Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections June 2019

Bon Homme Yankton Electric June 2019 Vol. 20 No. 2

Ready to Run: Road Races Marathons, and HalfMarathons Hit Region

Page 8

Celebrating Midsummer at Dalesburg Page 12

MANAGER’S COLUMN

Wet conditions hamper restoration efforts:

Spring Storm #2

Stephanie Horst horst@byelectric.com

I would like to thank our members for their patience during the outages.

Again, Mother Nature came beckoning late afternoon on Wednesday, April 10th. We had snow and ice that caused outages throughout our system with outages lasting until Saturday afternoon. At the height of the storm, we had 4100 consumers without power. This was due to six of our eight substations without power because our transmission cooperative, East River Electric, was also experiencing damage from the icing conditions. We had 21 poles that were damaged, with 12 of them being 3-phase, 40 failed anchors, over 80 wire breaks and frays, some neutrals down, and a few places where our clearances are low. The wet conditions hampered our clean up and repair efforts. We urge our members to please report any down poles or other damaged equipment in their fields. We will get to them once conditions improve. I would like to thank our members for their patience during the outages. It can be hard to understand why an outage can take so long, but rest assured, our linemen are dedicated to getting power restored safely and as fast as they can. I must say, I am very proud of the remarkable job they did. In addition to our linemen, we had crews from Clay-Union Electric and Charles Mix Electric helping with restoring power. We are very grateful for our neighboring cooperatives sparing lineworkers to help us. And a special thank you goes out to our members.

Several of them dropped what they were doing to pull our vehicles out of the muddy conditions. Without their help, outages would have been much longer.

April is also a time where our cooperative leaders nationwide head to Washington, DC advocating cooperative issues to our elected officials. This year, Directors Dean Sternhagen and Paul Voigt and our receptionist, Linda Bares, represented Bon Homme Yankton Electric along with 2100 other cooperative leaders. The issues this year that our South Dakota group brought before Representative Dusty Johnson, Representative John Thune and Senator Mike Rounds were: Preserve co-ops’ tax-exempt status Protect the Power Marketing Administrations Stop PBGC from overcharging electric co-op pension plans Promote needs of rural communities in infrastructure legislation With 900+ electric cooperatives coming together with a unified voice, we can make the impact needed to protect increasing electric rates. Whether it is nationally or locally, it is vital that we are advocating our position on legislative issues. Silence is often interpreted as an implied consent. We can’t be silent if it is going to affect the lives of our member-owners. National Rural Electric Cooperatives (NRECA) and South Dakota Rural Electric Association (SDREA) are tasked with keeping us informed and up to date with the national and local issues so that we all jointly can be one voice.

Hopefully spring rains will be sparse. We all could use some reprieve to get things done. If you are planning on upgrading your electric service or needing a new electric service, please contact Robert Ulmer or Ken Carda 605-463-2507. Like you, we will be full steam ahead once it dries up enough.

Having you on the schedule will ensure that we can get to your project and get materials ordered.

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Cooperative Connections | June 2019

Bon Homme Yankton Electric (USPS No. 018-973)

Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc PO Box 158 134 S Lidice St Tabor, SD 57063 Office Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30am - 4:30pm

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Tanner Carda Scholarship Winner Tanner Carda was selected to receive a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by Basin Electric for dependents of cooperative employees. He competed with other co-op employee dependents for one of twenty Basin Electric scholarships.

Tanner will graduate this spring from Bon Homme High School. He will attend lineman school at Mitchell Technical Institute in Mitchell, SD in the fall.

He is the son of Ken and Vicky Carda of Tabor, SD. Congratulations to Tanner!

To pay by phone, call: 1-888-395-5315 To report an outage, call: Local call from Tabor, Tyndall and Yankton: 605-463-2507 Toll Free in South Dakota: 1-800-925-2929 NOTICE: Electric bills must be paid by 10:00am on the 20th of each month to avoid a $10 late fee.

Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections is published monthly by Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc., PO Box 158, 134 S. Lidice St., Tabor, SD 57063-0158 for its members. Families subscribe to Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections as part of their electric cooperative membership. Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connection’s purpose is to provide reliable, helpful information to electric cooperative members on matters pertaining to rural electrification and better rural living. Subscription information: Electric cooperative members devote $6.00 from their electric payments annually for a subscription. Nonmember subscriptions are available for $12 annually. Periodicals Postage Paid at Tabor, SD 57063 and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections, Bon Homme Yankton Electric, PO Box 158, Tabor, S.D. 57063 TELEPHONE (605)463-2507: FAX (605) 463-2419.

Tanner Carda

Mason Ruzicka Wins DC Trip Mason Ruzicka was selected to participate in the annual Washington DC Youth Tour.

As a current sophomore at Yankton High School, he has been active at school participating in Science Olympiad, track, football and trapshooting. When he’s not participating in activities at church, he mows and bales for other farmers, tends to Brandt’s Bees in the summer and volunteers for Yankton Habitat for Humanity and at Yankton’s Banquet.

Mason loves the outdoors including hunting, fishing and trapping and may consider a career related to the outdoors.

Mason is the son of Kent and Tami Ruzicka of Yankton, SD.

Mason Ruzicka

Design assistance by TDG Communications, Deadwood, S.D.

Statement of non-discrimination

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http:// www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

3

SAFETY TIPS

Summer Electrical Safety Tips for Kids As school begins to let out, families are starting to enjoy some outdoor time with their young children. Backyards, local parks and pools are great places to spend your summer days, but to ensure a happy, healthy and safe summer, parents should be aware of a few electrical safety basics to share with their children.

Be aware of power lines around you and always assume that wires are “live and dangerous.” Never touch an outdoor wire with any part of your body, toys or other objects.

Do not throw items such as gym shoes onto electric lines and equipment or try to retrieve items from around overhead power lines.

Fly kites and model airplanes and other toys in large open areas such as a field or a park – safely away from trees and overhead power lines. Also, do not attempt to retrieve balloons, kites or other objects that may get stuck on power lines or other electrical equipment.

Do not climb trees near power lines. Even if power lines are not touching the tree, they could touch during climbing when more weight is added to a branch.

Never climb a utility pole or play on or around electrical equipment.

Never post or tie signs, hang banners or tie ribbons or balloons onto utility poles or other electrical equipment. This can be dangerous to you and endanger utility workers.

Do not go into an electric substation for any reason – even on a dare. Electric substations contain high-voltage equipment, which can kill you. Also, never attempt to rescue a pet that goes inside.

Instead, call your local utility company.

Never try to rescue a family member, friend or pet that has come into contact with any electrical equipment – Call 911 immediately.

Keep electrical toys, appliances and tools at least 10 feet away from pools and wet surfaces.

Never touch any electrical toys, appliance and tools while you are wet or standing in water. Energy flows easily through water, like a puddle or a pool.

Source: www.ehstoday.com 4

Cooperative Connections | June 2019

KIDS CORNER SAFETY POSTER “Don’t stick toys in outlets” Jarron Kruger, 8 years old Jarron is the son of Jarrod and Cadgie Kruger, Dell Rapids, S.D. They are members of Sioux Valley Energy, Colman, S.D.

Kids, send your drawing with an electrical safety tip to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3). If your poster is published, you’ll receive a prize. All entries must include your name, age, mailing address and the names of your parents. Colored drawings are encouraged.

RECIPES

Dairy Delicious Orange Cream Chiller 3 oz. orange juice concentrate 1 cup milk 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1 small frozen banana

3/4 cup milk

1 tsp. honey

1 pkg. McCormick® Original Country Gravy Mix

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Combine all ingredients; blend until smooth. Serves 2.

Stephanie Fossum, Hudson, SD

Rhubarb Dessert 2 cups flour

Filling:

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups rhubarb

1/2 tsp. salt

1 (6 oz.) pkg. red gelatin

4 T. butter

Topping:

4 T. milk

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup butter

Combine first 6 ingredients. Pat into a 9x13-inch pan. Distribute rhubarb over crust. Sprinkle gelatin over rhubarb. Mix together topping ingredients. Sprinkle over rhubarb. Bake at 350°F. for 45 minutes.

Roxanna Streckfuss, Mansfield, SD

Butter Pecan Pumpkin Dessert 3 cups pumpkin

1/2 tsp. cloves

3 eggs

1 (13 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 cup sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Monkey Bread with Sausage

1/4 cup melted butter 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

3 (7.5 oz. each) cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits 1/2 lb. ground breakfast sausage, cooked and drained

Mix milk, gravy mix and melted butter with whisk in large bowl until well blended. Reserve 1/2 cup of gravy mixture; set aside.

Cut biscuits into quarters. Add biscuit pieces to gravy mixture in large bowl; gently toss to coat. Stir in 1-1/2 cups cheese and cooked sausage until well blended. Place biscuit mixture into greased 10-cup bundt pan. Pour reserved gravy mixture over top. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Cool in pan 5 to 10 minutes. To unmold, loosen sides of monkey bread from pan with a knife. Invert, cheese side up, onto serving plate. Makes 12 servings.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 321, Total Fat 17g, Saturated Fat 8g, Sodium 855mg, Cholesterol 37mg, Carbohydrates 31g, Protein 11g, Dietary Fiber 1g Pictured, Cooperative Connections

Goat Milk Fudge 1 lb. powdered sugar 1/2 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup whole goat milk (may use cow milk) 1 tsp. vanilla 1/2 cup nuts, optional

1 butter pecan cake mix

Combine sugar and cocoa in large microwavable bowl; make a well in the center. Place cut-up butter and milk in well; do not stir. Microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes; add vanilla. Blend with stick blender or mixer until smooth; stir in nuts. Pour into greased 8x8-inch square pan. Refrigerate until firm; cut into squares.

1/2 cup butter, sliced thin

Jersi Kruger, 5 years old, Dell Rapids, SD

1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Combine pumpkin and eggs. Add spices and salt to sugar. Blend sugar mixture and milk with pumpkin mixture. Pour into a 9x13-inch pan. Sprinkle cake mix over all. Top with butter slices and pecans. Bake at 350°F. for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve with whipped topping or ice cream.

Arlene BaanHofman, Corsica, SD

Please send your favorite dessert, vegetarian or garden produce recipes to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3).

Each recipe printed will be entered into a drawing for a prize in December 2019. All entries must include your name, mailing address, telephone number and cooperative name.

June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

5

CO-OP NEWS

Capital Credit Allocation Notices Q&A Allocations notices are being sent to members that purchased electricity from the cooperative in 2017 and/or 2018. This notice indicates your share of the margins from previous years of electric energy sales.

What are capital credits?

Bon Homme Yankton Electric is a non-profit, member owned cooperative. This doesn’t mean there are no profits earned, but that any profits or margins that are generated are split amongst the members based on how much they spent on electricity for the year that is being allocated.

I have several accounts, why do I only receive one notice?

Even if you pay a bill for several locations, you have just one membership with the cooperative and will just receive one official allocation notice. If you would like more detailed information, contact our office.

When do you issue refunds?

Capital credit refunds are issued using a first in first out method.

The 2017 refund included allocations from 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000.

Depending on the financial condition of the cooperative, the next refund will start with the remainder of 2000 but has not been scheduled at this time.

What happens if a member moves?

Members cannot claim the balance of their account when they leave our system. As long as we have their current mailing address, we will continue to send them their refund checks on our regular refund schedule. Several checks go unclaimed because we are unable to locate previous members.

Do members have to pay taxes on their capital credit allocation?

It is not required that capital credit allocations be reported to the IRS at the time it is allocated. When the capital credits are refunded, the refund is only considered taxable income in relation to the same portion of the electric bill that was claimed as a business or farm expense in the year that it was originally allocated. Most members either report the allocation or the refund as taxable income for their farm, but you should not report both--just be consistent.

If you always report the allocation but have already filed your taxes, you may save this notice for your 2019 taxes.

For more information, members should contact their tax preparer.

Contact the office if you have any questions regarding capital credits. The actual notice will differ than the sample below because the new notices have not been printed as of the publishing deadline. You will not get a notice unless you purchased electricity in 2017 or 2018.

Contact Bon Homme Yankton Electric If: You have a new mailing address You have a new name You have a joint membership and you have gotten divorced A member has passed away Your business or organization is no longer in existence Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. PO Box 158 Tabor, SD 57063-0158 605-463-2507 www.byelectric.com by@byelectric.com

The Affidavit of Address form as well as a list of members with outstanding or unclaimed checks are available at www.byelectric. coop.

What if a member passes away?

Upon the death of a member, the bylaws allow the capital credit account to be refunded at a discounted amount up to the date of death. 30 days need to pass after the date of death and an application has to be made, reviewed by our attorney and approved by the board. Once a member with an active electric account passes away and there is not a spouse to take over the account, the account needs to be transferred to a responsible party. A deceased person is not eligible to be a member of the cooperative and will no longer accrue capital credits after the date of death.

Notice Date: Current Allocation:

57063-

CAPITAL CREDIT ALLOCATION NOTICE YEAR

Current Allocation

Total Allocation

You are part owner of Bon Homme Yankton Electric Association, Inc. and one way your ownership is reflected is through capital credits or patronage capital--your share of what's left over after the cooperative pays all its expenses. This capital is held for a time and then refunded using a first-in-first-out method.

KWH Usage

Patronage

1993

0

$0.00

$65.93

$0.00

$65.93

1994

0

$0.00

$73.08

$0.00

$73.08

1995

0

$0.00

$67.46

$0.00

$67.46

1996

0

$0.00

$75.99

$0.00

$75.99

1997

0

$1,448.77

$55.72

$0.00

$55.72

1998

0

$1,385.29

$34.00

$0.00

1999

0

$1,472.32

$36.67

$0.00

$36.67

2000

23,600

$1,505.66

$222.57

$0.00

$222.57

2001

24,200

$1,603.21

$216.42

$0.00

$216.42

2002

26,300

$1,660.57

$156.04

$0.00

$156.04

2003

23,800

$1,581.05

$112.59

$0.00

$112.59

2004

23,491

$1,618.58

$136.95

$0.00

$136.95

2005

25,358

$1,705.60

$141.96

$0.00

$141.96

2006

25,363

$1,690.82

$181.60

$0.00

$181.60

2007

24,696

$1,629.17

$101.68

$0.00

$101.68

2008

55,334

$3,004.93

$441.71

$0.00

$441.71

* You have a joint membership and you have gotten divorced

2009

94,969

$5,266.02

$703.52

$0.00

$703.52

* A member has passed away

2010

62,584

$4,098.43

$404.09

$0.00

$404.09

2011

50,712

$3,704.24

$20.36

$321.04

$341.40

* Your business or organization is no longer in existence

2012

36,895

$3,208.30

$0.00

$38.42

$38.42

$3,248.34

$359.46

$3,607.80

Total Capital Credit Allocation

Previous Allocation

9999999

$359.46

This is NOT a bill.

Do NOT pay.

Do NOT deduct this amount from any energy payments.

DOE, JOHN PO BOX TABOR SD

3/26/2014

Account Number:

$34.00

The allocation of the current year margins are delayed due to the margin stabilization plan. This means that margins for the balance of 2012 and all of 2013 have yet to be added to your account.

For any questions about tax issues in regards to capital credit allocations or refunds, contact your tax preparer.

Contact our office if: * You have a new mailing address * You have a new name

* You have any other questions regarding this notice or anything else about your cooperative Remember: We can't send out your future refund checks if we don't know your current mailing address!

* KWH and Patronage were not available for all years. * Capital credits have been refunded up through 1992. Amounts are held until a check is at least $5.00 for active accounts and $10.00 for inactive accounts. * Patronage figures do not include sales tax or penalties. * The figures from multiple accounts are added together as a total for the membership.

6

Cooperative Connections | June 2019

See the May issue of the Bon Homme Yankton Electric Cooperative Connections for more information about capital credits!

SAVE THIS NOTICE FOR YOUR RECORDS

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Co-ops in the Classroom East River Electric and Bon Homme Yankton Electric teamed up to present the Co-ops in the Classroom program to Scotland School District fourth and fifth graders.

PRE-PLANNING CAN

to request a presentation for your school or community organization, please contact Member Service Advisor Bob Felber (bfelber@byelectric.com).

Co-ops in the Classroom is designed to help children learn the importance of respecting electricity through hands-on lessons. The program teaches students ways to conserve electricity, how to be safe around electricity, helps them recognize where electricity comes from and also introduces them to the cooperative business model and cooperative principles.

SAVE LIVES DURING PLANTING

By learning these concepts from an early age, the kids will be better prepared to make wise energy decisions now and be conscientious consumers of energy in the future.

Co-ops in the Classroom is available to schools and organizations within East River’s service territory. Jen Gross, East River’s Communications Coordinator, facilitates the program.

For more information on the program or

Hair goes flying with static electricity when this student touches the Van de Graaff sphere.

When it’s go-time, it’s go-time.

We understand that every second counts during planting season, but taking a moment to be mindful of safety during this anxious time could save you a lot of heartache in the long run. Remember to check your equipment, be aware of power lines, keep your cellphone on you at all times, dress appropriately and stay rested this spring.

Together we are

FAR M SA FE T Y

Jen Gross explains the different levels of generation needed to run different types of light bulbs.

June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

7

COMMITMENT

The Mickelson Trail Marathon takes runners through the scenic Black Hills.

RUNNING FOR FUN Marathons, Road Races and 5Ks Provide Challenge

By Jocelyn Romey jocelyn.romey@sdrea.coop

Among the runners lining up for the start of a well-known South Dakota marathon – the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon – will be a first-time runner with co-op ties.

Corey Hines, journeyman lineman from Butte Electric Cooperative in Newell, S.D., will be running the full Mickelson Trail Marathon for the first time this year. He started running recently for the fun of it and it snowballed into a marathon challenge, one he hasn’t backed down from.

Previously, Hines ran a half marathon in the same race eight years ago. Otherwise, he has had no competitive racing experience.

“I figured for whatever reason, God gave me the ability to run, so I will enjoy it while I can,” Hines said.

On June 2, Hines will be racing with more than 3,000 runners from across the nation as well as Canada, Germany, Russia and Denmark. These runners have the option of competing in the Mickelson Trail full marathon, half marathon or relay race. Beginning in Rochford, S.D., runners will experience the beauty of the Black Hills before finishing at the historical Engine House in Deadwood. Black Hills Electric Cooperative in Custer, S.D., is a sponsor of this event.

Other prominent co-op runners throughout the state are Russell Gall, manager of Charles Mix Electric Association in Lake Andes, S.D.; Dick Johnson, general manager and CEO of 8

Cooperative Connections | June 2019

Butte Electric Cooperative Journeyman Lineman Corey Hines has been training for the Mickelson Trail Marathon.

COMMITMENT Did you Know?

The modern marathon that many competitive runners enjoy has historical roots. The name itself is derived from a Greek legend in 490 B.C. that tells the story of a messenger who raced nearly 25 miles from the site of Marathon to Athens to deliver news of a Greek victory over invading Persians.

Unfortunately, the story ends poorly for the messenger who died from exhaustion after delivering his news.

From this legend, a formalized race called a marathon was created. The official length we know today of 26.2 miles was originated in the 1908 Olympics hosted in London when Queen Alexandra planned the route – which was consequently 26.2 miles. Since then, the length of the race stuck.

West River Electric Association in Wall, S.D.; and Tim McCarthy, general manager and CEO of Sioux Valley Energy in Colman, S.D. Gall has a history of competing in Tough Mudders, which entail a 12-mile run through various obstacles that include racing with a partner through mud, water, ice and electric fencing while climbing barriers, swinging from ropes, pushing blocks and lifting a number of heavy items.

“My training was foremost running. I tell anyone wanting to do a Tough Mudder that the first thing you have to do is be able to run a 5k without stopping,” Gall said. “The second part of training for the Tough Mudder is upper body strength, as in lots of push-ups and pull ups.”

Johnson is another runner who began running half marathons around his 50th birthday during the half Mickelson Trail Marathon. He finds enjoyment in running to relieve stress.

“It’s something I can do pretty much whenever I can fit it in, although I do most of my running early in the mornings,” Johnson said. “I don’t especially like later in the day as I struggle to motivate myself to do it then.”

He also noted that running was good for his overall health, even while jokingly stating that you cannot “outrun a bad diet!”

McCarthy is a well-known runner in many national marathons and was featured in the October 1996 edition of Runner’s World magazine after participating in a marathon in Illinois.

“On any given day, I will run about three miles up to about a half marathon (13.1 miles) depending on the time I have and how I feel,” McCarthy said.

“Running is a place Medals commemorate some I can go to sort of the races Tim McCarthy has run over the decades. out a lot of things whether the issues I’m facing are personal or professional.”

Even though he has retired from his more competitive marathons, McCarthy is still addicted to running and says he runs for physical and mental health.

Tough Mudder Russell Gall, manager of Charles Mix Electric Association in Lake Andes, S.D., is a veteran of Tough Mudder races which combine a 12-mile run with an obstacle course. Gall said the obstacles encountered in the race rely on that strength. “The Tough Mudder had lots of obstacles with funky names.”

Here is a list of Gall’s (least) favorites: Funky Monkey – 30 feet of monkey bars over a pool of muddy water.

Augustas Gloop – traverse a small pool of muddy water, duck under obstacles and then climb the inside a 20-foot tube with water cascading down.

Hold Your Wood – Carry a big hunk of log for 300 feet Artic Plunge – slide down a 10-foot tube that ends in ice water. “And I mean ICE – as in bags and bags of ice are poured into the small pool of water so you have to swim through the cubes, and duck under two obstacle walls. I drank a lot of muddy water on that one since I kept inhaling as I tried to catch my breath.”

Hero Carry – carry one of your team mates for a couple hundred feet then switch off. “My daughter had blisters by the time we hit this obstacle, so I just carried her the whole way.”

Electro Shock Therapy – This obstacle is just as it sounds: you run through a 50- to 75-foot of mud over hay bales. There are electric fencing strings hanging down every three feet and yes they are connected to an electric fencer. “That one is tough as the first time I went through it, it knocked me down to my knees.”

Berlin Wall – A 20-foot high wooden wall that you have to ascend on one side, using a rope, go over the top and down the other side with another rope.

Block Ness Monster – Two 4-foot by 4-foot rolling pin blocks that are half submerged in a pool of muddy water. The teams have to push the block from one side and hang on it as you go over the top. This keeps it rotating so your team can make it over.

And a tie for the worst obstacle goes to: The Death March – In Colorado it was a 5 mile trek up the side of a mountain. “By the time we made it to the summit we were all sunburned and tired.”

Everest – It’s a half pipe about 15-foot high (Google Tough Mudder Everest) that you have to try to get over. “Mind you are wet and usually covered in mud so this obstacle is definitely a team effort. I would never have made it was it not for the group of strangers that pulled me up.” https:// toughmudder.com/obstacles June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

9

CO-OP NEWS

Scholar of the Year CLASSIFIEDS Banquet Held in Brookings July Issue Deadline: June 1, 2019.

Email your classified ad to: by@ byelectric.com. Members can post one free ad per year. Repeats or longer ads are $1/column inch.

FOR RENT: 1 bedroom apartment. Tabor Manor. Contact Gary at 605-463-2209 or Ron at 605-463-2256.

Beseda Hall, Tabor, SD for rent for any special occasion such as weddings, anniversaries, graduation or birthdays! For more information contact Linda Bares at 605-661-6220 or snlbares@ gmail.com.

FOR RENT: Tabor Self Storage.

Call 605-660-0274 or 605-6603497.

East River and member cooperatives honored some of the area’s most impressive high school seniors during the 17th annual Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Year banquet at South Dakota State University in Brookings. The event honored the 34 high school students who were chosen each week throughout the school year as the Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Week.

Danielle Houghtaling, a senior at Doland High School within Northern Electric’s service territory, was selected during the banquet as the Touchstone Energy Scholar of the year. Houghtaling, who plans to attend South Dakota State University in the fall, received a $1,000 award. Jarret

WELCOME MEMBERS Springfield Karl Diede Chad Simek Jack & Teryn Rother Tabor Damon Reynolds KCKK, LLC Yankton Allen Schild Daniel Pieper John Scott Abbott Craig Tokarick

SOLAR STATS Month Solar Production Solar used by office

April 626 KWH 626/100%

Solar put back on grid

0/0%

Main office KWH used

4,546

From grid

3,920

From solar

626

Solar % of KWH used

13%

Max solar production/day 10

37 KWH

Cooperative Connections | June 2019

Haven, a senior at Northwestern Area High School also within Northern’s territory and Allison Young, a senior at Sioux Falls Christian High School within Southeastern Electric’s territory, were both chosen to receive $500 awards. The names were drawn from among the attendees.

Jim Woster, famed South Dakota agriculture writer, broadcaster and public speaker was the banquet’s keynote speaker and KSFY News anchor Brian Allen served as the master of ceremonies.

Bon Homme Yankton Scholar of the Week Bryce Dangler attended the event honoring the 2018-2019 scholars.

MARKETPLACE HEATING & COOLING

2401 Broadway Suite #3 Yankton, SD 57078

60 5- 665- 9 4 61 800-491-9461

Warm Air, Air to Air, Geothermal Heat Pumps

GT Repair & Autobody Glenn Tycz Tyndall, SD 57066

605-589-3018 Marine Boat Repair Aluminum & Fiberglass We Repair and Install Windshields

BOHEMIAN FARMERS R. Martin Koch, Secretary PO Box 206 Tabor, SD 57063

Koranda Well Company LLC Tabor, SD 57063

605-463-2244 Well drilling, repairing and cleaning Water Systems – Artesian Wells Sales and Installation Earth-Coupled Heat Pump

Emergency Service Free Estimates

MUTUAL

605-463-2558 605-589-3572

If only the future was predictable. Farming is always a gamble. You never know when bad weather or other problems will strike. The only thing you can be sure of—you need quality insurance protection. Call our office today for a competitive quote.

Sanders Heating & Cooling 300 W 17th Tyndall, SD 57066

Yankton, Tabor, Tyndall, Menno

605-665-9679

Preplanning will give you peace of mind and may save money

K CONSTRUCTION AND PAINTING New Construction Remodel - Roofing Flooring

Jason Finck Tabor, SD 57063

605-589-3228 1-800-894-3228 Furnaces, Heat Pumps and Air Conditioners Free Estimates

Feel the power of data in your hands with SmartHub mobile and web apps. SmartHub allows you to view your usage data and manage your account right from your mobile device in a secure environment.

Go to www.byelectric.coop and follow the link to the SmartHub site or download the free app on Google Play or iTunes.

605-660-3204 June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

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COMMUNITY

Celebrating Midsommar For 150 Years, Dalesburg Community Has Gathered in Celebration Brenda Kleinjan editor@sdrea.coop

It was important to the first Swedes who came to Dakota Territory in the 1860s.

For the past 150 years, the community of Dalesburg in the southeast corner of South Dakota has gathered to celebrate Midsommar with a distinctly Scandinavian flair.

Every summer, the community holds the Dalesburg Midsommar Festival to honor its heritage and to celebrate its future.

The first Swedes arrived in the area of Dakota Territory in 1868, so the first Midsommar was celebrated June 24, 1869, said Ron Johnson, a member of the committee who organizes the Dalesburg Midsommar Festival set for Friday, June 21.

“We have oral history written down in the 1940s that the first Midsommar picnic was held in 1882,” said Johnson, noting that Midsommar was observed before that picnic.

Johnson noted that one settler’s memoir noted that a Swedish man arrived by train in Beresford and then headed southwest until he encountered the Midsommar 12

A Moeller pipe organ was added to the Dalesburg church in 1916.

gathering at Dalesburg.

By 1896, the festival had expanded to include a ball game and foot races.

“It was considered important to the first Swedes that came to this county,” said Johnson.

Around World War I, the festival moved to the grounds of the Dalesburg Lutheran Church.

“The holiday observance is older than the church,” Johnson said.

The Clay County church, located north of Vermillion, was formed in 1871 to serve a largely Swedish community in what was then Dakota Territory.

The congregation first met in a

Cooperative Connections | June 2019

Dancing around a midsummer pole with ring dances is part of the celebration.

COMMUNITY

Weather permitting, Midsummer performances take place on the grounds of Dalesburg Lutheran Church. sod house before building it’s first church in 1874. By 1897, the current sanctuary was constructed.

The farming community of Dalesburg (in Swedish: Dalsborg) is from Dalarna – the name of the province from where many of the first homesteaders came in central Sweden. Today the residents of the Dalesburg Community are served by the Vermillion, Beresford, Centerville, and Burbank Post Offices.

About 600 people attend the festival each summer. More than 300 people eat at the Scandinavian smörgåsbord held in the church’s basement while others visit one of several food stands on the church grounds at 30595 University Road, Vermillion.

“The smörgåsbord supper features Swedish-American dishes typical of what people ate 100 to 125 years ago,” Johnson said. “We still try to remember these old recipes and things.”

Several community members gathered in May to help make potatis korv, a Swedish potato sausage that will be served in June.

The festival starts at 1 p.m. and concludes with a ballgame that night.

This year’s featured performer is Church Suchy, a performer and songwriter from Mandan, N.D. “He does stories about rural life in the 1950s into the 1970s,” said Johnson, noting that past performers at the festival have included visiting groups from Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

High water in the area will make the trek to the festival a bit tricky, but well worth the drive.

Among the routes Johnson recommended were to turn off of Interstate 29 at the Beresford exit and go west a ways and then south on University Road or alternatively go to Vermillion and head north on University Road.

Johnson had one last bit of advice for those venturing to the 2019 festival.

“It’s a good idea to bring your own lawn chairs and insect repellent, especially this year with the water.”

Midsommar at Dalesburg Each year the Dalesburg community celebrates the traditional Midsummer (or Midsommar) Festival. The event includes afternoon programs, a Swedish meatball dinner and a free evening concert. It is held on the grounds of the Dalesburg Lutheran Church.

Schedule Friday, June 21 1 p.m. – Food Stand/Inflatables/ Country Store Opens 2 p.m. – Afternoon Program 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. – Scandinavian Smorgasbord 7 p.m. – Evening Program 8:30 p.m. – Ball Game

June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

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CO-OP NEWS

Ice, Rain, Snow: We got it all!

While still recovering from the March flooding, we prepared for the April storm the best we could. We knew road conditions and possible ice and blizzards could be an issue in restoring power.

Crews have just about finished up fixing the damage to the system. We apologize for any inconvenience for the recent outages necessary to make those repairs.

We even retrofitted our side by side four wheeler to access muddy terrain. What hit next called for all hands on deck and all trucks in the fleet to respond.

We received so many thank you notes, phone calls and messages from our members that we could not respond to everyone nor list them all here. We just want you know that the crews read every comment and appreciate the support.

Crews began to work on the first outages the night of April 10.

These outages were in Bon Homme County and some that were not due to the substations being offline, were caused by lightening or trees.

Then our luck changed for the worst as we were in the middle of the line between rain and snow which of course means ice.

The ice hit hardest in the Irene area near the Mayfield Store. The crews dispatched in the area were surprised to be called in on April 11 before dark because conditions were good to keep working. They were not aware of the blizzard conditions near Tabor and had a very difficult time getting back to the shop.

East River Electric Power Cooperative was also having system wide issues with broken poles, lines galloping and lightening caused damage. It was very difficult for us to assess the damage to our system and determine the number of members out until the substations came back online.

Once East River’s substations were back online, we were able to pinpoint our members that were still without power and make a plan to restore as many people as we could before nightfall.

Crews continued working Friday with the help of Charles Mix Electric and Clay-Union Electric and were able to restore everyone except for about 48 services by Mayfield Store because we would need to replace several poles to get their power back on.

It was difficult to explain to some members that their power may not be restored until the weekend. The ClayUnion Electric crew agreed to come back on Saturday and help us get those poles set restoring power to the remainder of the members.

We would like to thank all of the members for their patience and phone calls. We also experimented with allowing outage notifications via Facebook Messenger due to the phone lines being busy.

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Cooperative Connections | June 2019

There was no avoiding the bad roads and wet ditches to restore power.

We appreciated the many members who helped get our trucks out of the mud.

CO-OP NEWS

Right: The final poles are set using the EZ Spotter attachment on the Bobcat with the assistance of Clay-Union Electric. Below: The weight of ice on the lines caused numerous wire breaks as well as pulling anchors out of the saturated soil.

June 2019 | Cooperative Connections

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DATELINE

May 23-25

Music Fest, Lake Benton, MN, 507-368-9627

June 29: Rhubarb Festival, Leola, SD, 605-824-0014

May 24-26

South Dakota Kayak Challenge, Yankton, SD, 605-864-9011

May 25-26

Photo courtesy: McPherson County Herald

Annual SDRA Foothills Rodeo, Wessington Springs, SD, 605-770-4370

May 30-June 1

Senior Games, Sioux Falls, SD, Contact Nick Brady at 605-978-6924

May 31-June 2

Fort Sisseton Historical Festival, Lake City, SD, 605-448-5474

May 31-June 2

Wheel Jam, Huron, SD, 605-353-7340

May 31-June 3

Fish Days, Lake Andes, SD, 605-487-7694

June 1

Dairy Fest, Brookings, SD, 605-692-7539

June 1

Annual Casey Tibbs Match of Champions, Fort Pierre, SD, 605-494-1094

June 1-2

Spring Volksmarch, Crazy Horse, SD, 605-673-4681

June 2

Mickelson Trail Marathon, Deadwood, SD, 605-578-1876

June 2

Buffalo Ridge Chorale Concert, 4 p.m., St. John Cantius, Wilno, MN, 605-479-3438

June 2-August 11

Red Cloud Indian Art Show, Pine Ridge, SD, 605-867-8257

June 6-9

South Dakota Shakespeare Festival, Vermillion, SD, 605-622-0423

June 7

East of Westreville with Kenny Putnam Kiwanis Club Concert, 7 p.m., Riggs Theatre, Pierre, SD, 605-280-0818

June 7-8

Senior Games, Spearfish, SD, Contact Brett Rauterkus at 605-722-1430

June 7-9

Annual Black Hills Quilt Show & Sale, Rapid City, SD, 605-394-4115

June 8

Festival of Cultures, Sioux Falls, SD, 605-367-7401

June 8-9

Siouxland Renaissance Festival, Sioux Falls, SD, 1-866-489-9241

June 13-15

Czech Days, Tabor, SD, 605-463-2478, www.taborczechdays.com, taborczechdays@gmail.com

June 15

International Vinegar Museum Festival, Vinegar Museum will be open all day, Roslyn, SD, 320-808-8873

June 21

Dalesburg Midsummer Festival, Dalesburg Lutheran Church, Rural Vermillion, SD, 605-253-2575

June 21-23

Scavenger’s Journey, A treasure trove event with antiques, rummages and more stretching from Mt. Vernon to Kadoka, SD, Contact Elaine Titze at 605-999-7287, www.scavengersjourney.com

June 28-29

Senior Games, Madison, SD, Contact Bernie Schuurmans at 605-270-3327

July 10

Tracy Area Garden’s and Quilts Tour, 2 to 8 p.m., Garvin/Lake Shetek Area, Maps and tickets at Bitton Road House, Garvin, MN, 507-629-3252

July 11-13

Senior Games, Aberdeen, SD, Contact Gene Morsching at 605-626-7015

July 19-20

Gumbo Ridge Bronc Ride and Ranch Rodeo, Murdo, SD, 605-669-3031 To have your event listed on this page, send complete information, including date, event, place and contact to your local electric cooperative.

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