medical conditions. They must be seniors, the disabled or working poor families with small children. They must call the Heat-Up Hotline at 314-241-7668 for assistance.

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Heat-Up St. Louis, c/o UMB Bank, P.O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188. The group also accepts MasterCard and Visa through its donated secured website at www.heatupstlouis.org. There are no Heat-Up St. Louis funds currently available outside of the City of St. Louis.

About 150 volunteers, including firefighters, media and corporate volunteers were positioned in and around tailgate parties, Baer’s Park and outside of each entrance to the Edwards Jones Dome requesting donations from Rams fans.

“Many working poor in the St. Louis region live paycheck to paycheck, and are desperately attempting to make ends meet”, said Melanie DiLeo, chairwoman of Heat-up St. Louis. “In an effort to stay safe and warm, the elderly and disabled are making difficult and emotional decisions between paying their high delinquent heating or prescription drug bills.”

“We appreciate once again the strong support of those who actually gave to our event. The Rams fans are very generous, as is the Rams management, the hard-working staff at the Dome, including the volunteers and the St. Louis police department,” said Dileo.

Last winter Heat-Up St. Louis raised approximately $20,000 from generous Rams fans. The organization has impacted the lives of more than 12,500 persons last winter. Heat-Up St. Louis received a record-breaking $325,000 in donations during its last winter fundraising cycle.

Heat-Up St. Louis officials tout the fact that 100% of all tax-deductible donations from its special fundraising events and through the direct-bank donations to UMB Bank go toward providing heating grants to restore gas, electric, propane, home heating oil, and coal services during the winter months. The charity partners with multiple area social service and community action agencies to qualify needy households with small children, the elderly and the disabled.

DiLeo observed that the St. Louis region will experience even-higher utility bills versus last winter. “More house fires occur during winter months because people often use unsafe methods of heating their homes,” said DiLeo. “Space heaters become the primary source of heating when their natural gas is shut off or home heating oil has not been delivered.”

The elderly and disabled on fixed incomes suffer the most due to medical ailments often associated with being cold in their homes for a short period of time. Being without heat often acerbates their medical conditions, according to Dr. James Knight, vice chair of the board of directors and co-chair of the health and safety committee.

“With the upcoming flu season, we need to watch our elderly and disabled people,” said Knight. “Being without home heating during a cold or damp weather snap can place their frail health in further peril.”

Heat-Up St. Louis is governed by a 44-member, all-volunteer diverse board of directors. All donations are tax-deductible. For those not attending the St. Louis Rams game, anyone can give a donation either on-line at www.heatupstlouis.org or by making a check payable to: Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc. c/o UMB Bank, P.O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188.

Also during the winter heating season, donations can be dropped off to any bank teller at any Missouri or Illinois UMB Bank Center.

This year, Rams corner back Travis Fisher is the honorary chairperson. About 150 volunteers from Citigroup, Elsevier, Inc., and the media will wear yellow T-shirts and use yellow canisters to make the collection. Area firefighters will use their boots to collect donations from the Rams fans. This year, the Pasta House Co. is donating a $5.00 discount coupon for the first 3,000 who make a tax-deductible donation.

The volunteers will be positioned in and around tailgate parties, Baer’s Park and outside of each entrance to the Edwards Jones Dome.

“Many working poor in the St. Louis region live paycheck to paycheck, and are desperately attempting to make ends meet, says Melanie DiLeo, chairwoman of Heat-up St. Louis. “In an effort to stay safe and warm, the elderly and disabled are making difficult and emotional decisions between paying their high delinquent heating or prescription drug bills.”

Last winter Heat-Up St. Louis raised approximately $20,000 from generous Rams fans. The organization has impacted the lives of more than 12,000 persons last winter. Heat-Up St. Louis received a record-breaking $325,000 in donations during its last winter fundraising cycle.

Heat-Up St. Louis officials tout the fact that 100% of all tax-deductible donations from its special fundraising events and through the direct-bank donations to UMB Bank go toward providing heating grants to restore gas, electric, propane, home heating oil, and coal services during the winter months. The charity partners with multiple area social service and community action agencies to qualify needy households with small children, the elderly and the disabled.

DiLeo observes that the St. Louis region will experience even-higher utility bills versus last winter. “More house fires occur during winter months because people often use unsafe methods of heating their homes,” says DiLeo. “Space heaters become the primary source of heating when their natural gas is shut off or home heating oil has not been delivered.”

The elderly and disabled on fixed incomes suffer the most due to medical ailments often associated with being cold in their homes for a short period of time. Being without heat often acerbates their medical conditions, according to Dr. James Knight, vice chair of the board of directors and co-chair of the health and safety committee.

“With the upcoming flu season, we need to watch our elderly and disabled people,” says Knight. “Being without home heating during a cold or damp weather snap can place their frail health in further peril.”

Heat-Up St. Louis is governed by a 44-member, all-volunteer diverse board of directors. All donations are tax-deductible. For those not attending the St. Louis Rams game, anyone can give a donation either on-line at www.heatupstlouis.org or by making a check payable to: Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc. c/o UMB Bank, P.O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188.

Also during the winter heating season, donations can be dropped off to any bank teller at any Missouri or Illinois UMB Bank Center.

Heat-Up St. Louis, a regional not-for-profit energy assistance charity will benefit from the St. Louis Cardinals Pep Rally, today beginning at 5:00 p.m. at 13^th and Washington in the middle of the street, downtown St. Louis. The rally is on the eve of the first World Series game in St. Louis.  The Cardinals return to the warmth of their hometown fans.  “The Bud Pour for the Needy,” will have volunteers working a famous Budweiser truck pouring beerin exchange for a donation. 100% of the proceeds will go to helping people stay warm this winter. The truck will be open until 10:00 p.m. or until it runs dry. The Pasta House Co. is also donating a  $5.00 discount coupon to anyone who makes a donation.

Kevin McGowan, executive vice-president of Heat-Up St. Louis, is a partner in McGowan and Walsh, a St. Louis development firm. McGowan, a loft district resident, owns projects in the Washington Loft District and is one of the sponsors of the Cardinals Pep Rally. McGowan worked with Lohr distributors to donate the truck and brand beverages late on Sunday.

“This opportunity quickly presented itself to our charitable organization and I jumped at it,” says McGowan. “Naturally our volunteers were able to make this happen. This is going to be a very bitter winter for many.”

Those volunteering will include area firefighters with boots, UMB Bank and Citigroup employees. Washington University students over 21 years old may also participate under the direction of professor Jeff Smith.

A colder than average winter is predicted and utility bills are anticipated to be higher.   In addition to the elderly, the disabled and needy families with small children, on fixed incomes, the working poor and the area unemployed will be in desperate need of paying their high delinquent heating bills.

Winter is the worst time of the year for deadly house and apartment fires. More fires occur because people are using unsafe methods heating their homes. In addition, the elderly often suffer health issues caused by being without a home heating source.

This event is on the eve of the Heat-Up St Louis official kick-off on Sunday, November 7 with the annual Rams Boot Out Old Man Winter fundraiser.

Tax-deductible donations may be sent to Heat-Up St. Louis, Inc., c/o P. O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188, or by dropping of a donation at any UMB Bank center in Missouri or Illinois. There are no administrative costs taken out of Heat-Up St. Louis donated funds from the private or public sectors,

Board members Kevin McGowan, Chief Sherman George and possibly Chief Joseph Mokwa will be available to the media.

We are not giving out our resource hotline until November, when we open.

The announcements were made at the not-for-profit’s annual business meeting held earlier today  at the Urban League’s headquarters at 3701 Grandel Square.

In addition, Gentry W. Trotter, the founder of Heat-Up St. Louis and Cool Down St. Louis, who serves as the president and CEO, a pro bono position announced today the group had received a  recording-breaking $325,000 in donations from the past 12 months.  The group reported it had  helped more than 12,500 individuals through its resource hotline, utility counseling, and providing cooling and heating grants for the restoration of utility bills,.  The group has provided more than 400 air-conditioners last summer which were donated by the public and Best Buy.

Tax-deductible donations can be made to Cool Down St.Louis, c/o UMB Bank, P.O. Box 868, St. Louis, MO 63188.  Air-conditioners can be donated by calling 314-241-7668, or going on line to   100% of donations help the poor, as all administrative cost are underwritten by the all-volunteer board members.

Next week, the sister program to Heat-Up St.Louis, Cool Down St.Louis, begins on-going  distribution of utility grants and air-conditioners for at risk-groups, i.e,  seniors, disabled and small children who are critically-ill.

New board members elected at today’s meeting were: Tim Dorsey, president and general manager of KTRS, Dr. Charlene Jones, assistant superintendent, St. Louis Police Schools, St. Louis Police Chief Joe Mokwa, Steve Lemley, vice president of field marketing, Hardee’s Food Systems, Inc., Attorney Richard M. Wise, CPA, John Kijowski, vice president and general manager of WSSM-FM/WVRV-FM, Nancy Rice, vice president of Vigilant Communications and Harold Crumpton, former Missouri Public Service Commissioner.