Christmas letter 2018

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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Crowley Fuel
 
It has been quite an eventful 2018!  We are happy to be celebrating another holiday season with you, our loyal customers.  It would not be a proper Christmas Season here at Crowley Fuel without giving out one of our traditional small calendars.  We hope that this calendar will be witness to a wonderful 2019 for you and your family.  Should you want another small calendar or a full sized calendar that our parent company, Tasse Fuel, gives out at this time of year, please come in to our office from Monday through Friday, 8 AM until 5 PM.

Merger with Tasse Fuel A Big Success
 
It has been over a year now and our merger with Tasse Fuel has been successful and exciting. We have been growing as a company because the cultures of both companies are exactly the same.  Tasses is a family owned fuel business that takes pride in its employees, products, and work just as Crowley Fuel has done for nearly 99 years.
 
Tasse Fuel brought  services to the merger that  Crowley customers now have the benefit of using.  Our plumbing department has been busy with repairs, kitchen and bathroom remodels, and gas hook-ups.  We now offer propane and kerosene for customers who use those fuels.  You will read more about our propane service later in this letter.
 
Web Portal
 
Check out your account on our web portal at  www.crowleyfuel.com
*Order Deliveries at a convenient time for you          *Pay invoices              * Request Service      
*See activity and history of your account. 
 All you will need is your account number and an email address.

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Linda & Margie 
 
Thank you for many great years, Enjoy your retirement
We had to say goodbye this fall to our wonderful office staff, Margie Montville and Linda Tartachny,  who retired after many years of dedicated service.  We were very sorry to see them go, but we celebrated the beginning of this next stage of their lives with dinner and gifts.  They remain part of our Crowley-Tasse Family and stop by the office from time to time (maybe afraid we’ll put them to work!).  We know that it was not easy for many of our customers to say goodbye to them, but please know that they are happy in retirement. They always enjoy seeing customers when they meet them out in the community.

Kim Hurley
As a result of this change, we are happy to announce that Kim Hurley has been hired to staff our North Brookfield office.  Although it is difficult for one person to fill two people’s shoes, she is doing a wonderful job.   When you call our office you will hear her friendly and compassionate voice on the other end of the line.  All of us, including  our customers, have been impressed with Kim’s quiet and competent way of dealing with every situation, she is a wonderful addition to our work family.  Please stop by and meet Kim if you haven’t done so already.

 
Heating System Upgrades Through the Mass Save Program
You have probably seen ads on television for the Mass Save Program, and heard them on the radio. If you are a customer of National Grid or Eversource, you should be paying attention, because it could make you much more comfortable and save you money. Mass Save is a program that provides customers of most electric utilities the opportunity to upgrade the energy systems in their homes.  They fund this  by charging their customers a small Energy Conservation Fee every month.  This money gets put into a pool from which eligible customers can get rebates and zero percent loans for new heating systems, insulation, windows, weatherization, hot water tanks, refrigerators, and heat pumps.  It’s too good not to take advantage of the deal!
 
We have replaced many heating systems this past year for our customers,  but this program is ending on December 31 for this fiscal year.  They will announce next year’s program next spring.  It would be wise to be prepared to take advantage of the 2019 program by calling them at 800-632-8300 or going to their website masssave.com.  You can schedule a free visit from an energy auditor who can tell you more about the programs available to you.  Please call Bob if you need more information.
 
 
Wood Pellet Availability

Due to high demand and the problems at several pellet mills, the supply of wood pellets has been tight this fall.  We have run out of several popular brands from time to time as a result.  We are happy to announce that we currently have a good supply of our most popular New England Wood Pellets and expect to be able to receive more throughout the winter.
 
Northern Warmth has discontinued their pine pellets,  but we have been able to get their Spruce. We currently have these in stock. The Northern Warmth Douglas Fir pellets that come in the green bag are now produced by the same mill that used to make the Purcell pellets.  People who used to burn the Purcell pellets will attest to the high quality of these.  Northern Warmth Supreme Douglas Fir pellets are expected in January.   We already have customers signed up to receive them so if you would like to be on that list, please call our office.
 
There is a multi fuel discount for oil customers who buy more than 3 tons of pellets at a time.
As always, if you would like to try out some of these pellets, or if you need a few bags, you can come to our office during business hours Monday through Friday from 8 to 5 PM.
 
Propane

One of the biggest benefits for customers of our merger with Tasse Fuel is that we can now provide you with propane at reasonable prices.  You can also take advantage of the multi fuel discount that we offer with wood pellets and oil.  We are not just a propane delivery company,  we also work on and install these systems.
 
The Latest Rage is a Smart Oil Gauge!
In this wireless world where you can connect everything from your doorbell to your thermostat to your smartphone, it makes sense that you should be able to tell how much oil is in your tank without having to make the trip down the cellar stairs.  Smart Oil Gauge is a device that plugs into a 2 inch port on the top of your oil tank and measures the depth of oil in your tank using an ultrasound sensor.  The wireless sending unit can be programmed to your smartphone, computer or to our computer here at Crowley Fuel,  which can help prevent needless run-outs.  This option requires an available 2” port on the top of your tank and a wifi connection in your home or business.  The cost is $200 nstalled.
 
 
Fuel Assistance
If you are having trouble paying for your heating bills and repairs here are two agencies that we work with that you can contact:
           Worcester Community Action Council Fuel Assistance Program
             For deliveries November through March call 800-545-4577 or 508-754-1176
                       
Hearts for Heat for North Brookfield Residents
Call North Brookfield Senior Center at 508-867-0220 or visit            northbrookfield@heartsforheat.org 
 
Hearts for Heat in Leicester,Spencer and Other Towns
 Visit:  www.heartsforheat.org 

 
Lessons Learned from Last Winter
 
You may remember the spell of severe cold weather that we experienced last winter.  We here at Tasse and Crowley Fuel certainly do!  It was a very busy time for us when we were taking care of the heating needs of our customers and, when possible, some people who were not yet customers.
 
Because of our business growth over the last year,   we have hired several new licensed service technicians, plumbers, and fuel delivery drivers.  We will be prepared to handle whatever situations arise for you, our loyal customers.  We look forward to introducing them to you in the months to come.
 
Monday
North Brookfield
Heating Oil 

Tuesday
North Brookfield, West Brookfield, Warren, Ware, Gilbertville
Heating Oil ​

Wednesday
North Brookfield Seasonal***, Spencer, Leicester, Charlton, East Brookfield
Heating Oil ​

Thursday
North Brookfield  Seasonal***, Brookfield, Sturbridge, East Brookfield
Heating Oil ​

Friday
North Brookfield Seasonal**, New Braintree, Barre, Oakham, Rutland, Hardwick
Heating Oil ​

 
***Disclaimer: On days other than Monday, North Brookfield deliveries can be made to addresses on the side of town that the trucks travel through to get to the scheduled town(s) for that day.