July/August 2023 Great Lakes Energy

July/August 2023

MICHIGAN

COUNTRY LINES Great Lakes Energy Cooperative

THE GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM PRESERVES MICHIGAN’S RICH MARITIME HISTORY

Director Elections for Districts 3, 4, and 5

Proposed Legislation Could Cost GLE Members

Energy Wise Appliance Recycling Day

WATERFURNACE UNITS QUALIFY FOR A 30% FEDERAL TAX CREDIT*

Not seeing is believing.

Almost every backyard has a shrine to cold air. It’s called an a/c unit.

WaterFurnace will help you take back that space.

Air conditioners are unsightly and often located in the worst places. They’re vulnerable to the elements and can become home for small critters. But with geothermal, you won’t have an outside unit or any of these problems. So, reclaim your backyard. Plant some flowers and enjoy the unseen beauty that is WaterFurnace.

Geothermal is the only renewable that provides reliable operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS

CO-OP REBATE INCENTIVES

Allendale Allendale Htg & Clg (800) 327-1937 allendaleheating.com

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

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

Bad Axe/Ubly Cutting Edge Htg & Clg (989) 551-0986

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

Muskegon Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665 adamsheatingcooling.co

Lowell Arctic Inc. Htg. & Clg. (616) 897-4213 heatingcoolingonline.com

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

Mancelona Top Notch Htg, Clg, & Geothermal (231) 350-8052 Topnotchheatandair.com

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

Michigan Center Comfort 1/Air Serv of Southern Michigan (517) 764-1500 airserv.com/southernmichigan/

Traverse City D&W Mechanical (231) 941-1251 dwmechanical.com

Berrien Springs Waterfurnace Michiana (269) 473-5667 gogreenmichgeo thermal.com Big Rapids Stratz Htg & Clg, Inc. (231) 796-3717 stratzgeocomfort.com Clifford Orton Refrig & Htg (989) 761-7691 sanduskygeothermal.com Hart Adams Htg & Clg (231) 873-2665 adamsheating cooling.com

Cloverland: up to $4,200 Great Lakes: up to $3,000 Homeworks/Tri-County: up to $3,000 Presque Isle: up to $2,700 Cherryland: up to $2,500 Thumb Electric: up to $2,000 Alger Delta: up to $2,000

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

visit us at waterfurnace.com/mi

WaterFurnace is a registered trademark of WaterFurnace International, Inc. ©2023 *30% through 2032, 26% through 2033 and 22% through 2034

Contents countrylines.com

/michigancountrylines

July/August 2023 Vol. 43, No. 7 /michigancountrylines

6 AMERICA’S BEST

CAMPGROUND IS RIGHT HERE IN MICHIGAN After staying at 350-plus RV parks, Terrell and Katie Deppe applied their experience to develop the award-winning Indian River RV Resort.

Michigan’s Electric Cooperatives

10 MY CO-OP KITCHEN EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark

One-Pan Meals: These delicious dinners make cleanup a breeze.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird

14 THE GREAT LAKES

EDITOR: Christine Dorr

SHIPWRECK MUSEUM PRESERVES MICHIGAN’S RICH MARITIME HISTORY The recently found wreck of the Nucleus adds to the museum’s many discoveries.

RECIPE EDITOR: Christin McKamey COPY EDITOR: Yvette Pecha CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Emily Haines Lloyd

PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association

18 GUEST COLUMN At One with Plants: Inheriting his grandmother’s love of horticulture, Gary Bopp made gardening his passion and his career.

Michigan Country Lines, USPS-591-710, 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.

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.

#micoopcommunity Instagram contest winner

Postmaster: Send all UAA to CFS. Association Officers: Tom Sobeck, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op, chairman; Gabe Schneider, Cherryland Electric Cooperative, vice chairman; Chris O’Neill, HomeWorks TriCounty Cooperative, secretary-treasurer; Craig Borr, president and CEO.

Morning glow @chelseaolkowski (Chelsea Olkowski)

MI Co-op Community

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

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.

Instagram Contest

Recipe Contest

Use #micoopcommunity for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram account.

See details on page 10.

Pumpkin recipes due Aug.1; Family Favorites due Sept. 1

Win $100 for photos published!

Win a $100 bill credit!

Guest Column

Share your fondest memories and stories.

Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/ community to submit.

Mystery Photo

See details on page 18.

Win a $100 bill credit!

Win $200 for stories published!

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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Elect GLE's Board of Directors

Your Vote Counts

gtlakes.com

Shaun Lamp, Great Lakes Energy President/CEO

/greatlakesenergy /jointruestream BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Howard Bowersox, Chairman, District 8 219-670-0977 hbowersox@glenergy.com Mark Carson, Vice Chairman, District 2 231-675-0561 mcarson@glenergy.com Paul Byl, Secretary, District 7 231-861-5911 pbyl@glenergy.com

Dale Farrier, Treasurer, District 5 231-564-0853 dfarrier@glenergy.com

Janet Andersen, Director, District 6 231-690-4622 jandersen@glenergy.com David Coveyou, Director, District 1 231-347-4056 dcoveyou@glenergy.com Richard Evans, Director, District 3 231-883-3146 revans@glenergy.com John LaForge, Director, District 9 269-623-2284 jlaforge@glenergy.com

Shelly Pinkelman, Director, District 4 989-290-5994 spinkelman@glenergy.com PRESIDENT/CEO: Shaun Lamp 888-485-2537 COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER/EDITOR: Brett Streby 231-487-1389 • bstreby@glenergy.com BOYNE CITY HEADQUARTERS 1323 Boyne Ave. Boyne City, MI 49712

Call center hours:: 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m. M–F Phone: 888-485-2537 Email: glenergy@glenergy.com TO REPORT AN OUTAGE: Call 888-485-2537 or login to your account at gtlakes.com.

Change of Address: 888-485-2537, ext. 8924 Great Lakes Energy is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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n this space, I’ve regularly used the phrase “the cooperative difference” when highlighting the many benefits of being part of an organization that is entirely focused on providing the best service for its members. At the heart of this difference is the fact that the organization is overseen by a board of directors that is democratically elected from among the cooperative’s membership.

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That means our members have a say in how their electric cooperative operates.

That sets cooperatives such as GLE apart from other utility companies.

Each year, three of the nine seats on the Great Lakes Energy Board of Directors are open for election. If you are a GLE member in district 3, 4, or 5, please read about the candidates for your district inside this issue and cast your vote. For all other members, your opportunity to vote will come in 2024 or 2025.

Based on member feedback, for the first time this year we will be offering an online voting option. Members now have the choice to either complete and return the mail-in ballot that accompanied this issue of Country Lines, or follow the instructions printed on the ballot to use the online voting option.

To ensure the election is conducted fairly and efficiently, all balloting will be administered by a third-party partner, Survey Balloting Systems. See the ballot for complete voting instructions.

GLE’s ability to react intelligently and efficiently—and stay on course amid an ever-changing business landscape— is, in many ways, the responsibility of our board of directors. As we navigate reliability challenges, work through inflation and supply chain shortages, assess our cost-of-service sustainability, and tackle every other hurdle in our path, GLE’s board of directors serves to keep the best interest of our members at the heart of every decision we make.

Part of the value of being a cooperative member is that you, not Great Lakes

Energy staff or other outside entities, determine who serves on your board to make decisions for your cooperative.

As a member of a democratically controlled cooperative, you can play a vital role in shaping the way your co-op is run. Qualified members can run for a board seat, sign another candidate’s nominating petition, or can simply vote.

And your vote truly counts.

Every member’s vote carries equal weight. Whether it’s a business with several owners or a small home with a single owner, each has one membership and one vote. In the case of a married couple, their joint membership entitles them to a single vote.

We believe in the power of human connections and encourage your participation in the board election.

If you live in districts 3, 4, or 5, please exercise your right to vote. It’s the cooperative difference.

1 EMMET Beaver Island

CHEBOYGAN

2 CHARLEVOIX OTSEGO

ANTRIM

3 GRAND TRAVERSE

MANISTEE

WEXFORD

MONTMORENCY

4

KALKASKA

CRAWFORD

OSCODA

5 MISSAUKEE

6 MASON

LAKE

OSCEOLA

8

OCEANA

CLARE

MECOSTA

NEWAYGO

7 MONTCALM

MUSKEGON

9 KENT

OTTAWA

ALLEGAN

BARRY

Districts By County 2023 ELECTION

District 3 – Antrim County

District 4 – Crawford, Montmorency, Oscoda, and Otsego counties

District 5 – Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Manistee, Missaukee, and Wexford counties

Amp Up Your Recycling Rewards

With Energy Wise G

reat Lakes Energy’s energy efficiency program, Energy Wise, offers cooperative members many financial incentives to reduce energy usage around their homes.

take place from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 5, at our offices in Boyne City, Newaygo, and Scottville.

Appliances that will be accepted include refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, and dehumidifiers.

Energy Wise offers members rebates on the purchase of qualifying new energy-efficient appliances and home systems. Members who take advantage of these rebates will not only enjoy some savings on the initial purchase thanks to the rebates, but they’ll also see long-term savings on their energy bills.

The event offers multiple financial rewards. Not only does it offer a free means to get rid of that old, inefficient appliance—with no requirement that refrigerant be removed first—but the program also offers a rebate of $25 per recycled appliance. Rebates are limited to two large appliances (refrigerators and freezers) and two small appliances (dehumidifiers and window air conditioners) per member household.

Appliances to be dropped off should be in working order. Appliance pick-up service is not offered through the Energy Wise program.

But for a few types of appliances— refrigerators, freezers, window air conditioners, and dehumidifiers— Energy Wise offers two more benefits: A day to recycle that old, inefficient appliance you just replaced and a rebate for doing so.

During Energy Wise’s inaugural recycling drop-off day in 2022, GLE members recycled 159 appliances, including: • • • •

46 dehumidifiers 29 air conditioners 69 refrigerators 15 freezers

The 2023 appliance recycling drop-off day for GLE members will

Preregistration is required for members wishing to participate in the recycling drop-off event. Registration will be available online at gtlakes.com/ energy-wise/ starting in early July.

Members can learn about all of the Energy Wise program offerings and submit rebate applications through the website as well. Information on the program is also available by calling (888) 485-2537, ext. 8957.

Appliance Drop-off Day 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Aug. 5, 2023

Boyne City Headquarters 1323 Boyne Ave. Boyne City, MI 49712 Newaygo Service Center 1 Cooperative Center Dr. Newaygo, MI 49337 Scottville Service Center 525 W. U.S.-10 Scottville, MI 49454

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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nce upon a time, in the middle of the woods, there was an RV park. It was neither too little nor too big. Neither too old nor too modern. Neither too remote nor too busy. It was, as our friend Goldilocks would say—just right. It was that “just rightness” that was likely the key to Indian River RV Resort being named Campspot’s 2023 Best Campground in America.

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America’s Best Campground Is Right Here In Michigan

By Emily Haines Lloyd

The story of any business, even one as charming as Indian River’s, is never a picture-perfect fairy tale. The owners of the RV park are Terrell and Katie

Deppe, who had no intention of buying an RV resort, or even an RV, until 2007.

Terrell had taken a job in the tech industry, leading the couple to sell their home in Texas and move to Minnesota.

The market had been good for home sales, but the couple was hesitant to pay the high prices the buyers’ market was asking. So, they rented, moving twice. During one of their transitions, Terrell, who was able to work remotely, was struck with an idea.

“I looked at Katie and said, ‘If we are going to have to keep moving, let’s just KEEP moving. Let’s buy an RV,’”

To learn more about Indian River RV Resort or to book a lot at the Best Campground in America, visit:

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said Terrell. “It took her a while to wrap her head around the idea, but when she realized that the amount of money we were spending on rent and moving could pay for the depreciation of an RV in less than a year, she committed to 10 months.”

Ten months turned into five years during which the Deppes traveled to 46 of the lower 48 states in the U.S. and stayed in over 350 private, state, and national RV parks. They experienced the best and worst of them and were getting a feel for what worked and what didn’t in their nomadic lifestyle.

For the next decade, the Deppes began looking for an opportunity to take the knowledge they’d gained on the road and put that, along with their passion and grit, into an RV park of their own. That’s when Indian River RV Resort came into their lives. Finally, at the end of 2019, they had made an offer and were prepared to take on the challenges of owning an RV park— maybe not the sort of challenges they were about to face.

“I quit my job on Friday, March 13, and the country shut down on Monday,

indianriverrvresort.com

March 16,” said Terrell, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic. “Had we just made the greatest mistake of our lives, or was God going to lead us to our promised land? We chose to act in faith.”

The Deppes went to the park to help the current owners open for the season—getting their hands into daily operations, waiting for the sale to close, and preparing for the July Fourth weekend.

While much of the world had seemed to shut down, folks were still eager to travel with their families, and one of the few things open was the great outdoors.

“We were receiving an average of one call per minute, not counting the people standing in front of us to book future dates,” said Terrell. “We were using the resort’s previous paperbased reservation system. It felt like we were failing, and we had to make some big changes—fast.”

perfect skill set for the challenges they faced. They quickly switched to an online reservation system and were able to focus on creating a clean, quiet, family-friendly space similar to the ones they had enjoyed on their own RV travels.

Now the Deppes, along with their son Jonathan, turn their attention to maintaining the gorgeous land, keeping the facilities pristine and welcoming, and dreaming up ways to improve their guests’ experience.

They often go above and beyond.

One of their most recent projects was consulting with a certified master arborist about the well-being of their trees. With the findings, they swapped ground leaf removal for mulching and are already seeing healthier grounds.

It’s this sort of attention to detail that allows their guests to let the busyness of the world fall away. It’s just the sort of thing you hope for when you head out to escape the dragons of the world and find yourself, for a time at least, living happily ever after.

Luckily, Terrell’s experience in tech and the multitasking wizardry Katie had developed while home-schooling the couple’s four children were the

/indianriverrvresort

/indianriverrvresort

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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HOW TO PREVENT ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING

Each year, 3,800 people in the U.S. die from drowning. Electric shock drowning occurs when an electric current escapes boats, docks, and lights near marinas, shocking nearby swimmers.

There are no visible signs of current seeping into water, which makes this a hidden danger.

The electric shock paralyzes swimmers, making them unable to swim to safety.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY TIPS FOR: Swimmers

Boat Owners

• Never swim near a boat or launching ramp. Residual current could flow into the water from the boat or the marina’s wiring, potentially putting anyone in the water at risk of electric shock.

• Ensure your boat is properly maintained and consider having it inspected annually. GFCIs and ELCIs should be tested monthly. Conduct leakage testing to determine if electrical current is escaping the vessel.

• If you feel any tingling sensations while in the water, tell someone and swim back in the direction from which you came.

Immediately report it to the dock or marina owner.

• Use portable GFCIs or shore power cords (including “Y” adapters) that are “UL-Marine Listed” when using electricity near water.

• Regularly have your boat’s electrical system inspected by a certified marine electrician.

Ensure it meets your local and state NEC, NFPA, and ABYC safety codes.

IF YOU SEE ELECTRIC SHOCK DROWNING TAKING PLACE:

TURN POWER OFF

THROW A LIFE RING

CALL 911

DO NOT enter the water. You could become a victim, too.

Sources: Electrical Safety Foundation International, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

8 JULY/AUGUST 2023

GLE PHOTO CONTEST

Camping

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Enter to win a $200 energy bill credit!

Submit Your “Everything Fall” photos By July 20

Each month, members can submit photos on our website for our photo contest. The photo with the most votes is published here, along with other selections.

Our July theme is Everything Fall. Photos can be submitted by July 20 to be featured in the October issue.

How To Enter

Enter the contest at gtlakes.com/photocontest/. Make sure to vote and encourage others to vote for you, too. The photo receiving the most votes will be printed in an issue of Michigan Country Lines along with other favorites. All photos printed in the magazine in 2023 will be entered into a drawing to win a $200 bill credit in December 2023.

MOST VOTES! 1. Good morning, campers! Claudia Holdampf, Irons 2. Rainy day at Custer State Park, so we played cards, Bonnie Durkin, Shelby 3. Camping at Aune Osborn, Sault St. Marie, Dave Christiansen, Charlevoix 4. Christmas, Dauphin Island style, Larry Mayse, Irons 5. Lake Mitchell, Cadillac, Sandy Hubbard, Marion 6. F ishing with Grandpa at Hesperia campground, Denise Graham, White Cloud MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

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MI CO-OP Recipes

Photos by Robert Bruce Photography || Recipes submitted by MCL readers and tested by recipe editor Christin McKamey

N A P EN M EA LS

leanup a bre eze ke c a M .

WINNING RECIPE! CREAMY BEEF TOMATO SKILLET

Jean Horrocks, Presque Isle Electric 1 pound ground beef 2 (15-ounce) cans diced tomatoes 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 8 ounces (2 cups) uncooked elbow macaroni ½ cup chopped onion 1 medium green bell pepper, diced 1 tablespoon sugar 1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste) 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup sour cream • water, as needed Brown meat in large skillet. Drain off all the fat as it collects. Stir in remaining ingredients, except sour cream. Add ¾ to 1 cup water and stir. Heat to boiling. Cover and simmer 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently. Add additional water if mixture is too thick. Cook just until noodles start to soften, then stir in sour cream; heat through but do not boil. Makes 6 servings.

Recipe Contest Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Pumpkin recipes due Aug.1; Family Favorites due Sept. 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 JULY/AUGUST 2023

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

ONE POT PASTA E FAGIOLI Shanasee Tersigni, Presque Isle Electric

1 teaspoon grapeseed oil 1 medium yellow onion, diced 4 cloves black or regular garlic 1 cup fennel, chopped (with fronds) ¼–½ teaspoon pink Himalayan salt ¼–½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili flakes or red chili flakes 1 sprig rosemary leaf 1 handful chopped fresh oregano 1 pound ground venison 2 zucchini, peeled and chopped 1 cup morel mushrooms 2 cups chopped kale 1 can (15-ounce) Italian stewed tomatoes 2 cups organic chicken bone broth 2 cups low sodium V8 1 (8-ounce) box quinoa elbow pasta, or favorite pasta noodles 1 (15.5-ounce) can cannelini

beans 1 (15.5-ounce) can dark red kidney beans ½ cup Peppadew peppers (a pickled piquant pepper) (substitute with sweet cherry peppers, sweet drop peppers, pimentos, sweet red peppers, or pepperoncini) & splash of pickling liquid from jar • fresh basil and lemon zest, for garnishing Heat ceramic cast iron pot to medium heat. Add oil. Sauté onions, garlic, fennel, salt, and pepper. Cook until onion and fennel are tender. Add herbs and ground venison. Cook until meat is browned.

Add zucchini, morels, and kale. Sauté a minute, stirring. Add all remaining ingredients. Cook until pasta is al dente.

Add additional broth or vegetable juice if needed. Garnish with fresh basil and lemon zest. Season to taste.

CHICKEN & GREEN OLIVES Kim Schumacher

4 bone-in skinless chicken breasts, quartered • salt & pepper ½ cup flour 2 cups extra virgin olive oil 1 large onion, diced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 cups white wine 1 (5-ounce) jar Spanish green olives, sliced with pimento 1 teaspoon cinnamon Salt and pepper chicken breasts and then dredge in flour. Heat olive oil in skillet and fry chicken until crisp

on both sides but not fully cooked.

Remove chicken from skillet and pour out all but a ¼ cup of the olive oil. Turn temperature to medium. Add onions and cook for about 3 minutes until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about 1 minute, turning. Add white wine and let cook down until reduced by half. Add olives and roughly 4 tablespoons of juice from the jar.

Add the cinnamon and stir. Add the chicken and put a lid on. Simmer for 30 minutes. Best if served over longgrain rice.

CHICKEN STIR FRY Linda Heintz, Great Lakes Energy

2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound uncooked chicken breast, cut into ¼-inch slices 1 small sweet onion, cut into chunks 1 small red onion, cut into chunks 8 ounces sliced mushrooms 1 cup small broccoli florets 1 cup small cauliflower florets 1 cup chicken broth ½ pound asparagus, sliced into 2-inch pieces 1 cup pea pods, strings removed ¼ cup soy sauce 2 tablespoons cornstarch ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon sugar • green onions, sliced

Heat oil in large wok over medium-high heat. Add sliced chicken and sauté until no longer pink. Add onions, mushrooms, broccoli, and cauliflower. Sauté until just beginning to get tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add 1 cup of broth, put lid on pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove lid, then add asparagus and pea pods. Sauté until just beginning to soften and color turns bright. Mix together soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, and sugar. Add soy sauce mixture to pan and stir quickly. Continue to stir in all liquids and ingredients as sauce thickens. Can also sprinkle sliced green onions on top when finished. Serve alone or over rice. I use this same recipe with venison steak and use beef broth instead of chicken broth. You can use any vegetables you have on hand, but save the ones that cook quickly for the time period after the 2-minute simmer.

COWBOY STEW

Lynn Hagon, Great Lakes Energy 1 pound hamburger 1 (15-ounce) can vegetable soup 1 (15-ounce) can tomato soup 2 cups water 3–4 carrots, cut up 2 medium potatoes, cut up 1 small onion, chopped

Brown hamburger and onion; drain.

Add soups, water, and vegetables.

Cook for about 45 minutes or so.

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In 2022, the Crawford County Community Christian Help Center received a $2,500 People Fund grant to support a summer food program for children.

Pictured here, volunteer DeAnne Swiercz (left) and director Nancy Goodyear package food for pantry clients.

Be A People Fund Winner Did you know we award $100 billing credits to Great Lakes Energy members who support the People Fund?

Six winners are randomly selected twice per year.

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everal generous People Fund supporters recently became winners. See the list of members on this page who received a $100 bill credit.

Current People Fund supporters and any member who becomes a People Fund contributor before the next drawing on Dec. 1 are eligible to win.

People Fund contributors allow Great Lakes Energy to round up their electric bills to the nearest dollar each month. The rounded-up amounts, which average less than 50 cents a month, are used to award grants to local charities and community groups such as food pantries, senior citizen centers, and youth programs.

Gifts are provided by Great Lakes Energy and do not involve the use of any People Fund round-up money.

Don’t miss your chance to be the next winner! Visit gtlakes.com/ people-fund to sign up today.

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Congratulations To Our Winners!

Thanks for your ongoing support of the People Fund.

Bernel Jackson, Osceola County Alta Bennett, Kalkaska County Douglas Miller, Barry County Randy Wyman, Newaygo County Charles Barrron II, Mason County Glenn Dykgraaf, Kalkaska County

Online Voting Option Now Offered for GLE Board Elections tarting this year, GLE members will have the option to vote online in board of directors elections. The first members to have this opportunity will be those in districts 3, 4, and 5, where director seats are up for election in 2023. Members in districts 1, 2, and 7 will vote in 2024, and members in districts 6, 8, and 9 will vote in 2025.

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Members will continue to have the option of voting with a mail-in ballot included on a cover wrap that accompanies the July/August edition of Michigan Country Lines magazine in districts where board seats are up for election.

Starting this year, the cover wrap will now also include instruction on how to vote online.

Members in districts where voting is taking place who have an email address on file with GLE will also receive email notifications. Additionally, members in voting districts who log into their online accounts during the voting period will be prompted with a link to the voting site. Members will be able to access the voting site directly even if they have not yet set up their online account.

Survey and Ballot Systems, GLE’s voting administrator, will check all paper ballots received against all online votes

to make sure there are no duplicates. If there are two votes submitted from the same account, the latest vote submitted will be counted.

GLE is offering this option in response to member feedback. In a recent survey, about 44% of GLE’s residential members and 42% of seasonal members indicated they preferred to vote online.

Offering online voting is yet another way GLE is working to meet its members’ needs and fostering the cooperative principle of democratic member control.

RECYCLING YOUR OLD APPLIANCES

MAKES CENTS Great! You’ve replaced one or more of your outdated home appliances… now what?

GLE members can get up to $25 for each working refrigerator, freezer, room air conditioner, or dehumidifier they recycle at one of our drop-off day locations. (Limits apply.) Visit gtlakes.com/energy-wise for details and to register (required). Information on the program is also available by calling (888) 485-2537 ext. 8957.

Appliance Drop-off Day • 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 5 Boyne City Headquarters

Newaygo Service Center

Scottville Service Center

1323 Boyne Ave. Boyne City, MI 49712

1 Cooperative Center Dr. Newaygo, MI 49337

525 W. U.S. 10 Scottville, MI 49454

Call (888) 485-2537 ext. 8957 or visit gtlakes.com/energy-wise today!

*Incentives and offers subject to change or cancellation at anytime. Offer available to qualified members.

“In a musty old hall in Detroit, they prayed In the maritime sailorsʼ cathedral

THE GREAT LAKES SHIPWRECK MUSEUM PRESERVES MICHIGAN’S RICH MARITIME HISTORY

By Emily Haines Lloyd

The church bell chimed ʻtil it rang twenty-nine times

The recent discovery of the wreck of the Nucleus is just one of many stories brought to light by the museum.

For each man on the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

he Gordon Lightfoot song made the Edmund Fitzgerald, a freight ship lost in Lake Superior in 1975, the most famous shipwreck in a century. However, the depths of the Great Lakes are the secret keepers and silent graves of thousands of ships lost in its waters. Among them is the recently discovered Nucleus, a 144-foot Barquentine found under 600 feet of water around 40 miles northwest of

GORDON LIGHTFOOT

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Vermilion Point on Lake Superior. The Nucleus was lost at sea over 150 years ago in 1869.

“It can be hard for folks to understand how a ship could go missing for so long without being discovered,” said content & communications director for the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society (GLSHS), Corey Adkins. “But these ships went down before radar, before GPS. So, how is it documented when a ship goes down back then?”

Lucky for historians and maritime aficionados, the technology has grown exponentially, and the efforts of groups like GLSHS discover more missing vessels each year.

A drawing done by Bob McGreevy shows the Nucleus, a ship that sank in Lake Superior, but was found by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society in Paradise.

Top: An anchor from the Nucleus.

Bottom: The port bow and anchor chain from the Nucleus.

GLSHS first discovered the wreckage of Nucleus using a Marine Sonic Technology side-scan sonar in the summer of 2021, and positively identified the wreck in 2022 using the organization’s ROV (remotely operated vehicle). The wreck was in surprisingly good condition, which helped with the next phase of the discovery. Much like any investigation, the next steps included a great deal of research.

“There was no name visible, but the wreckage was a perfect size and in the perfect place to deduce it was Nucleus,” said Adkins. “From there, you piece together a story using old news articles and documents. Little by little, the story becomes clearer.”

Part of Nucleus’ story includes a history of nine or 10 accidents at sea and the fact that it had sunk two other times—which earned it the

moniker of “Bad Luck Barquentine.”

Additionally, on the Nucleus’ final and fateful voyage, another ship, the Union, had come upon the sinking vessel, slowed down, and eventually steamed on without any sort of communication or effort to rescue the crew.

“That is just not done,” said Adkins.

“There is an unwritten law of the sea, that you always help another ship in distress. The fact that the Union didn’t assist just adds to the mystery of this wreck. But still, amazingly, there was not a single life lost.”

Mystery solving is at the heart of GLSHS’ mission. They are actively looking for wrecks every summer into early fall, hoping to piece together more stories of both the ships and those who sailed on them. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, operated

by GLSHS and located at the Whitefish

Point Light Station, offers more stories for visitors to discover and an opportunity to walk the beach afterward to reflect on the area’s rich history.

“We are proud to share the history and tell the stories of these discoveries,” said Adkins. “Every story is important to us. All the lives and the losses. Most people only know about the Edmund Fitzgerald.

But that is not the only story.”

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Shipwreckmuseum.com /GLShipwreckMuseum /greatlakesshipwreck

MICHIGAN COUNTRY LINES

15

required us to offer incentives to our members that would result in at least a 1% reduction in our annual electric sales. GLE fulfilled this requirement through a program known as Energy Optimization, which offered rebates to our members for taking energy efficiency measures.

Although we are proud of the impact this program had, we celebrated the end of the state mandate in 2021 because the program was costly to administer and was no longer fully meeting the needs of our members.

However, Senate Bill 273, which was introduced in April, proposes to not only reinstitute an energy waste reduction mandate for Michigan’s electric co-ops but to double the previously mandated energy reduction requirement.

Reverting to a state-mandated energy waste reduction program would create an extra burden for cooperatives such as GLE and an extra, unnecessary expense for you, our members. We believe this legislation, if enacted, will not only increase costs for our members but will also erode some of the cooperative’s ability to act in the best interest of its members.

Enter Energy Wise

GLE Members Could Lose Under Proposed State Mandate

M

aking sure Great Lakes Energy members have a voice in their electric cooperative is more than just a lofty goal, it’s at the very heart of our organization. This issue of Michigan Country Lines highlights this point well because in three of our nine voting districts it includes ballots that members will use to select which fellow member will represent them on GLE’s board of directors for the next three years.

Operating under the direction of a democratically elected board of directors is perhaps the most important among the many ways GLE gives its members a say in their electric utility.

However, some legislation recently introduced in the Michigan Senate could threaten some of the local control GLE members have in their cooperative.

Some history From 2009 to 2021, Great Lakes Energy offered a statemandated energy waste reduction program. State law

16 JULY/AUGUST 2023

In 2022, without the constraints of the former statemandated program, we revamped our Energy Optimization program into the current Energy Wise program. The changes we made included a shift in the focus from simply reducing energy use toward a more balanced approach that also encourages beneficial electrification and greenhouse gas reduction. This shift allowed us to broaden the scope of our rebate program to include modern and emerging technologies such as electric yard equipment and to expand on our heat pump and electric vehicle rebate programs by incorporating them into the Energy Wise program. The feedback from our membership has been overwhelmingly positive.

What is ‘beneficial electrification?’

Unlike the previous state-mandated program, many of the technologies we are providing incentives for do not lead to lower electricity sales. Conversely, they grow new electric sales because some of the rebates are aimed at encouraging members to transition from fossil fuel consumption to our 62% carbon-free electricity. This is called beneficial electrification.

Beneficial electrification is good for the environment because it decreases the carbon impact of a heating or transportation source. It’s good for the cooperative because higher sales mean more kilowatts to spread our costs across. It’s good for our members because these technologies help them meet their environmental and home comfort goals. Many also result in long-term overall energy cost savings for members.

Making a difference To monitor the effectiveness of Energy Wise, we not only measured member electric savings (kWh) but also measured the program’s greenhouse gas reduction.

“Cooperatives have been encouraging energy efficiency long before it was a commonplace concept or required. We’ve proven we don’t need a state mandate to tell us to design programs that meet the needs of our members.”

2022 Energy Wise stats • Reduced electric use by more than 4.8 million kWh • Reduced carbon emissions by 1,924 tons, the equivalent emissions of burning 7.1 million pounds of coal • Provided 4,263 rebates worth more than $813,000 We accomplished these results without a state mandate and we were able to offer programs that are flexible and more meaningful to our members. Reinstating a government mandate would be devastating for our Energy Wise program because it would inevitably require us to pull resources away from the programs we’ve developed over the past year, change incentives, and unnecessarily spend money on state reports.

Cooperatives have been encouraging energy efficiency long before it was a commonplace concept or required.

We’ve proven we don’t need a state mandate to tell us to design programs that meet the needs of our members. We do it because we’re owned by our members, not investors.

Your needs come first and that includes helping you make the right choices for energy use in your home or business.

Great Lakes Energy works hard to meet our members’ changing needs. We continue to evolve and respond

accordingly. As the state Senate and House continue to revise their future energy bills, GLE is urging them to allow cooperatives to administer programs in partnership with their members that are responsive to the unique needs of their rural communities.

What’s next?

If you agree that your democratically controlled electric cooperative is best positioned to make energy efficiency initiative decisions for the benefit of its members, we encourage you contact your legislative representatives in Lansing and let them know you share our concerns about this proposed legislation, Senate Bill 273.

If you are unsure who your Michigan Senate and House representatives are, visit the following sites: Michigan Senate senate.michigan.gov/FindYourSenator/ Michigan House of Representatives house.mi.gov/ To learn more about the Energy Wise program, visit gtlakes.com/energy-wise.

Energy Wise Program Drives Reduction in Carbon Emissions Participating Great Lakes Energy members saved energy and money while significantly reducing carbon emissions in 2022.

3,848,997 POUNDS OF CARBON SAVED

EQUIVALENT TO THE EMISSIONS FROM:

14,806

barrels of oil consumed

1,246

homes’ electricity use for an entire year

778,700,768 smartphones charged

Save in 2023! Visit gtlakes.com/energy-wise to see the full list of incentives for your home, business, or farm.

MI CO-OP Guest Column

At One with Plants

By Rik Cryderman, a Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op member

S

he was seldom seen without an apron and seldom seen not working. She was a farmer. Forever. And even when she didn’t live near fields and barns, she was a farmer still, in her heart. She mentored many and inspired far more. A little grandson followed her, closer than her shadow. He learned her love of plants and gardens—it was far more caught than taught. He’d quote her homespun adages, like scriptures learned in church.

Some were rather humorous, like when he’d say, with serious tone: “My grandma says she knows she’ll never go to hell, because the devil knows she builds a better fire,” or “I don’t need to rest, I can sleep when I’m dead!”

As this grandson grew in stature, he still loved the things she loved. With spades and trowels as his artist’s tools, he created lovely gardens. He learned the proper names of every plant he planted—good friends should have good names. He’d learned from his aproned grandma which plants chose sunny spots and which preferred the shade.

He knew when each would be awake and bring their brightest flowers, so he’d plant his gardens in such a way that some would always be in bloom.

This grandma’s boy went off to school, to Michigan State one day. And there he chose to study plants and gardens and propagation. He’d learn his grandma’s favorites had Latin names as well. He’d graduate with honors, assisting his professors. He’d later maintain gardens at the Edsel Ford estate and land a job he’d hold for years, growing perennials for Wiegand’s Nursery. His grandmother moved to heaven—she tends the gardens there. But Gary Bopp, without an apron, continues her gardening here.

Retired, he now spends his summers in Lewiston, a rare jewel in northern Michigan. He lives in a place called Bliss Cottage, surrounded by Bliss Gardens. He still propagates perennials, knows each by name, knows each one’s game.

He sells them each Saturday morning at Lewiston’s Farmers’ Market. He’s become a local consultant, inspiring the love of the garden. He loves to know his green “children” find

good homes with his neighbors and friends. He likes to imagine he might be a part of making this world more beautiful—spreading awe and fueling wonder in gardens.

Last year he propagated 5,000 perennials, tough tested by Lewiston’s climate. He watches with pride as they’re carried from the market to gardens nearby. And somewhere in heaven, an angel with an apron worn over her robe looks down and tells those around her, “I taught him all that he knows.”

“When some people leave this world,” Gary reflects, “they leave a grand monument, a vast estate, or a collection of tributes, awards, and accolades. I hope to leave a garden.”

About the author: Rik Cryderman is happily retired after a 35-year career as director of pastoral care for Beaumont Hospital in Troy, Michigan. He splits his time between Lewiston, Michigan, and Naples, Florida, enjoying grandchildren, gardening, travel, photography, and writing. Fueled by his faith and inspired by his friends, he finds each of life’s chapters better than the last.

Mystery Photo

Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Where In Michigan Is This?

Identify the correct location of the photo to the left by July 24 and be entered into a drawing to win a $100 electric bill credit. Enter your guess at countrylines.com/community.

Guest Column

Win $200 for stories published!

Share your fondest memories and stories.

Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/community to submit.

May 2023 Winner! Our Mystery Photo winner is Michelle Cockey, a Midwest Energy & Communications Cooperative member, who correctly identified the photo as the memorial plaque of Ryerson and Melissa Whiting at Whiting Park in Charlevoix County.

Winners are announced in the following issues of Country Lines: January, March, May, July/August, September, and November/December.

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gtlakes.com facebook.com/greatlakesenergy

All members have a vote.

Together, they work in harmony.

Every GLE member has a say in electing a board member. It’s up to you, the member, to vote or run for election. Power to the people, from the people. Doesn’t that sound good?

Learn more about your Great Lakes Energy Board of Directors and the election process at gtlakes.com.

Power. Purpose. You.