Feb 2026 HomeWorks

HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative

February 2026

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES Wade Rouse & Viola Shipman:

LAKE MICHIGAN’S STORYTELLERS

Honoring A People Fund Hero It Takes A Village: Restoring Power After A Storm Introducing The HomeWorksConnect App!

Geothermal isn’t just about comfort. It’s about energy independence, grid resilience, and good jobs.

Geothermal heating and cooling doesn’t just make homes more comfortable and efficient—they’re powered by a domestic, underground energy source that’s available 24/7, rain or shine.

Made in the USA: Our geothermal systems are built right here in America, supporting advanced manufacturing jobs.

Grid-friendly: While AI, EVs, and data centers push power demand to new heights, geothermal helps reduce peak load—easing the burden on our utilities.

Job-creating: From HVAC contractors and well drillers or trenchers to engineers and architects, geothermal supports a wide network of high-paying, skilled jobs in every community it touches.

Geothermal isn’t just smart for homeowners. It’s smart for the country.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS Allendale Allendale Htg & Clg (800) 327-1937 allendaleheating.com

Grand Rapids Bel Aire Htg & Clg 1-888-235-2473 belaire.com

Mt Pleasant Walton Htg & Clg (989) 772-4822 waltonheating.com

Three Rivers Bel Aire Htg & Clg 1-888-235-2473 belaire.com

Berrien Springs WaterFurnace Michiana (269) 473-5667 gogreenmichgeothermal.com

Hart Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665 adamsgeothermal-mi.com

Muskegon TMC Mechanical LLC (231) 865-1114 www.tmcmechanicalllc.com

Traverse City Geofurnace Htg & Clg (231) 943-1000 geofurnace.com

Big Rapids Stratz Htg & Clg, Inc. (231) 796-3717 stratzgeocomfort.com

Holland G.H.P. Systems Inc. (616) 396-5833 ghpsystems-inc.com

Portage Bel Aire Htg & Clg 1-888-235-2473 belaire.com

Cadillac Wilder Htg & Clg (231) 645-4822 Wilderheatingandcooling.com

Indian River M&M Plmb & Htg (231) 238-7201 mm-plumbing.com

Portland ESI Htg & Clg (517) 647-6906 esiheating.com

Filion/Bad Axe Air-O-Dynamic Htg & Clg (989) 582-0137 aod-hvac.com

Lansing Candor Mechanical (517) 920-0890 candormechanical.com

Sparta West Michigan Geothermal (616) 887-1290 Westmigeothermal.com

Gaylord Family Plmb & Htg (989) 732-8099 familyplumbingandheating.com

Michigan Center Comfort 1/Aire Serv of Southern Michigan (517) 764-1500 airserv.com/southern-michigan/

Sunfield Mark Woodman Plmb & Htg (517) 886-1138 mwphonline.com

WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc.

CO-OP REBATE INCENTIVES $2,250 rebate available through your co-op.

visit us at waterfurnace.com/mi

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

Contents countrylines.com

February 2026 Vol. 46, No. 2 /michigancountrylines

/michigancountrylines

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark EDITOR: Christine Dorr GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird RECIPE EDITOR: Christin Russman COPY EDITOR: Yvette Pecha CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Emily Haines Lloyd PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association Michigan Country Lines, USPS591-710, is published monthly, except August and December, with periodicals postage paid at Lansing, Mich., and additional offices. It is the official publication of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association, 201 Townsend St., Suite 900, Lansing, MI 48933.

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Subscriptions are authorized for members of Alger Delta, Cherryland, Great Lakes, HomeWorks Tri-County, Midwest Energy & Communications, Ontonagon, Presque Isle, and Thumb electric cooperatives by their boards of directors.

POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. ASSOCIATION OFFICERS: Chris O’Neill, HomeWorks TriCounty Cooperative, chairman; Gabe Schneider, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, vice chairman; Shaun Lamp, Great Lakes Energy Cooperative, secretary-treasurer; John Kran, president and CEO. CONTACT US/LETTERS TO EDITOR: Michigan Country Lines 201 Townsend St., Suite 900 Lansing, MI 48933 248-534-7358 editor@countrylines.com CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Please notify your electric cooperative.

See page 4 for contact information.

The appearance of advertising does not constitute an endorsement of the products or services advertised.

MICHIGAN’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES

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6 A CUB, A DREAM,

MI CO-OP Community RECIPE CONTEST

See details on page 10. Salads with a Twist, due March 1; Grilled to Perfection, due April 1.

Win a $100 bill credit!

GUEST COLUMN

See details on page 18. Share your fondest memories and stories.

Win $200 for stories published!

To enter contests, submit reader content & more, visit countrylines.com/community

A LEGACY: THE STORY OF DEAN OSWALD’S BEAR RANCH How Dean’s Childhood Encounter Sparked a Lifelong Passion.

10 MI CO-OP KITCHEN Chocolate Reimagined: a New Way to Indulge.

14 WADE ROUSE & VIOLA

SHIPMAN: LAKE MICHIGAN’S STORYTELLERS Bestselling Author Writes About the Everyday People Who Make Life Meaningful.

18 GUEST COLUMN

The Poet: How a GLE Member’s Grandfather Mesmerized His Family with Stories from the Gold Rush.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Powered By People:

A Cooperative Effort After The Storm

By Chris O’Neill, President/CEO

OSCEOLA

CLARE

MECOSTA ISABELLA

MONTCALM GRATIOT

IONIA

BARRY

SAGINAW

CLINTON

EATON

INGHAM

JACKSON

Portland office/Mail payments to: 7973 E. Grand River Ave. Portland, MI 48875 Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday Blanchard office: 3681 Costabella Ave. Blanchard, MI 49310 Open 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday Night deposit box available at both locations.

Electric bill/account questions: 517-647-7554 or 1-800-562-8232 Pay by phone, anytime: 1-844-963-2875 Service questions/outages: 517-647-7554 or 1-800-848-9333 (24 hours for emergency calls) Tri-County Propane: 1-877-574-2740 HomeWorks Connect 1-800-668-8413 BOARD OF DIRECTORS District 1 — John Lord, Vice-Chairman 2276 Plains Rd., Leslie, MI 49251 517-974-2518 • jlord@homeworks.org District 2 — Jim Stebbins 7139 Peddler Lake Rd., Clarksville, MI 48815 517-930-8132 • jstebbins@homeworks.org District 3 — Luke Pohl, Chairman 15560 W. Hanses Rd., Westphalia, MI 48894 989-292-0427 • lpohl@homeworks.org District 4 — Jake Borton 7543 E. Edgar Rd., Vestaburg, MI 48891 989-506-3404 • jborton@homeworks.org District 5 — Theresa Sopocy 6996 E. Wilson Rd., Bannister, MI 48807 989-292-0295 • tsopocy@homeworks.org District 6 — Dave Livermore 8060 W. Airline Rd., Weidman, MI 48893 989-289-3019 • dlivermore@homeworks.org District 7 — Shirley Sprague, Secretary-Treasurer 15563 45th Ave., Barryton, MI 49305 989-382-7535 • ssprague@homeworks.org Editor: Charly Markwart, CCC cmarkwart@homeworks.org 4

FEBRUARY 2026

As many members in the northern portion of our service territory know all too well, Mother Nature decided to send 2025 out with one of the most significant weather events to impact our electric system in decades. Back-to-back ice storms hit Isabella, Mecosta, and Montcalm counties and the surrounding area in late December, causing widespread outages that affected over 7,500 HomeWorks members.

Our system is hardened to withstand severe weather, but this rare two-in-one storm delivered ice accumulation of up to one inch and heavy winds that combined to create the “perfect storm.” It resulted in 41 broken poles and well over 100 downed lines across our system. In some instances, the same span of line had to be put back up as many as four times, as the ongoing conditions continued to cause repeated damage.

But, as always, our line crews persisted, working tirelessly to repair and rebuild our system. Back in the office, they were supported by an all-hands-on-deck effort, from our engineering, dispatch, and customer service teams to the employees who volunteered to make meals and deliver them to the field. I am so proud of the way our entire workforce came together to restore power for our members in the wake of this event.

Of course, a restoration effort of this magnitude calls for a village far beyond the Co-op, and this particular event required us to call in more outside assistance than we ever have before. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association and our sister Michigan electric co-ops including Great Lakes Energy, Presque Isle Electric & Gas, Thumb Electric, and Wolverine homeworks.org

Power Cooperative for sending mutual aid line crews to help us with restoration.

Thanks also to the line crews from AMPP Construction, Bay City Light & Power, the City of Lowell, Flory Line Construction, Grid Line Power, and Kent Power who came in to provide additional assistance. And thank you to our contracted tree crews from Chop, Townsend Tree Service, and Wright Tree Service who worked extremely hard to clear downed trees and debris from our lines.

I also want to thank the emergency management teams, road commissions, and fire departments in the impacted counties for your invaluable assistance in clearing roads, guarding wires down, and providing any other assistance that we needed throughout the restoration process.

The way our local communities stepped up and came together to support each other and the Co-op throughout this event was a shining example of the Cooperative Spirit. I especially want to shout out the Barn Door in Mt. Pleasant and the community members who chipped in to provide free meals for our lineworkers as they worked to restore power! Thanks also to The Depot in Edmore for providing additional meals for our crews.

Most importantly, I want to thank our members who were impacted by this event. I know it is extremely challenging and stressful to be out of power for multiple days in the winter, especially during the holidays. Thank you for your patience, resilience, and understanding as we worked our way systematically through this extensive restoration process.

We are a Cooperative, and we will always weather the storm together.

For storm prep tips to help keep your family safe when severe weather hits, visit HomeWorks.org/safety.

/homeworks.org

tricoenergy@homeworks.org

Powering Up After an Outage

When the power goes out, we expect it to be restored within a few hours. But when a major event like our recent ice storm causes widespread damage, extended outages may result. Our line crews work long, hard hours to restore service safely to the greatest number of consumers in the shortest time possible. Here’s what’s going on if you find yourself in the dark:

1. High-Voltage Transmission Lines:

Transmission towers and cables that supply power to transmission substations (and thousands of members) rarely fail. But when damaged, these facilities must be repaired before other parts of the system can operate.

2. Distribution Substation:

A substation can serve hundreds or thousands of members. When a major outage occurs, line crews inspect substations to determine if problems stem from transmission lines feeding into the substation, the substation itself, or if problems exist further down the line.

3. Main Distribution Lines:

If the problem cannot be isolated at a distribution substation, distribution lines are checked. These lines carry power to large groups of members in communities or neighborhoods.

4. Tap Lines:

If local outages persist, supply lines (also known as tap lines) are inspected. These lines deliver power to transformers, either mounted on poles or placed on pads for underground service, outside businesses, schools, and homes.

5. Individual Homes:

If your home remains without power, the service line between a transformer and your residence may need to be repaired. Always call or use SmartHub to report an outage to help line crews isolate local issues.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Dean Oswald with his wife Jewel and son Monty, who help carry on the family’s passion for providing rescued bears with a safe, enriching habitat in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

A Cub, A Dream, A Legacy

The Story of Dean Oswald’s Bear Ranch

By Allie Brawley | Photos by Abby Moran

This article was originally published in Cloverland Connections, September/October 2025.

When Dean Oswald was 6 years old, he and his family would vacation near Newberry, Michigan, where one of the highlights was watching wild bears forage at the local landfill. When Dean spotted a cub at the side of the road, he pleaded with his dad to pet the little creature. His dad cautioned that the protective mother bear would be nearby—and she soon appeared and nudged the cub back into the woods. Then she turned to the vehicle where Dean and his family watched and stood on her hind legs, a sign of threatening protection, and disappeared back into the woods with her cub.

“I was fascinated by that cub,” Dean recalled. “And I thought, someday I’ll have a bear cub.”

That childhood dream stayed with Dean throughout his life.

Even as he served in the Marines, worked as a police officer and firefighter in Bay City, and raised four children with his wife Jewel, the dream of having a bear never left him. After retiring, Dean and Jewel bought an 80-acre property near Newberry in 1983 and moved north to begin building Dean’s childhood dream.

Shortly afterward, someone contacted Dean with a bear cub that needed a home—and his dream finally came true.

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FEBRUARY 2026

Dean remodeled their cabin, cleared the overgrown wood, and built the first bear enclosure by the lake. As he bonded with his first bear and then raised a second cub, word spread. Curious visitors started showing up to see the bears, photograph them, and sometimes even feed them.

Recognizing the growing interest, Dean and Jewel began collecting food donations from local restaurants and grocery stores. That support continues to this day—fivegallon buckets filled with produce, freezer-burned meat, and sweets arrive regularly.

“We buy granola by the ton—20 tons at a time,” Dean laughs.

With growing public interest and appetites, Oswald’s Bear Ranch quickly became known for more than just bear sightings. When the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) closed landfills to spectators, a popular, low-cost way to view wildlife disappeared. As a result, the ranch emerged as a prime and meaningful opportunity to observe bears up close in a natural setting.

What began with just five bears has since grown to a thriving community of 50, divided among three expansive habitats for yearlings, males, and females. One enclosure spans an entire mile. Today, the ranch covers 250 acres and features pools

“ The best part about the ranch is that you’re with family and friends all day.” for the young bears to cool off, elevated viewing platforms for visitors, and hibernation dens—some hand-built by Dean and others instinctively dug by the bears themselves.

To meet federal and state regulations, the Oswalds were required to build a 10-foot-high wire mesh fence with a fourfoot-high perimeter fence. The cost strained the ranch’s operating budget. To help subsidize increasing operational costs, the Oswalds opened a gift shop selling hats, t-shirts, and bear gifts.

Today, Dean is recognized across the state as a bear rescuer. The DNR regularly contacts him when orphaned cubs need a home. Of the 50 bears at Oswald’s Bear Ranch, 48 were bottle-fed by Dean himself.

“When we started, we thought five or six cars a day would help us pay the bills,” he said. “Now we’ve had visitors from Australia, New Zealand, Germany, France, South Africa, and Newfoundland—all in one day.”

What began as a dream is now a beloved destination, operated with the help of Dean and Jewel’s family. Their son Monty helps during the season, and Monty’s son runs the gift shop and manages finances. Neighbors help cut apples and direct traffic. A local artist designed the entrance sign and a fellow bear enthusiast created the information board of frequently asked questions. Local specialized contractors installed fences, water lines, and electrical systems to safely support the bears.

Cloverland Electric Cooperative’s communications team, Allie Brawley and Abby Moran, feed a cub ice cream. The photo booth is one of the most memorable parts of a visit for guests of all ages.

“The best part about the ranch is that you’re with family and friends all day,” Monty says.

The ranch runs on simple pricing—$30 per vehicle—and offers the unique chance to get a photo with a bear cub.

Many visitors seek out Dean himself to thank him, snap a photo, or meet his chipmunk companion “Chippy,” who eats sunflower seeds right from Dean’s hand.

Dean often sits near the habitat, smiling as visitors walk up to say, “Thanks for sharing your bears,” and fellow Marines pass by exclaiming, “Semper Fi.” When asked what he’s most proud of, Dean doesn’t hesitate: “Just the fact that I accomplished a passion.”

Learn more at oswaldsbearranch.com.

A sign at the entrance answers frequently asked questions and shares stories of Tyson, Patton, and Zac—just a few of the bears who’ve called the ranch home.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Heat Pumps Comfort and Savings Year-Round Space heating, space cooling, and water heating are some of the largest energy expenses in any home.* Investing in a highly efficient HVAC system is therefore extremely important. Thanks to advances in technology, heat pumps are a smart alternative to electric baseboard heating or an electric or gas-powered furnace.

What Is a Heat Pump?

You may not realize that refrigerators, freezers and air conditioning units are heat pumps. Heat pumps use a substance called refrigerant to move heat energy from one place to another. It is important to note that heat pumps only move heat; they do not make heat. That’s why they are an extremely efficient HVAC option for nearly any type of home.

Heat Pumps Can Heat and Cool Your Home During the winter, heat pumps move heat from the outdoors to warm your home. That’s right—even when it feels cold outside, heat energy is still present. In the summer, a heat pump moves the heat from inside your home to the outdoors.

Heat Pump Benefits • Use considerably less energy for heating and cooling • Eliminate or reduce your reliance on propane (no filling tanks or fuel price shifts) • More consistent temperatures equals increased comfort • Superior indoor air quality and dehumidification *energy.gov/heating-cooling

ONE SYSTEM. EVERY SEASON. MORE SAVINGS. Show your home some love with a new heat pump system!

With a new heat pump system, you’ll experience: • • •

Significant energy savings Increased comfort Reliable performance in cold climates

HomeWorks is offering rebates on heat pump systems. Visit homeworks.org/210-2/electric-home/ member-services/eo/ for more information on rebates and to view all available energy-saving incentives!

Love the Comfort.

Love the Savings.

Scan the QR code to view eligible rebates or visit HomeWorks.org/EO HomeWorks.org facebook.com/homeworks.org

MI CO-OP Snap Shot

FAVORITE HOBBY MOST VOTES

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1. MOST VOTES Captured this wonderful photo of a young bald eagle. Jeff Harris, Morley 2. Hobby: travel pins & pieces, travel and tacks—a close-up of the center map of the Bayless Bunch Travel Wall—oh, the places we have been! The answer is always travel.

Casie Bayless, Portland 3. With 15 years into his hobby of astrophotography, here’s the spouse setting up to capture photos of a comet. Emily Rowland, Eaton Rapids 4. Where wild threads wander. Becca Wetzel, Elsie 5. Cross stitch is my happy place, especially when done with my stitching sisters! Debra Cook, Mt. Pleasant 6. Favorite hobby: bird watching/ photography. Britney Inanod Groomes, Remus 7. Keeping my birdie buddies happy.

Jennifer Lucas, Blanchard

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Enter to win a $100 energy bill credit!

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Submit Your “Outdoor Adventures” Photos By Feb. 24! Each month, HomeWorks members are able to submit photos on our website for our photo contest. The photo receiving the most votes is published here, along with some other selections from that month.

Our April theme is “Outdoor Adventures.” Photos can be submitted through Feb. 24 to be featured in our April issue.

To enter the contest, visit HomeWorks.org/photocontest.

Enter your picture, cast your vote, and encourage others to vote for you, too. If your photo is published in Country Lines during 2026, you will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of four $100 credits on your December 2026 HomeWorks bill!

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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MI CO-OP Kitchen

CHOCOLATE REIMAGINED A new way to indulge. A fun spin on a favorite.

WINNING RECIPE!

CANDIED BACONWRAPPED DATES Cynthia Hodges, Ontonagon REA

1 12-ounce package bacon strips (12 slices) 24 medjool dates, pitted (soak in water for 15 minutes if firm, then drain) ¼ cup cream cheese, softened ¼ cup packed brown sugar 1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 tablespoon chili powder 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the bacon strips in half crosswise. Split each date in half and fill with about ½ teaspoon cream cheese. Wrap each stuffed date tightly with a half strip of bacon and set aside. On a small plate or shallow bowl, mix together the brown sugar, cocoa, chili powder, and cinnamon, then roll each bacon-wrapped date in the sugar mixture to coat both sides.

Secure each piece with a toothpick or small skewer and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 30 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp (thicker bacon may require more time). Enjoy warm!

Watch a video of this month’s winning recipe at micoopkitchen.com/videos

RECIPE CONTEST

Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Salads with a Twist, due March 1; Grilled to Perfection, due April 1. Submit your favorite recipe for a chance to win a $100 bill credit and have your recipe featured in Country Lines with a photo and a video. Submit your recipe at micoopkitchen.com, or send it via email (include your full name and co-op) to recipes@countrylines.com.

10 FEBRUARY 2026

DECADENT CHOCOLATE AVOCADO EDAMAME ZUCCHINI MOUSSE Janet Ruggles, Cherryland Electric Cooperative ¼ cup soft steamed zucchini, packed and well-drained 20 shelled edamame beans (about 10 pods), steamed or microwaved 4 ounces 70%–92% cacao dark chocolate 2 very ripe avocados

¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder 6 tablespoons maple syrup ⅓ cup almond milk ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ⅛ teaspoon sea salt 30 raspberries

Cut the zucchini into chunks and steam until soft (use leftover zucchini for dinner if desired). Measure ¼ cup, packed and well-drained. Separately, steam about 10 edamame pods (or more, as needed) and remove 20 beans. Melt chocolate in microwave, stirring every 20–30 seconds to prevent burning. In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except raspberries. Purée until creamy and silky. Add a little more almond milk if needed for a smoother texture. Spoon the mousse into 6 small dessert cups (about ½ cup each). Chill for at least 1 hour. Top each cup with 5 raspberries before serving.

GARBAGE COOKIES Emily Binard, Great Lakes Energy 1 unsalted stick butter, softened ½ cup brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt 1 large egg 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda

½–¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ¼–½ cup chopped Heath or Skor toffee bars 10 Kraft caramels, cut into quarters ½ cup mini marshmallows (or chopped marshmallow peeps) ¼ cup chopped mini pretzels/mini pretzel rods ¼ cup chopped Oreo cookies

Preheat oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Beat in the egg. Add the flour and baking soda and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, toffee, caramels, marshmallows, pretzels, and Oreos. Scoop dough into 1-tablespoon portions and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on the sheet or serve warm.

CHOCOLATE-KISSED CHICKEN THIGHS Katie Schneider, Midwest Energy & Communications Chicken: 6–8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs • olive oil • sea salt • black pepper Chocolate BBQ Sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 8 cloves garlic, minced 1 cup tomato sauce 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cumin ½ teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon onion powder ½ teaspoon chili pepper (more if desired) 4 ounces 62% semisweet dark chocolate, chopped 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro • sea salt • black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry, rub them with olive oil, and season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Arrange the thighs skin-side up on a baking sheet or in a cast-iron skillet. Roast for 25 minutes, or until the skin begins to crisp. While the chicken roasts, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, cumin, cinnamon, onion powder, and chili pepper, then simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and add the dark chocolate, stirring until smooth, then mix in the chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. When the chicken has roasted for 25 minutes, remove it from the oven, brush the thighs generously with the chocolate BBQ sauce, and return them to the oven for another 10–15 minutes, until the glaze caramelizes and the chicken is fully cooked. Serve with extra sauce spooned over the top.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 11

Jerry Supina

Leaves His Mark After 33 years of dedicated volunteer service, People Fund founding member and Chairman Jerry Supina retired from the program’s board in January.

When Jerry Supina was appointed to the board of the TriCounty Electric People Fund as a founding member in 1993, the program was just a seed of an idea to round members’ spare change up for worthy causes in the area. In the 33 years since, he has helped grow that seed into a charitable program that has granted over $2.75 million to neighbors in need throughout the HomeWorks service territory. True to character, though, he deflects any and all credit for that incredible feat.

“The board gets the glory, but really, we’re nothing without the generous individuals who have been rounding up their monthly bills for the People Fund for the past 30+ years,” he says. “It’s amazing the kind of impact the program has been able to make with that spare change.”

HomeWorks President/CEO Chris O’Neill says that impact is in large part due to Supina’s leadership.

“Our entire Cooperative owes a huge debt of gratitude to Jerry Supina for the countless hours of hard work and dedication he has put into the People Fund over the past 33 years.” ~ Chris O’Neill, HomeWorks President/CEO 12 FEBRUARY 2026

“Our entire Cooperative owes a huge debt of gratitude to Jerry Supina for the countless hours of hard work and dedication he has put into the People Fund over the past 33 years,” says O’Neill. “He is an invaluable building block of the organization. As a founding board member and longtime chair, he helped mold the People Fund into the impactful program it is today. The truth is that Jerry has left his mark on every single grant we give out, past, present, and future.”

People Fund Administrator Michelle Huhn agrees. As Supina retires, Huhn says she’ll miss his leadership and his ever-present smile, contagious spirit of generosity, and dedication to giving back.

“It’s been my honor to work with Jerry for the past several years,” she says. “He never treated the People Fund board as just a volunteer role; he put his heart and soul into ensuring that members’ round-up dollars would be put to good use to make a real difference in our local communities. That will be his lasting legacy.”

Your Board In Action Meeting in Portland on Dec. 22, 2025, your board of directors: • Elected Director Jake Borton as the Cooperative’s new representative on the board of the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association (MECA), replacing Director Jim Stebbins, who stepped down from the MECA board effective Feb. 1.

• Reviewed a presentation by President/CEO Chris O’Neill summarizing the HomeWorks team’s top accomplishments from 2025 and key objectives for 2026.

• Authorized the renewal of the HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative general liability and cybersecurity liability policy for 2026 through Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange.

• Authorized the renewal of the Tri-County Propane general liability insurance policy for 2026 through General Agency.

• Reviewed a summary of the current status and next steps of the Co-op’s application to the Broadband Equity Access & Deployment (BEAD) federal grant program.

• Appointed Director Shirley Sprague as the Co-op’s voting delegate for the 2026 regional and annual meetings of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

• Learned there were 113 new members in November.

Time Set Aside for Members to Comment Before Cooperative Board Meetings: The first 15 minutes of every board meeting are available for members who wish to address the board of directors on any subject.

The next meetings are scheduled for 9 a.m. on Feb. 23 and 9 a.m. on March 23 at Portland. Members who wish to have items considered on the board agenda should call 517-647-7554 at least a week in advance of the meeting.

People Fund Grants Nearly $8,000 To Support Local Students And Families In Need Meeting remotely on Dec. 18, 2025, our People Fund board made five grants totaling over $7,960, including: • $3,000 to Backpacks for Bellies in Portland, to provide after-school meals to students in need; • $2,500 to the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen in Mt. Pleasant, to purchase food and supplies for client meals;

• $1,000 to the Ionia County Great Start Collaborative, to purchase books for community events; • $887.54 to an Isabella County family, to help cover utility expenses; and • $575 to Artworks Big Rapids Area Arts & Humanities, to support its Road Trip program, which brings art experiences to children in rural midMichigan communities.

Co-op Principle #2:

Democratic Member Control

Every member has a voice and a vote.

Districts 2 and 4 have director seats up for election this year. If you are a member of one of those districts, watch your April Country Lines for your mail-in ballot and information about your director candidates!

How to Apply for a Tri-County Electric People Fund Grant: The Tri-County Electric People Fund provides grants to individuals and organizations in the Co-op’s service area for food, shelter, clothing, health, and other humane needs, or for programs or services that benefit a significant segment of a community.

Write to 7973 E. Grand River Ave., Portland, MI 48875 for an application form and grant guidelines, or visit the People Fund page at HomeWorks.org.

Note: Applications must be received

by March 4 for the March meeting or

by April 15 for the April meeting.

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 13

Wade Rouse & Viola Shipman:

LAKE MICHIGAN’S STORYTELLERS

By Emily Haines Lloyd

B

efore Wade Rouse ever knew he would become a bestselling author, he knew the gentle weight of his grandmother Viola’s charm bracelet as she held his hand in church. He knew the sound of her recipe box opening like a treasure chest. He remembered sitting with her at the beauty parlor, listening to women share everyday heartbreaks and triumphs, and somehow knowing—these stories matter.

Those simple, unpolished moments would become the heartbeat of the fiction he would one day write. But it was not until he faced some of the hardest chapters of his own life that Rouse understood their deeper purpose. Standing in his childhood attic after losing his mother and watching his father succumb to dementia, he found Grandma Viola’s charm bracelet tucked in a box of keepsakes. Holding it, he realized the stories she passed down were not meant to fade. They were meant to be shared. That moment sparked the beginning of his decision to write under her name: Viola Shipman.

“So many of our mothers and grandmothers sacrificed so much so we would not have to endure what they did. And they did it with such grace.”

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From Loss to Legacy That act of remembrance grew into a body of fiction that honors the everyday people who hold families and communities together with quiet resilience.

“So many of our mothers and grandmothers sacrificed so much so we would not have to endure what they did,” he said. “And they did it with such grace.”

Rouse’s novels celebrate friendship, hope, and the strength of ordinary lives. His characters reflect the same small-town values that shaped his youth in the Ozarks.

“As a writer, I see myself as a vault for those voices,” he explains. “We live in a world obsessed with perfection, but that is not real. I write about the real people who make life meaningful.”

Finding Belonging in Michigan That sense of authenticity Rouse carried from his Ozark childhood eventually found a new home along the Lake Michigan shoreline. About 20 years ago, after a summer trip to Saugatuck, Rouse and his husband, Gary, traded the bustle of St. Louis for a knotty pine cottage tucked near the dunes. It was in that cabin, a purchase made with equal parts hope and recklessness, that Rouse began writing full time.

Michigan did more than spark his creativity. It echoed the feeling he once had sitting beside his grandmother Viola, surrounded by stories and love.

“Rural Missouri will always have a piece of my heart, but Michigan feels like home now,” he says. “The community is so generous and Lake Michigan has been both calming and centering. I love knowing that 100 years from now, it will still be there, unchanged.”

Stories Rooted in Simplicity and Strength Through the voice of Viola Shipman, Rouse writes about the small, steady

things that make a life whole: a warm meal, a quiet lake, the comfort of friends and neighbors.

“Michigan recentered me,” he says.

“It took me back to those summers with my grandparents, to a time when we bathed in the creek and I thought I had everything I needed.”

In many ways, that is the thread that ties his life together: the joy he found in the Ozarks, the belonging he built in Michigan, and the legacy he continues to carry forward through Viola’s name. The stories he tells now are rooted in both places, shaped by the people who showed him what home and love look like.

Full Circle Now, when Rouse sits at his desk, he often finds himself reaching instinctively for the memory of his grandmother’s hand in his, the steady comfort of her charm bracelet, the murmured gossip of the beauty parlor, and the warm clatter of her recipe cards on an Ozarks afternoon.

Those simple moments built him.

They shaped his voice. And in every novel he writes as Viola Shipman, he is still holding her hand, still listening, still honoring the woman who taught him that home is not a place. It is the people and moments we hold dear and the love we carry forward.

Rouse’s latest book “That’s What Friends Are For” releases March 3, 2026—inspired by the television show “The Golden Girls,” which is celebrating its 40th anniversary. violashipman.com /authorviolashipman /viola_shipman/

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES 15

Cooperative Members Drive Continued Expansion of Renewable Energy Options Across Michigan, electric cooperative members like you are showing sustained interest in renewable energy, and their cooperatives are responding.

Guided by your feedback and a commitment to creative, flexible, and accessible options, Michigan’s electric co-ops have partnered with our power supplier Wolverine Power Cooperative to steadily expand our slate of renewable energy programs that give co-op member owners more choice in how their electricity is produced. Now, we are excited to announce the next phase in Wolverine’s member-driven approach to offer another 10 MW opportunity for distributed renewable energy projects across Michigan.

A Program Built to Grow with Members Wolverine launched the first phase of its renewable energy programs in 2017, committing 10 megawatts (MW) of capacity. When member interest quickly exceeded expectations, the Wolverine board approved a second 10 MW phase in 2018.

Together, those first two phases allowed approximately 800 co-op members, including families, farms, and businesses from across co-op service territory, to participate in renewable energy in ways that fit their individual needs.

“Every year at our district and annual meetings and other member engagement events, one of the most popular topics our members ask about is renewable energy options,” says HomeWorks President/CEO Chris O’Neill. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Wolverine to continue to expand these programs that give our members real options when it comes to their energy.”

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Phase 3: Meeting Continued Member Demand

More Than Power: Building Long-Term Relationships

In December 2025, Wolverine’s board approved a third 10 MW phase to meet continued member-owner demand. Phase 3 expands access to the same flexible renewable options that have seen strong participation to date, including:

For electric cooperatives like HomeWorks, renewable energy programs are about more than adding generation. They are about engagement, trust, and long-term relationships with you, the members we serve.

• Community Solar Members subscribe to a shared solar array and receive bill credits based on the energy produced, without installing panels at home.

“The success of these programs shows how engaged cooperative member owners are,” said Wolverine Chief Operating Officer Zach Anderson. “More than 800 members across Michigan have already participated, and we are excited to welcome even more as this next phase opens.”

• Net Metering Members with their own renewable systems use what they generate and receive credits for excess energy sent back to the grid.

• Buy-All/Sell-All Members install a renewable system and sell all energy it produces at a set rate, effectively becoming small power suppliers.

• Large Renewable Options Designed for higher usage members, including farms and businesses, allowing larger systems approximately 20 kW to 1 MW to offset energy costs.

With strong participation across our footprint and continued interest from members, renewable energy programs are becoming an increasingly important part of how we serve our communities. Now and into the future, HomeWorks will continue listening, adapting, and growing alongside you, our member-owners.

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MI CO-OP Guest Column

The Poet

By David Clapp, a Great Lakes Energy Cooperative member

My grandfather, Francis Merton Clapp, was born in 1897 in Genesee County, Michigan. He served in the United States Navy in World War I, owned a furniture store, was a gardener, wine maker, and a genius woodworker. He made his own woodworking machines, and built a log cabin on the shore of Higgins Lake when it was still mostly pine forests and empty shorelines.

What most people, other than those closest to him, probably didn’t know about him was that he loved to recite poetry. And he did it from memory.

Thinking back to when my sister and I were kids, the poems we remember (and loved) best are those of Robert Service, the Scotch-Canadian poet who spun tales of the Gold Rush days of western North America in the middle 1800s. They are beautiful stories, but I think we loved them because they involved danger, wild animals, death, and gold.

It was usually around the holidays, after a big Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. The adults savored after-dinner drinks, while the kids angled for one more of Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies. The last rays of daylight streamed through the big plate glass window overlooking Grandpa’s garden and workshop. A grandfather clock that he had made stood in the corner—most times the swinging pendulum made a loud “tick-tock,” but as we settled in, it seemed to grow quiet, as if it knew something more important was about to happen.

At the urging of some of the older relatives, Grandpa Fran would stand up, take a sip of something to wet his lips, clear his throat, and the words would begin to pour forth…

There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold…* As kids, we didn’t realize how significant this was, or how special. We just knew that it was different…and it certainly held our attention. We were magically transported from a living room in Grand Blanc, Michigan, to a land of ice and snow and dog sleds and bad guys. And how could Grandpa remember it all? These weren’t haikus, or short sonnets…

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they were epics! As he continued, we were rapt…forgetting about cookies, games, our cousins, or ever going home.

Fran died in 1985. I was a young adult, in college at the time, but still didn’t truly appreciate the unique man that he was.

Over the ensuing 40 years, I’ve come to that realization. And, to this day, I still remember clearly the magic spell of the Yukon.

David was the director of MDNR Fisheries Research Station in Charlevoix for 23 years. He is a semi-retired fisheries biologist, and enjoys hiking, backpacking, woodworking, reading, and fishing. *The Cremation of Sam McGee—from “The Spell of the Yukon and Other Verses,” Robert Service, 1907

GUEST COLUMN Win $200 for stories published!

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ATTENTION HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS! LAST CALL TO APPLY FOR OUR 2026 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

Y APPLY B MARCH 13!

Current high school seniors in our service area are eligible to apply for one of our $2,500 scholarships!

Apply at HomeWorks.org/scholarships