October 2023 Great Lakes Energy

You may not realize it, but your home is sitting on a free and renewable supply of energy. A WaterFurnace geothermal comfort system taps into the stored solar energy in your own backyard to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling and hot water. That’s money in the bank and a smart investment in your family’s comfort. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer today to learn how to tap into your buried treasure.

Allendale

Allendale Htg & Clg (800)327-1937

allendaleheating.com

Bad Axe/Ubly

Cutting Edge Htg & Clg (989)551-0986

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

Indian River

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

and it isn’t just corn.

YOUR LOCAL WATERFURNACE DEALERS

Michigan’s Electric Cooperatives

EXECUTIVE EDITOR: Casey Clark

EDITOR: Christine Dorr

GRAPHIC DESIGNER: Karreen Bird

RECIPE EDITOR: Christin McKamey

COPY EDITOR: Yvette Pecha

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR: Emily Haines Lloyd

PUBLISHER: Michigan Electric Cooperative Association

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.

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.

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.

6 FROM TRAVERSE CITY TO TIME MAGAZINE Andrea Kritcher named among 100 most

10 MI COOP KITCHEN Pumpkin: seasonal goodies that go way beyond pie.

14 SMALL-TOWN INNOVATION YIELDS BIG RESULTS AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Fish manure was the impetus for a partnership between a Glen Oaks grad and his instructor.

18 GUEST COLUMN Sunken Treasure: A Great Lakes Energy member recalls how he made a mysterious barge even more intriguing.

MI Co-op Community

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

Instagram Contest

Use #micoopcommunity for a chance to be featured here and on our Instagram account. Win $100 for photos published!

Recipe Contest

Vegetarian due Nov. 1; Best Layer Cakes due Dec. 1; Soups & Stews due Jan. 1

Win a $100 bill credit!

Guest Column

Share your fondest memories and stories. Win $200 for stories published. Visit countrylines.com/community to submit. Win $200 for stories published!

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 Shepherd, Director, District 4 989-290-5994 sshepherd@glenergy.com

PRESIDENT/CEO: Shaun Lamp 888-485-2537

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: 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.

October Is National Co-op Month

Shaun Lamp, Great Lakes Energy President/CEO

Fall colors, the return of sweatshirt weather, and football games— especially this year for us Detroit Lions fans—are just a few reasons I look forward to October.

I also get excited about October because it’s National Co-op Month, which gives us the opportunity to celebrate what we call “the cooperative difference.”

At the heart of this “difference” are seven guiding principles that all cooperatives follow. While these principles are all important, I want to focus on two that stand out to me:

Democratic member control

This principle serves as the bedrock on which GLE stands. It’s what sets us and other cooperatives apart from other business models. It means that GLE exists solely to serve the needs of its members rather than investors and that members have a say in how those needs are met. They do this through their votes to elect representatives on our board of directors. To make it even easier for members to have their voices heard through their votes, this year’s election for seats in districts 3, 4, and 5 offered members the option of voting online.

Serving our members’ needs goes far beyond providing reliable and affordable electric and internet service. It also means providing innovative programs for our members. Our Energy Wise program, which offers members rebates on the purchase of energy-efficient appliances, tools, and home heating and cooling systems, is a great example of these programs.

Concern for community

This principle is a natural outgrowth of GLE’s focus on meeting our members’ needs. It recognizes that GLE and its employees are a part of the communities we serve, and everyone benefits when we help enhance our communities.

My favorite example of this principle in action is GLE’s People Fund. This program stands out because it is a true partnership between GLE and its members to have a meaningful positive impact on the community. We’ve awarded more than $4.3 million in grants thanks to contributions from GLE members who agree to have their electric bills rounded up to the next whole dollar each month.

We know in many rural areas GLE serves, access to some services—such as healthcare—can be limited and a challenge. In this edition of Country Lines, you can read about how GLE is providing value for our members by highlighting a company that recently began offering online, mobile, and in-home healthcare services to Medicare patients in southern portions of our service area.

I’m proud to be part of an organization that focuses on making a “cooperative difference” in the lives of its members and their communities.

To learn more about the many ways GLE shows its “concern for community” and how you can get involved, visit gtlakes.com and click on the “Community” tab.

Stay up to date with outage notifications

GLE works hard to provide our members with reliable electric service. However, thanks to the whims of the weather and other factors, occasional power outages are unavoidable. When that happens, our crews work just as hard to get the lights back on as quickly as possible.

We know power outages can be a significant cause of concern and inconvenience for our members. We also know that when an outage occurs, members want to know if GLE is aware of the outage, if we are working to restore it, and how long it will be until their service is restored.

To help provide more information to members when they are affected by a power outage, GLE now offers the option of signing up to receive automated outage notifications via text message, email, or the GLE mobile app.

Members who sign up will receive outage notifications in four stages:

1. Outage reported

When an outage is reported by a member or is detected on our system but has not yet been confirmed, you’ll receive this message:

“A power outage affecting your area has been reported and is awaiting review by GLE staff for confirmation.”

2. Outage verified

When we have confirmed that an outage exists but a crew has not yet been assigned to it, you’ll receive this message:

“A power outage affecting your service location has been confirmed and is queued for assignment for restoration with an available crew.”

3. Crew assigned

When a crew has arrived at the site and is beginning work on your outage, you’ll receive this message:

“A crew has been dispatched to address the cause of the power outage affecting your service location.”

4. Restored

When the outage has been resolved and service has been restored, you’ll receive this message:

“The assigned crew has reported that power has been restored. If your location is still without power, please contact us.”

Signing up is simple

Members need to take a few steps to take advantage of outage notifications.

First, members must have their online account set up. This can be done on our website or through the GLE mobile app.

To sign up for outage notifications, log in to your online account and select “Manage Notifications” under the “Settings” menu on the left side of the page. On the next page, select “Service” from the drop-down menu, which will allow you to add the phone number and email address to which you’d like to have outage notifications sent. Finish up by clicking “save.”

With outage notifications, when the power goes out, GLE members now have another way to be reassured that our crews are working as quickly as they can to restore their service.

“Basically, you are creating fusion reactions as you smash hydrogen isotopes together. It’s the same process that powers the sun. So, we’re making mini suns in our lab. Actually, we reach conditions hotter than the sun.”

Lead designer Andrea Kritcher (right) and lead experimentalist Alex Zylstra standing in front of the National Ignition Facility (NIF) target chamber where the fusion experiments are performed, holding an encased target.

From Traverse City to Time Magazine Andrea Kritcher Named Among 100 Most Influential People

By Emily Haines Lloyd

When you think of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People, you imagine seeing celebrities like Beyoncé, titans of industry like Elon Musk, and world leaders like Ukraine’s first lady Olena Zelenska gracing the pages. But under the “Innovators” section of the 2023 issue, Traverse City residents might see a familiar face and name—Andrea Kritcher.

Kritcher, who grew up in Traverse City as a Cherryland Electric Cooperative member, is a nuclear engineer and physicist who works at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. She also just happens to be a worldclass scientist who was the principal designer in a breakthrough experiment that produced fusion ignition in a laboratory for the first time.

Igniting Big Ideas

Scientists fired 192 lasers at a target the size of a pencil eraser in the experiment, achieving “energy breakeven,” which means it produced more energy than was imparted to the target. The first-of-its-kind breakthrough is considered a major step toward a net-zero carbon future.

“Basically, you are creating fusion reactions as you smash hydrogen isotopes together,” said Kritcher. “It’s the same process that powers the sun. So, we’re making mini suns in our lab. Actually, we reach conditions hotter than the sun.”

How Hot?

You read that right—hotter than the sun. The implications of this discovery are massive and will likely result in many applications. Kritcher says that pilot plants for fusion energy are approximately 10–20 years away. Zero-emission energy projects take time to develop, build, and meet rigorous standards, but the end goal is for zero-emission energy plants to not only help alleviate our dependence on carbon-based energy sources, but to take us closer to a carbon-free power grid. As someone who grew up in Traverse City and enjoyed

nature deeply, this is an important prospect for Kritcher.

“I loved growing up in Traverse City and I got a lot of support from my family along the way,” said Kritcher. “It was a really great place to grow up and enjoy being outside and on the lake. It’s pretty idyllic.”

Small Town to Big Time

This small-town math and science student likely couldn’t have imagined that a career in physics would have led to so much time talking to the press.

Of course, that all changed with her December 2022 fusion experiment. Kritcher was suddenly getting calls for all sorts of interviews. When someone from the lab’s public relations department asked if she could do an interview with Time Magazine, Kritcher wasn’t fazed.

“We were just talking when he asked me to hold for a second. He asked me if I knew they were considering me for the award,” Kritcher said. “Then he said, ‘We just got word—you’re one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People.’ It was so surreal. Can you really be prepared to hear something like that?”

Influencing the Future

Kritcher understands that this success for her is really about the decades of passionate research from hundreds of scientists, engineers, and technicians that made the fusion breakthrough possible. Her hard work reflects that reverence, and she’s proud to be a woman in a field that is still dominated by men.

“Women are still underrepresented in physics, but I belong in this field as much as anyone,” said Kritcher. “Physics doesn’t have a gender. It just asks you to follow your curiosity and solve the problems most interesting to you.”

That sounds like a pretty good plug for future generations of scientists who will continue in her innovative footsteps.

Making Cents Out Of Your GLE Monthly Charge

When most people get their monthly electric bill, their primary concern is typically the amount shown next to “Total Amount Due.”

GLE electric bills provide a line-item breakdown of the charges that go into your total. Some are fixed costs and others are tied to how much electricity you use in a month.

While the “energy usage” and “power supply cost recovery” charges members pay for the cost of the electricity they use is straightforward, the costs covered by the “monthly charge” might be a little less obvious.

What’s covered in the monthly charge?

This charge is the same every month for all members in the same rate class regardless of how much electricity they use. The fee covers the cooperative’s routine operating expenses not tied to your electric consumption. For the majority of our members the monthly charge is currently $34.21 per month. It covers the cost of keeping the cooperative and its distribution system operating and ready to provide service to its members around the clock.

Here's a closer look at some of the costs the monthly charge covers:

• Operations and maintenance: The biggest share of the monthly charge covers the cost of installing and maintaining poles, wires, transformers, and other distribution system equipment. Also included in this category is the cost of regular tree trimming and other system reliability work, along with the associated transportation costs. Serving more than 126,000

How Each Monthly Charge Dollar Is Spent

members across 26 counties, GLE is one of the largest electric cooperatives in the country.

• Support services: In addition to costs associated with accounting, metering, and billing, GLE operates eight local offices. These offices allow us to provide better service to our members and to respond to outages quickly. There are many labor, equipment, supply, and other fixed costs tied to operating these offices. GLE also maintains a 24-hour emergency dispatch center to coordinate both regular service work and outage restoration efforts.

• Capital costs: GLE also incurs costs such as depreciation on equipment, interest on long-term loans, insurance, taxes, and other normal business expenses.

• Margins: Although GLE is a not-for-profit organization, to ensure the company’s long-term financial stability, it’s important for its income to exceed its costs. The cooperative uses this excess, known as a margin, as a cushion against unexpected costs and to prepare for future system investments. When financial conditions allow, GLE returns margins to its members in the form of capital credits.

As costs rise in the categories listed, the monthly charge will increase to cover those costs allowing GLE to continue providing reliable service. The energy charge is variable and based on how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) each member chooses to use during a month.

More information on GLE’s rates is available online at gtlakes.com/faq.

42.2% Operations & Maintenance

20.1% Support Services

32.4% Capital Costs

5.3% Margins

Everything Fall

Enter to win a $200 energy bill credit!

Submit Your “Great Outdoors” photos By Oct. 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 October theme is the Great Outdoors. Photos can be submitted by Oct. 20 to be featured in the January 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. Autumn’s kiss, Barbara Mask, White Cloud

2. Fall trail riding, Rebecca Marcinkus, Mancelona

3. Sweater weather, Nicole Bush, Muskegon

4. Leave no trail behind, Sheila Melke, Charlevoix

5. Autumn child, Claudia Holdampf, Irons

6. Morning reflection in the UP, Karen Willming, Branch

PUMPKIN

Seasonal goodies that go way beyond pie

WINNING RECIPE!

STREUSEL PUMPKIN MUFFINS

Connie Pietila, Ontonagon County REA

¼ cup butter, softened

½ cup sugar

¼ cup packed brown sugar

²⁄ ³ cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup buttermilk

2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ –1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

¼ teaspoon salt

Streusel Topping

¹⁄ ³ cup flour

3 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cold butter

Recipe Contest

Win a $100 energy bill credit!

Vegetarian due Nov. 1; Best Layer Cakes due Dec. 1; Soups & Stews due Jan. 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

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the pumpkin, buttermilk, eggs, molasses, and orange zest until blended. In a second bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt; gradually add to pumpkin mixture just until blended. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. For topping, combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean, 20–25 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. This fall breakfast favorite is perfect with a hot cup of coffee or spiced chai tea.

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

PUMPKIN CUSTARD

Janet Weber, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op

¼ cup brown sugar

1½ tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½ (15-ounce) can pumpkin

¾ cup milk

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 325 F. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth. Pour into three or four custard cups or oven-safe bowls. Place in baking pan and pour very hot water around the custard cups to about 1 inch high. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled with whipped cream!

PUMPKIN DIP

Leslie Buerkle, Thumb Electric

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

2½ teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 (8-ounce) tub Cool Whip, thawed

Using a mixer, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and ginger; beat until combined. Fold in the Cool Whip until thoroughly combined. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with ginger snaps.

CHARLIE BROWN GREAT PUMPKIN COOKIES

Leslie Brasure, Alger Delta

PUMPKIN CHIP MUFFINS

Joyce

4 cups flour

2 cups rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups (3 sticks) butter

2 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

12 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda,

cinnamon, and salt. In another large bowl, cream the butter. Then gradually add the brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Alternate additions of dry ingredients and pumpkin to the bowl of wet ingredients, mixing well after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop dough

¼ cup at a time onto lightly greased cookie sheet (using a large cookie scoop or two spoons). Bake 20–25 minutes, until cookies are firm and lightly browned. Remove from cookie sheet; let cool on racks. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

4 eggs

1½ cups sugar

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1 cup vegetable oil

½ cup orange juice

3 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour)

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

2 cups (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, sugar, pumpkin, oil, and orange juice until smooth. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups threequarters full. Bake for 16–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the muffin comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Makes about 24 standard-size muffins.

Tamminga, Great Lakes Energy

GLE in your COMMUNITY

Truestream

GLE continues to make big strides in expanding our Truestream fiber internet service. We now have more than 18,750 Truestreamers and that number is growing every day. We have recently finished fielding work in the last areas where this work had not yet taken place and are in the process of constructing trunkline to connect all of our substations in the Waters Service District.

Classroom Grants

School districts in the Great Lakes Energy service area where children of members are enrolled can apply for a grant of up to $2,000 to fund innovative programs. Your cooperative has awarded more than $272,800 in classroom grants to 186 projects since the program began in 2012.

People Fund

With your help, in the past year, our People Fund program has provided more than $259,000 in support for many community and charitable organizations across our service area. The program has awarded more than $4.3 million in grants since its inception in 1999.

GLE Next

In January, we hosted a new community engagement program called GLE Next. During the event, we welcomed business and community leaders to our Boyne City office for a day-long snapshot of what makes a cooperative tick. The program aims to create champions for GLE in the community. Plans to continue the program are underway for 2024.

Boosting Electric Reliability and Clean Energy in Michigan

Great Lakes Energy is pleased to share a groundbreaking development that will positively shape the future of energy in Michigan. Our power supplier Wolverine Power Cooperative has entered into a historic electric purchase agreement with Holtec International tied to restarting the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant in southwest Michigan. This marks the first time in U.S. history that a nuclear plant could reopen, and it's a win for our members, the state of Michigan, and the environment.

Palisades closed in May 2022, and the plant was sold to Holtec. Four months later, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her support for restarting the nuclear power plant to keep energy costs low, shore up domestic energy production, and increase Michigan’s competitiveness for future economic development.

As the energy industry undergoes a transformation towards clean energy and electrifying the modern economy, the Palisades Nuclear Power Plant will play a pivotal role in ensuring a reliable, carbon-free power supply for our state. Under the agreement, Wolverine Power Cooperative would purchase up to two-thirds of the power from the plant with the balance to be purchased by Indiana-based electric cooperative Hoosier Energy. This agreement will help us address three critical challenges.

Electric Reliability

While renewable energy sources are vital to our transition to clean energy, many, such as wind and solar power, are weather-dependent. The sun doesn't always shine, the wind doesn't always blow, and battery technology can’t yet fill the gap. By incorporating more always-available energy from a nuclear power plant into our portfolio, we enhance our ability to provide

How Much Energy Will Palisades Produce?

reliable electricity to our members, ensuring that the lights stay on even during peak demand or challenging weather conditions.

Decarbonization

Nuclear energy is a well-established and dependable source of electricity that emits no greenhouse gases during the electricity generation process. As Michigan moves away from fossil fuel generation and embraces renewable and advanced technologies, this agreement will further enhance our fuel mix, which is already more than 60% carbon-free.

Cost Stability

A long-term nuclear power supply contract allows us to provide reliable, clean energy at a predictable price point, shielding our members from the volatile fluctuations in power supply pricing expected over the next 10–15 years.

The restart of Palisades Nuclear Power Plant also brings significant economic benefits to our state. It will protect hundreds of high-paying jobs and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual regional economic development.

Restarting Palisades Nuclear Power Plant enables us to access a stable power supply for our members, reduce our carbon footprint, and maintain stable rates in a volatile energy market, while we continue to invest in additional renewable energy sources. We are dedicated to fulfilling our cooperative's mission of providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to our members, and this agreement provides a crucial step towards achieving that goal.

Thank you for your continued support as we pave the way towards a brighter future for our communities.

6,500,000 megawatt hours annually of carbon-free power or 6% of Michigan’s energy

Enough power for 800,000 homes

Equal to 9.8 million solar panels

and 618 wind turbines

Palisades

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATION AT GLEN OAKS COMMUNITY COLLEGE

By Grant Zamora

FISH POOP: Crops love it. Glen Oaks Community College in Centreville is at the heart of an agricultural innovation that prepares students for a lifetime of employment while also experimenting with what could be a game changer for crop yields: Fish Sh!t, an unusual, beneficial bacteria created by Fish Head Farms.

A SMALL COLLEGE AHEAD OF THE CURVE

The Agricultural Equipment Technology program at Glen Oaks Community College, taught by Reid Leaverton, is the only agricultural equipment repair program offered at a community college in Michigan. Classes take place at Burnips Equipment in Three Rivers, where students get real-world experience working on equipment that gets brought into the shop. In exchange, if Burnips decides to hire a student, Glen Oaks will pay for the student’s tuition as long as they’re employed by Burnips for the duration of the program.

The program got its start in 2017, when Glen Oaks President David Devier saw the need for trained repair

technicians in the largely agricultural St. Joseph County. Rather than wait for other colleges to train new employees, Glen Oaks led the charge in creating a program that could bring new talent to the area. Upon completion of the program, students are placed into equipment dealers or large farms through relationships Glen Oaks has with industry partners like Burnips, New Holland Agriculture, and local John Deere and Bobcat dealers. As of this year, 24 students have accepted jobs at local dealerships upon completing the program.

Students can take two routes through the program. One is a traditional degree route that grants an Associate of Applied Science in agricultural equipment technology. The other is a certificate route, which eliminates the need for general education classes and a high school diploma.

“[If] they have an interest in agricultural equipment, they can come to Glen Oaks and learn how to work on it,” Leaverton says.

Collin Dussel is a program graduate whose family owns Dussel’s Farm Market & Greenhouses in Cassopolis.

Collin Dussel prepares Fish Sh!t to use on crops.

Dussel, who originally brought Fish Sh!t to Leaverton’s attention, says the hands-on nature of the program was key to the learning process.

“We were in a real-world shop learning what other mechanics do,” Dussel says. “It wasn’t something we just tore apart that someone else tore apart before you. We were diagnosing real farmers’ equipment and trying to figure out the problem.”

LOCAL MARKET, CUTTING-EDGE TECH

The program goes beyond teaching students to repair equipment. It gives them problem-solving skills and the ability to innovate. Dussel took these skills and applied them to growing and improving his family’s farm using new and innovative products like Fish Sh!t.

After graduating from the program, Dussel took over his grandfather’s farm and began looking into alternative fertilizers, all the while keeping in touch with Leaverton, who would help him with larger projects on a friendly basis. In addition to running the farm, Dussel and his brother Nick founded Soil Production Solutions,

a company that helps farmers with their soil treatment plans. During their search for clean, efficient fertilizers, the brothers’ father Mark (who runs the store in Cassopolis) connected them with a promising lead: Fish Sh!t.

Fish Sh!t is an organic, living beneficial bacteria. It was created by Dave Barr, a high school biology teacher, and Tommy Fox, a medical caregiver, who founded Fish Head Farms. Fish Sh!t is derived from fi sh manure treated in an aquaponic system, which separates the beneficial bacteria from the waste. It has fewer synthetic chemicals than other fertilizers, which lends itself to creating a beneficial biosphere for plant growth, according to Leaverton. If a plant has to break down fewer synthetic chemicals and more organic material, the plant doesn’t have to work as hard to take in nutrients, allowing better growth and a higher crop yield.

SMALL-TOWN INNOVATORS JOIN FORCES

The Dussels first tested Fish Sh!t on their mom’s houseplants, with encouraging results. They then partnered with Leaverton to test it at

Glen Oaks, starting with soil samples and expanding to larger areas. When testing the product on corn, they found about a 26% increase in root mass and a yield increase of about a bushel per harvest.

Leaverton and the Dussels have used Fish Sh!t to revitalize a previously barren plot of land at Glen Oaks, now a field with healthy soil. Students in Leaverton’s program use the field to grow crops, which they then test the agricultural equipment on.

“What we’re doing is basically just making our plants and our soil happier from year to year to year,” Leaverton says.

The Dussels have also started selling smaller quantities of the product for home use at their store in Cassopolis.

Glen Oaks and the Dussels are living proof that you don’t always have to look to large, expensive universities to find promising new products and one-of-a-kind educational programs. Sometimes, small-town innovation can yield big results.

The Agricultural Equipment Technology program gives students state-of-the-art, hands-on training over the course of two years. Space is limited—each class can accommodate 20 students. To learn more and sign up, visit GlenOaks.edu and go to Academics > Programs of Study > Agriculture > Agricultural Equipment Technology.

To learn more about Dussel’s Farm Market, visit DusselsFarmMarketAndGreenhouses.com.

Healthcare That Hits Home

There are many great reasons people choose to live and work in the rural areas that Great Lakes Energy serves. These areas offer room to enjoy nature and outdoor activities, less traffic and noise than more populated areas, and many other great benefits.

However, living in rural areas also presents some challenges. Trips to the store are often farther, your road might not get plowed as regularly in the winter, and access to some types of services—such as healthcare—is much more limited.

These challenges can be especially difficult to overcome for senior citizens who often see their need for regular healthcare increase as their mobility and transportation options may be decreasing.

However, a provider that recently began operating in southern portions of GLE’s service area is bridging this gap by bringing healthcare right to people’s doorstep.

As part of its ongoing efforts to fulfill the cooperative guiding principle of “concern for community” and to provide added value for its members, GLE is helping to get the word out to members who live in these communities about a service that could make an important difference in their lives.

A different approach to healthcare

Homeward Health has been providing healthcare in portions of western Michigan since the summer of 2022. The company currently offers care to residents living in 15 Michigan counties, 11 of which are part of GLE’s

service area, including Allegan, Lake, Manistee, Mecosta, Missaukee, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Osceola, Ottawa, and Wexford. Homeward anticipates its coverage area in Michigan will expand over time and encourages anyone interested to call (844) 578-4535 to verify their eligibility. The company offers primary healthcare through in-home, telehealth, mobile clinic, and brick-and-mortar clinic appointments to patients enrolled in Medicare.

Who is Homeward Health?

Homeward Health’s Jake Mazanke said the company’s mission is to bridge the increasing gap in primary healthcare accessibility for people — especially senior citizens — living in rural areas. He pointed to research showing that people living in rural areas have a 23% higher mortality rate than people living in more populated areas.

Susan Owen, a nurse practitioner with more than 40 years of healthcare experience, was the first clinical staff member to join Homeward Health’s Michigan team in 2022.

Susan said new patients are often surprised by the level and types of care Homeward Health can provide for them. She said patients are also reassured to learn that Homeward Health regularly coordinates care with specialists and other services not available directly through Homeward.

“We run into people who haven’t been getting the care they should be getting because of the distances involved. For some people, 20 miles can be a deal-breaker,” she said.

Susan said caregivers work with patients to address any chronic health problems that they might be facing while also providing preventative care.

“We have a powerful team who really care, and it's very rewarding when we see improvement in our patients’ health,” Susan said.

A powerful endorsement

The suggestion to highlight Homeward Health’s services for members comes from a source well-known to the cooperative. Linda Kotzian retired from GLE in 2020 after a 26-year career. Linda, who lives in the Shelby area, worked as a communications services manager out of GLE’s Hart office.

Linda said Homeward Health’s services first caught her eye after reading a magazine article about the company in mid-2022. Although she was initially a bit skeptical, in early 2023, some frustrations with her current healthcare provider prompted her to give Homeward Health a try.

“I was having to drive about 20 miles away, and when you get there, you have to navigate a large building and sit with a bunch of other sick people,” Linda said. “There have been times I felt too sick to drive, but I didn’t have an alternative.”

As luck would have it, on a Sunday about a week before her first scheduled in-home appointment with Homeward Health, Linda fell and injured her shoulder. Not knowing what to expect, Linda called Homeward Health, and about an hour later, a caregiver called her back. After the consultation, the caregiver recommended that Linda go to the ER for an X-ray. A day or two later, she received a call from Homeward Health to check on her.

In all, Linda has now had about eight appointments, mostly online, and she has been very pleased with the care she’s received.

“I’m a huge fan. It’s made life better for me because they are available on very short notice. Generally, I hear from them in a matter of hours. Literally from the first appointment, there was no going back,” she said.

Following her positive experiences with Homeward Health, Linda wanted to let other GLE members know about its availability.

“Anything that can make seniors feel safer and more comfortable in their homes and make it possible to stay in our homes longer is worth promoting,” she added.

Getting to know you

Mobile Clinic: Tuesday, Oct. 17, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

To help introduce Homeward Health and the services offered to members in the southern half of its service area, GLE will host a visit from a Homeward Health mobile clinic at its Newaygo office from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17. The office is located at 1 Cooperative Center Drive in Newaygo.

During the visit, Homeward Health staff will be accepting scheduled visits from current patients and accepting walk-in appointments from both new and existing patients.

Additionally, a physician assistant with Homeward Health, who is certified in lifestyle medicine, will be on-site throughout the day to meet with people and answer questions.

Both new and existing Homeward Health patients can make an appointment for the mobile clinic visit on Oct. 17 by calling (844) 279-8615.

Patients must be enrolled in Medicare to take advantage of Homeward Health’s services. Homeward Health is “in-network” for most major Medicare Advantage plans.

To learn more about Homeward Health, including how to become a patient, visit homewardhealth.com or call (844) 939-5099.

Member testimonial provided under a personal services agreement, with expenses paid for by Homeward in compliance with federal healthcare regulations.

“Anything that can make seniors feel safer and more comfortable in their homes and make it possible to stay in our homes longer is worth promoting.”

—Linda Kotzian

“To this day, as my children are now grown adults, we still go over that barge and fondly recall those memories of sunken treasure on Lake Charlevoix.”

Sunken Treasure

By Bob Wilson, a Great Lakes Energy Cooperative member

My family has owned a summer cottage on Lake Charlevoix since 1941, and just down the beach from where our cottage is located, there is an old barge on the lake bottom that wrecked in a storm in the early 1920s.

That barge has been visible for many years and was a source of mystery for my children as they were growing up. I used to take our small rowboat over the barge and we would talk about the chance that there might be sunken treasure down below.

Thinking about how I might add to their fascination with the barge, I found a few trinkets in the old shed next to our cottage and shined them up a bit, and then went out in my kayak and dove down on the barge and placed these trinkets along different parts of the wrecked hull.

Several days later, I took my kids out over the barge in our rowboat, and of course had my fins and snorkel and diving mask with me, and I told them that I was going to dive down and see if I could find any sunken treasure.

I went down on the wreck and, lo and behold, I pulled up the trinkets that I had placed there earlier. I was able to hand

them each their own trinket of sunken treasure from the wreck. They each were so excited to see real treasure from the same wreck that they had watched over the years.

To this day, as my children are now grown adults, we still go over that barge and fondly recall those memories of sunken treasure on Lake Charlevoix.

Bob Wilson spent 28 years working as senior counsel in the Michigan Senate Natural Resources Committee and has taught environmental law and policy at Michigan State University since 1999. His family has owned a summer cottage on Lake Charlevoix since 1941. Bob’s wife Cathy is head of governmental affairs for Consumers Energy, and his four children are Sarah, Aaron, Daniel, and Bobby.

Guest Column

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Electric cooperatives are joining co-ops across the U.S. to celebrate National Co-op Month. As your local electric co-op, our services are shaped to meet your specific needs. We love growing with you, the members we are proud to serve.

As part of our celebration, during the month of October GLE is giving wall calendars and nightlights away to members at our offices, while supplies last.