Kankakee Valley REMC’s
SEPTEMBER 2026
Member Appreciation Day & Annual Business Meeting DETAILS INSIDE
LETTER TO THE MEMBERSHIP
THE COOPERATIVE DIFFERENCE:
Powered by members his past year demonstrated
T
ensure strong grid reliability and
to providing. We continuously
what we can accomplish
prepare us to meet your growing
evaluate growth responsibly,
when we work cooperatively.
needs today and in the future.
balancing long-term opportunities
In March of 2025, we launched
These investments are more than
with the needs of our membership
the time-of-use rate across the
just maintaining our system;
and the communities we serve.
entire membership. Many of you
they’re about preparing for the
embraced the change by shifting
future while keeping reliability
your energy use away from periods
at the center of our focus.
of highest demand. Those small changes made a big difference. Lower wholesale power costs allowed us to reduce electric rates by 6%, and we returned more than $3 million to our membership through bill credits. That’s the cooperative difference at work.
Thank you for your trust and support. By working together, we are building a stronger
Our region is experiencing
cooperative that is investing
growing interest from large
wisely, planning responsibly, and
energy users, including
remains focused on serving you
data centers. While these
now and for years to come.
opportunities may bring economic benefits to our communities, your cooperative’s responsibility remains clear:
Looking ahead, we’re continuing
serving our members with safe,
to invest in the strength of our
reliable, and affordable power.
electric system. Ongoing line
Growth will only move forward
rebuilds, equipment upgrades,
when it can be supported without
and the continued construction
jeopardizing the expected
of a new substation will help
reliability that we are committed
There’s still time to vote! You can vote in the board of directors election online through Sept. 22 or in person at the Porter County Fairgrounds on Sept. 24.
Dave Janney Board President
Scott Sears Chief Executive Officer
Kankakee Valley REMC’s
SEPTEMBER 2026
From the GROUND UP HARRISON COUNTY’S LOCAL FOOD SCENE IS UNITING THE COMMUNITY AND FUELING A MOVEMENT
CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ELECTRIC UTILITY ABOUT INCENTIVES
This entire neighborhood is hiding a dirty little secret.
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FROM THE EDITOR
INDIANA CONNECTION
VOLUME 76 | NUMBER 2 ISSN 0745-4651 | USPS 262-340 Published monthly by
INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES Indiana Connection is for and about members of Indiana’s locally-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It helps consumers use electricity safely and efficiently; understand energy issues; connect with their co-op; and celebrate life in Indiana. Over 300,000 residents and businesses receive the magazine as part of their electric co-op membership. The average printed and mailed cost per issue is 54 cents.
CONTACT US 11805 Pennsylvania St., Carmel, IN 46032 317-487-2220 | info@indianaconnection.org IndianaConnection.org
INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OFFICERS Dr. Richard Leeper President Jamey Marcum Vice President Melissa Menchhofer Secretary/Treasurer John Cassady CEO
EDITORIAL STAFF Britt Davis Editor Mandy Barth Vice President of Communication and Member Engagement Lauren Carman Director of Events, Engagement, and Communication Ashley Curry Production and Design Coordinator Holly Huffman Communication Support Specialist Amber Knight Creative Manager Kiley Lipps Graphic Designer
A delicious legacy n July, Indiana Connection
I
What struck me most was how these
celebrated its 75th anniversary.
recipes showcase the shared history
The magazine, originally titled
and community of Indiana’s electric
Indiana Rural News, was founded
co-ops. They reflect the era in which
in 1951 to help electric cooperatives
they were published and offer a
connect with their members
glimpse into what Indiana was like at
and keep them informed.
the time. I thought about the many
As I thought about how to commemorate this milestone anniversary, I kept coming back to our readers and what they always
readers from across the state who took the time to submit their recipes, and now those recipes continue to create connections many years later.
tell me they enjoy most about the
The cookbook is now
magazine — the recipes. Whenever I
available for pre-order
meet an Indiana Connection reader,
at goiec.org/cookbook,
nine times out of 10, they tell me
or you can send a check
how much they love the recipes.
for $16 per cookbook
To celebrate our anniversary, we have created an Indiana Connection cookbook featuring more than 200 recipes spanning all eight decades of
COOPERATIVE
COOKING Celebrating 75 Years of Indiana Connection Recipes
to 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032. Please include your name, address, and co-op.
the magazine. This project was a labor
I’m so proud to carry on the
of love for me. Going back through
legacy of Indiana Connection,
the archives, especially our issues
and I hope this cookbook fosters
Indiana Connection does not use unsolicited freelance manuscripts or photographs and assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited material.
from the 50s and 60s, was a real
even more connections with our
treat. It took longer than anticipated
readers for years to come.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
articles and photos from years past.
UNSOLICITED MATERIAL
$12 a year for individuals not subscribing through participating REMCs/RECs.
because I kept getting distracted by
BRITT DAVIS | editor bdavis@indianaec.org
CHANGE OF ADDRESS If you receive Indiana Connection through your electric co-op membership, report address changes to your local co-op.
POSTAGE Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER Send change of address to: Indiana Connection 11805 Pennsylvania St., Carmel, IN 46032 Include key number. No portion of Indiana Connection may be reproduced without permission of the editor.
We want to hear from you EMAIL: info@indianaconnection.org WEB: indianaconnection.org (fill out forms) MAIL: 11805 Pennsylvania St., Carmel, IN 46032 ON THE MENU: Submit your favorite Christmas cookie recipes, deadline Oct. 1.
If we publish your recipe on our food pages, we’ll send you a $10 gift card. GIVEAWAY: Enter to win a family pass for two adults and two children, courtesy
of Exploration Acres. Visit indianaconnection.org/talk-to-us/contests or send your contact information to our office address. The deadline to enter is Sept. 30.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA SEPTEMBER 2026 3
INDIANA CONNECTION CONTENTS
SEPTEMBER
17 FEATURE
12 CITIES 03 FROM THE EDITOR 05 CO-OP NEWS Energy news and information from your electric cooperative
09 SAFETY Farmers must consider power line safety during harvest season
10 ENERGY How teens can reduce
14 FOOD
22 CO-OP NEWS
13 EVENTS CALENDAR Your guide to festivals and fun
21 WABASH VALLEY NEWS
around Indiana
22 CO-OP NEWS
14 FOOD
2025 year in review
Operation Round Up
Cozy apple desserts perfect for fall gatherings
23 CO-OP NEWS 2025 Annual Meeting minutes
17 FEATURE STORY Southern Indiana’s local food scene is fueling a movement
energy use to save
11 INDIANA EATS Cranberries serves global comfort food with a hometown feel
12 CITIES Evansville 4 SEPTEMBER 2026
ON THE COVER: Isabelle and Isaac de Krieger pose with some of the organically grown vegetables on their homestead, Singing Trees Keep, in Harrison County. Their mother, Angela de Krieger, advocates for small farms and businesses that help feed their communities. Learn more in this month’s feature story. (Photo courtesy of Angela de Krieger)
CONTACT US Toll Free: 800-552-2622 Local: 219-733-2511 OFFICE HOURS 7:30 a.m.–4 p.m. CT, Monday–Friday
On Sept. 24, Kankakee Valley REMC will host one of our favorite events of the year — our Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting — at the Porter County Fairgrounds in Valparaiso.
STREET ADDRESS 8642 W. U.S. Highway 30, Wanatah, IN 46390 MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 157, Wanatah, IN 46390
It’s a day filled with great food, family fun, live entertainment, and plenty of opportunities to win prizes. We’re excited to welcome members back for an evening that includes some longtime favorites
EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGES Power outages can be reported by calling 800-552-2622 or through the SmartHub app. KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC STAFF Scott Sears Chief Executive Officer Alissa Wolf Executive Assistant Angie Swanson Office Manager Amanda Steeb Communications and Marketing Director Dave Howell Facilities Manager Scott Hanson Director of Operations Cody Fletcher Director of Engineering Jon Rich IT Manager
along with a few new surprises. Doors will open at 3 p.m. for members who would like to arrive early to enjoy dinner and visit with friends and neighbors. Dinner will be served from 3 to 6:30 p.m. The LaCrosse Lions Club will once again grill their famous pork chops and hot dogs, while John Andy’s Café & Deli in Kouts will serve delicious side dishes to round out the meal. Be sure to save room for dessert! This
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA @KVREMC
year, we will have Amish pies, and Piggies & Cream will serve delicious ice cream treats. This event is perfect for the entire family — bring your kids and grandkids along! Enjoy a variety of activities, from face painting and balloon twisting to a strolling
Due to the space limitations of this issue, the quiz corner questions will be available online. To enter, scan the QR code or visit kvremc.com.
magician performing incredible
In addition to the fun, we will hold a brief business meeting where your cooperative leaders will provide updates on the co-op, recognize the accomplishments of our 20252026 Junior Board of Directors, announce the board election results, and draw for prize winners. Don’t forget to bring the registration card from the back of this magazine. It serves as your entry for the prize drawings. If you happen to forget it, don’t worry — we will have extra registration cards available at the event. Also, remember that now through Sept. 22 is your opportunity to help choose who represents you on the board of directors. Five candidates are on the ballot for the District 4 and At-Large director seats. If you haven’t voted yet, I encourage you to take a few minutes to do so. Simply visit kvremc.com and click the “Vote Now” button. Your voting credentials were sent last month by email or mail, and as a thank you for participating, you will receive a $5 bill credit. Please mark your calendar for Sept. 24 and plan to join us for food, fun, fellowship, and cooperative business. I look forward to seeing you there!
tricks throughout the evening. Crowd-favorite Bingo kicks off at 5 p.m., along with live music featuring Sean Lamb and Janet Miller, an acoustic duo playing
Scott Sears Chief Executive Officer
country favorites and classic rock. SEPTEMBER 2026 5
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC CO-OP NEWS
kvremc.com
Celebrate with us on Sept. 24 at the Member Appreciation Day and Annual Meeting event
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC CO-OP NEWS
SecretaryTreasurer Report The cooperative continues
members. Of
to maintain a strong financial
the increase
position. In the current year,
in assets,
over $10 million was invested
$4 million
in utility plant improvements
was through
required for reliable distribution.
borrowing, while total member-
compared to the prior year at $38
Members owned over $121
owned equity increased by around
million. The increased investment
million in assets at year-end,
$3 million. This continues the
in the utility plant drove the
with over 90% directly related
balanced approach of using debt
increased revenues. Total margins
to the distribution plant. Total
to defer rate pressure on assets
earned by the cooperative
assets increased by approximately
that will serve members for years
members totaled $4.3 million,
$7 million during the year.
to come, while collecting only
consistent with prior years.
The cash held by the cooperative decreased slightly by $300,000.
what is needed to cover your cooperative’s operational expenses.
The cooperative continues its commitment to collect
The largest cash uses are the
In total, the cooperative collected
only what is needed from
purchase of power to distribute,
$46 million in revenue in the
members to deliver the service
investment in utility plant, and
current year. Operating expenses
you require and deserve,
the return of patronage capital to
remained relatively unchanged
safely and cost-efficiently.
SOURCES AND USES OF CASH MARGINS FOR T HE Y E AR E N D I N G D EC. 31 , 2025 SOURCES OF CASH Sales to Members Borrowings from RUS/CFC (lenders) New Membership Fees & Consumer Deposits
TOTAL SOURCES OF CASH
$45,937,055 6,000,000 (15,225)
$51,921,830
USES OF CASH Payments to Power Supplier & Vendor
$42,506,927
New Construction & Replacement of Utility Plant
7,280,636
Repayment of Long-Term Debt
1,641,376
Deferred Charges
767,578
Total Uses of Cash
52,196,517
NEW (DECREASE) OR INCREASE IN CASH
6 SEPTEMBER 2026
($274,687)
Kankakee Valley REMC has included in this report the financial statements from the year ended Dec. 31, 2025. These financial statements are reported to the REMC’s lenders, as well as our members. Kankakee Valley REMC also has an annual audit performed by London Witte Group, LLC, Certified Public Accountants, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025. The audit reports are on file at the REMC office and available for inspection within 120 days after the audit period ends.
2024
2025
$44,479,957
$45,937,055
$27,169,606
26,931,347
Operations
3,330,605
3,419,136
Maintenance
OPERATING REVENUE
COMPARATIVE BALANCE SHEET
OPERATING EXPENSES Purchased Power
3,079,723
3,116,113
Customer Accounts & Collections
661,205
681,174
Customer Service & Informational Expense
389,192
425,702
Administrative & General TOTAL COST OF OPERATING EXPENSES
3,601,373
3,887,858
$38,231,704
$38,461,330
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC CO-OP NEWS
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
2024
2025
Total Utility Plant
$124,432,107
$131,712,743
Less Reserve for Depreciation
33,925,896
33,965,153
Net Utility Plant
90,506,211
97,747,590
Other Property & Investments
15,420,199
16,477,227
Cash & Temporary Investments
$3,079,626
$2,804,939
Accounts Receivable
3,285,506
2,096,499
Materials & Supplies
1,630,614
1,585,395
98,571
94,337
—
—
861,332
767,578
$114,882,059
$121,573,565
Assets & Other Debits
OTHER DEDUCTIONS Depreciation
$3,253,384
$3,583,490
—
—
1,970,088
2,257,977
Total Cost of Other Deductions
$5,223,472
5,841,467
Total Cost of Electric Service
$43,455,176
44,302,797
Operating Margins
$1,024,781
1,634,258
Non-Operating Margins
$1,082,142
1,001,297
Other Capital Credits & Patronage Dividends
$1,564,044
1,691,931
Patronage Capital or Margins
$3,670,967
$4,327,486
Tax Interest and Other
General Funds
Pre-Payments Other Current & Accrued Assets Deferred Debits
2025 OPERATING EXPENSES
Total Assets & Other Debits
Liabilities & Other Credits
PURCHASED POWER $26,931,347
Membership Fees
$667,105
$669,275
Patronage Capital
51,726,228
52,545,579
OPERATIONS $3,419,136
Other Margins & Equities
5,864,498
7,710,879
Long-Term Debt — RUS
34,613,856
33,657,324
Long-Term Debt — Other
16,364,537
21,679,692
Notes & Accounts Payable
2,551,095
2,213,216
Consumer Deposits
1,136,436
1,119,041
Other Current & Accrued Liabilities
1,918,527
1,965,716
Deferred Credits
39,777
12,843
$114,882,059
$121,573,565
MAINTENANCE $3,116,113 CUSTOMER ACCOUNTS & COLLECTIONS $681,174 CUSTOMER SERVICE & INFORMATIONAL EXPENSES $425,702 ADMINISTRATIVE & GENERAL $3,887,858
Total Liabilities & Other Credits
SEPTEMBER 2026 7
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC CO-OP NEWS
Member Appreciation Day & Annual Business Meeting THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Porter County Fairgrounds 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso, IN | Open-Air Buildings, Enter using Gate 2
ONE GRAND PRIZE
$2,000
FIVE
SEVEN
TWELVE
$250
$100
$50
BILL CREDITS
BILL CREDITS
BILL CREDITS
TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE PRIZE DRAWINGS, YOU MUST ATTEND THE MEMBER APPRECIATION DAY & ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING EVENT, BUT YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF THE DRAWING.
3-6:30 P.M. Registration DIRECTOR VOTING CLOSES AT 6:45 P.M.
3-6:30 P.M. Pork Chop Dinner NORMAN BASILE STREET MAGICIAN SEAN LAMB & JANET MILLER
Grilled hot dogs and pork chops served
5-7:30 P.M. Glitter tattoos and
balloon twists for children
by LaCrosse Lions Club.
6-7 P.M. Silly Safaris
Sides prepared by John Andy’s Deli & Café (Kouts)
and educational live animal
45-minute high energy, interactive,
Amish pies and Piggies & Cream ice cream
performance.
4:30-6:30 P.M. Norman Basile
7 P.M. Business Meeting
Street Magician 5-7 P.M. Musical Entertainment
by Sean Lamb & Janet Miller Acoustic duo playing country favorites and classic rock.
8 SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 2026 2026
5-7 P.M. Bingo
Updates from co-op leaders, Junior Board recognition and awarding of scholarships, board of directors’ election results and prize drawings.
F
arm equipment and machinery
lines can sag, especially in hot
can enhance safety by providing an
encountering power lines is
weather. Maintain a minimum
extra set of eyes.
a leading cause of injury among
clearance of 10 feet from all power
farmers. As harvest season
lines and poles.
approaches in Indiana, farmers and farm crews are busy moving equipment on roads and to and from fields. This increased activity raises the risk of accidents, warns Chris Gearld, director of safety, training and workforce development at Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “Combines and grain augers are large pieces of equipment,” said Gearld. “People assume everything will fit under the power lines, but that isn’t always the case. The biggest cause of electrocutions on farms is equipment accidentally touching power lines.” TO PREVENT DANGEROUS INCIDENTS, INDIANA’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OFFER THE FOLLOWING SAFETY GUIDELINES:
Observe your surroundings. Always check above and around before moving or raising equipment. Remember, power
Plan your route. Stay informed about where power lines and
Never try to raise power lines to allow tall equipment to pass through. Even non-metallic objects
power poles are on the property. If
like wood poles or branches can
for an alternative route.
conduct electricity.
there's any doubt the equipment will not fit under a power line, opt
Stay put in emergencies. If you’re
Measure the height of power lines and machinery. Know the distance
in equipment that touches power
between the ground and the
ground are energized. Stay in the
power lines, as well as between the
cab and call for help. Tell others to
equipment, to avoid contact with
stay away and do not let anyone
one another.
touch the equipment. In the rare
Be cautious around power poles. Striking a pole can cause it to break, dropping live wires onto your equipment.
Lower the equipment properly. Ensure that equipment such as grain augers and other portable equipment is fully lowered before transport.
Use a spotter. When navigating near power lines, having a spotter
lines, assume the equipment and
case of a fire and an emergency exit is necessary, jump clear without touching the ground and the equipment simultaneously, and land with your feet together. Then, shuffle with both feet together for at least 30 feet to avoid electrical shock. “Working the land has enough hazards in the work itself,” said Gearld. “With care and planning, moving to and from the fields shouldn’t be one of them.”
SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 2026 2026 9
INDIANA CONNECTION SAFETY
Farmers must consider power line safety during harvest season
INDIANA CONNECTION ENERGY
Beyond the books HOW TEENS CAN REDUCE ENERGY USE TO SAVE
A
s teens settle into the new academic year, they’re
also getting used to their afterschool routines: fall sports, homework, and possibly even part-time jobs. Regardless of when teenagers arrive home, there are steps they can take to minimize their electricity use and save money in the process.
OPEN CURTAINS FOR NATURAL LIGHT As teens get ready to do homework, they may instinctively turn on all the lights in the house. Yet energy can be saved by leaving lights off and opening curtains instead. The sun can often provide enough light naturally.
SHORTER SHOWERS
gaming systems can use a
When getting ready, teens should
surprising amount of electricity.
be mindful of their shower time.
Teens can save energy (and
Long, hot showers can drain the
money) by turning off these
water heater, minimizing hot
devices. If they must be on,
water for other tasks. If the water
selecting a power-saving mode
heater is electric, the cost can
can reduce their energy use.
even save money by lowering
RECHARGE DEVICES OVERNIGHT
electric co-op for advice on
Mobile phones, iPads, and other
your home’s energy efficiency.
quickly add up, especially if a co-op offers time-of-use rates and the hot shower is during times when the cost is most expensive.
devices with rechargeable batteries
TURN GAMING SYSTEMS AND COMPUTERS OFF
can be charged overnight so they
Some people habitually leave
is the most efficient use of the
devices on all day. The standby
energy grid: electricity demand
modes for computers and
on the grid peaks in the afternoon
10 SEPTEMBER 2026
are ready the next morning. This
and evening, and if you have time-of-use rates, every little watt used off-peak can help. By taking simple steps, teens can benefit the environment and their energy use. Contact your steps you can take to improve
Joe Spear Energy Solutions Coordinator Carroll White REMC
INDIANA CONNECTION INDIANA EATS
Cranberries Family Restaurant serves global comfort food with a hometown feel BY STACEY MCARTHUR
Creating tasty food and serving
brother-in-law establish
it runs in Besim Saliji’s blood.
Benjamin’s Family Restaurant
As a child, he hung out at his
of Covington. His cousin also
grandfather’s bakery in Croatia,
operates American Table Family
close to Macedonia. Around
Dining in Washington.
2000, he and his family moved to Indiana, where some of his siblings had already settled. He’s worked long hours at family restaurants since then.
HOME COOKIN’ Saliji enjoys cooking breakfast and serving it all day. Cranberries offers cooked-from-scratch specialty omelets, fresh hash browns, and
He decided to ditch the long
thick-cut bacon for breakfast. Most
hours but not the restaurant
ingredients are also locally sourced.
work he loved. That’s why he and his wife opened Cranberries Family Restaurant, a breakfast and lunch establishment in Jasper, Indiana. “They liked the small-town vibe, community, and the way people live here,” said Tarynn Reeves, manager, who has worked since the day they opened three years ago.
A FAMILY AFFAIR Restaurants run deep in the family. Saliji’s wife, Zemi, helps operate Cranberries. His cousin, daughter, and son also work there. Everyone knows every job at the restaurant. And Saliji has more than 25 years of culinary experience working in many
“Our food is consistent,” said Reeves. “When you come in, you know what kind of food you will get and what kind of service you will get. We have the same cooks every day, so that everything will taste the same. The customers recognize the staff. It’s like eating at home.” Patrons can order worldly items, such as a Monte Cristo that features two pieces of French Toast with Swiss cheese and grilled ham, along with hash browns, fruit, or oats. There’s also a German skillet that includes corned beef hash, American fries, Swiss cheese, two eggs,
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CRANBERRIES FAMILY RESTAURANT
and toast, as well as many Greek dishes. Additionally, they serve sandwiches, wraps, salads, Walleye and baby beef liver and onions. “Besim wanted to offer hometown people the food they loved but also entice them with dishes that aren’t served at other places,” said Reeves. Another way the restaurant shows its appreciation for its customers is by serving generous portions, offering children’s and senior menus, and keeping prices reasonable. “We value our customers, and we never want them to feel like we are running their pockets,” added Reeves.
restaurants and helping his family establish their own restaurants. Saliji helped found Benjamin’s Family Restaurant in Rossville before the company moved to Rockville. About 10 years later, he moved to Covington
CRANBERRIES FAMILY RESTAURANT 198 Third Ave., Jasper, IN 47546 812-556-0237 cranberriesfamilyrestaurant.com Open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Extended hours on Fridays.
and helped his sister and SEPTEMBER 2026 11
INDIANA CONNECTION CITY SPOTLIGHT
PUBLIC DOMAIN
Evansville BY NICOLE THOMAS
Known as the “River City,” Evansville
from across the country visit during
2019, the Nut Club has also hosted
is Indiana’s third most populous city.
the library’s annual “Midnight
an annual half-pot drawing during
It’s home to Angel Mounds State
Madness” week in June, when it
the festival. The 2022 drawing set
Historic Site, one of the country’s
remains open until midnight for
a record, reaching $1.64 million.
best-preserved Native American
family history research. The library
sites, as well as Bosse Field, one of
is also said to house the “Grey Lady,”
the oldest ballparks in the country.
the ghost of Louise Carpenter, the
THE CITY’S WILD SIDE As one of Indiana’s first zoos, the Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden opened in 1928 with just two lion cubs, antelope, and an elephant. Today, the 45-acre zoo in Evansville homes more than 700 animals and welcomes more than 205,000 visitors each year. The zoo was built around Lake Victoria, where visitors can either walk along it or rent paddle boats to spot birds, turtles, and fish. Open 365 days a year, visitors can also discover exhibits featuring wildlife from
daughter of its founder, Willard Carpenter. After Willard’s death, the library was donated according to his will, but Louise disputed the decision and claimed ownership. She ultimately lost her court case, and local lore says her spirit resides
have smelled her perfume. Since the late 1990s, visitors have searched library’s ghost cams and during its annual October Ghost Tours.
Evansville’s largest street festival, the West Side Nut Club’s Fall
genealogical archives. Researchers
PHOTO COURTESY OF LORI SR
12 SEPTEMBER 2026
last county in the August issue. For the rest of the year, we will feature Indiana’s major cities.
CITY FACTS
for the “Grey Lady” through the
the zoo’s botanic garden.
Evansville known for its extensive
2019, and finally covered the
1937, and others have claimed to
and penguins, or stroll through
Gothic Revival-style library in
Indiana’s counties since January
reported seeing the “Grey Lady” in
A NUTTY TRADITION
The Willard Public Library is a
We have been highlighting
in the building. A custodian first
around the world, feed giraffes
GENEALOGY AND GHOST STORIES
Editor’s note
Festival, takes place each year during the first week of October along Franklin Street. Drawing nearly 200,000 visitors, the event features a parade, fair rides, live music, and 137 food booths hosted by nonprofit organizations. Since
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEST SIDE NUT CLUB
FOUNDED: 1812 NAMED FOR: Colonel Robert Morgan Evans, an officer in the War of 1812 POPULATION: 117,298
INDIANA CONNECTION EVENTS
4
EVENT GUIDE YOUR GUIDE TO FESTIVALS AND FUN ACROSS INDIANA
1
HOLLAND FESTIVAL Sept. 18-19 | Holland
2
visitduboiscounty.com/events The Holland Festival is “a Dutch touch” in a
3
German town. The festival offers food booths, a kids’ zone and activities, a beer garden, live music, a wiener dog race, an ice cream eating contest, a barbeque contest, a craft show, and
1
family-friendly activities staged around
5
Holland’s historic windmill.
COUNTY ANTIQUE 2 FRANKLIN MACHINERY SHOW Sept. 24-27 | Brookville fcamc.org
4
CORN SCHOOL
Oct. 6-10 | LaGrange
Celebrating its 31st year, the Franklin County
facebook.com/cornschoolfestival
Antique Machinery Show is one of Indiana’s
Corn School is one of the oldest street festivals in
largest antique machinery shows. The festival
Indiana and takes place every year in downtown
includes antique tractor pulls, horse pulls,
LaGrange. Enjoy a four-day celebration with
sawmill, steam engines, threshing, flea market,
carnival rides, games, talent shows, food vendors,
tractor games, food, and more. Oliver Tractors
parades, and the traditional vegetable awards.
and Equipment, as well as Michigan Built Engines, will be featured.
FESTIVAL 3 LOTUS Oct. 1-4 | Bloomington
DAY DOWNTOWN 5 DOG Oct. 17, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Evansville downtownevansville.com/events Bring your pups and join us for the seventh
lotusfest.org
annual Dog Day Downtown, presented by
Lotus World Music & Arts Festival showcases
German American Bank. Enjoy free activities
the exceptional talent of performing artists and
like an agility course, a foam party, a bone
musicians from around the globe. Twenty artists
bar, a pup cup station, nail trimming, and
will perform over four days and multiple venues.
more. Representatives from local animal
With a sense of discovery, exploration, and
nonprofits will be in attendance. Local
celebration, people of all ages, and backgrounds
vendors will also be at the event selling dog-
come to Bloomington to experience Lotus.
related products, custom pet caricatures, and craft beers from Barker Brewhouse.
SEPTEMBER 2026 13
INDIANA CONNECTION FOOD
COZY APPLE DESSERTS PERFECT FOR FALL GATHERINGS
14 SEPTEMBER 2026
RECIPES PREPARED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY INDIANA CONNECTION STAFF.
INDIANA CONNECTION FOOD
Apple and nut bread pudding BARBARA WOLF, AVILLA
16 slices day-old bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
21 oz can apple pie filling, slices cut in half
2 cups sugar 4 eggs
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
3 cups milk
1 cup golden raisins
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
Whipped cream, optional
In a large bowl, combine the bread and sugar. Set aside. In another bowl, beat eggs, milk, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until foamy. Pour over bread and sugar; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Stir in all remaining ingredients except whipped cream. Pour into a greased 9-inch-by-13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 45-50 minutes, or until firm. Cut into squares. Serve warm or cold with whipped cream, if desired.
Crockpot apple butter MARTHA WISER-PARTIN, CORYDON
5 lbs tart apples
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground cloves
Rhubarb apple pizza
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
JIM SHERRICK, VALPARAISO
Peel, core, and slice the apples. Add the apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt to the crock pot. Stir until well mixed. Cover and cook on high for 5 hours, or on low for 8–10 hours, until the apples are soft and tender. keep formed liquid in the crock pot. Use an immersion blender in the crock pot with any liquid that has formed. Pulse until smooth or blend in a blender. Store in small jars or airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze.
CRUST
TOPPING
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 cup flour 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups apples, peeled and sliced thin
2 Tbsp shortening
1 package strawberry gelatin mix
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup sugar
1 egg beaten with 2 Tbsp milk
1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup margarine, melted
Mix together the crust ingredients. Pat the mixture into the bottom and sides of a round pizza pan or 9-inch-by-13-inch cake pan. Place the rhubarb and apples over the crust. Sprinkle strawberry gelatin mix on top. In a bowl, mix the sugar, flour, and melted margarine, and pour over the pizza. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes. SEPTEMBER 2026 15
Location Location Location The Richmond mobile showroom will be visiting Menards locations. Find one near you! DATE
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
ZIP
8:00am - 12:00pm 09/16/26
1300 US Hwy 41
Schererville
Indiana
46375
09/21/26
5260 South Franklin
Michigan City
Indiana
46360
09/22/26
1233 165th Street
Hammond
Indiana
46320
Valparaiso
Indiana
46383
9:00am - 3:30pm 09/18/26
351 Silhavy Road
1:00pm - 5:00pm 09/16/26
6300 Mississippi Street
Merrillville
Indiana
46410
09/21/26
6220 US Route 6
Portage
Indiana
46368
09/22/26
6050 West Ridge Road
Gary
Indiana
46408
From high‑efficiency electric models to advanced heat pump water heaters, Richmond helps lower energy use and reduce monthly bills while meeting all of your hot water demands. Want to learn more about our water heating technologies and how to save money on monthly bills? Learn how these products work with live demonstrations of Tankless Gas and Heat Pump Water Heaters. Stop by a Menards store near you and check out our mobile showroom. AVAILABLE AT
INDIANA CONNECTION FEATURE
From the GROUND UP HARRISON COUNTY’S LOCAL FOOD SCENE IS UNITING THE COMMUNITY AND FUELING A MOVEMENT
BY STEPHANIE BERNABA
is run by Main Street Corydon
E
and managed by Karen York,
Mulberry Street in Corydon.
The market runs every Friday
very Friday evening from May through October, something
magical happens at 124 South Farmers, bakers, beekeepers, and artisan food makers set up booths at the Corydon Farmers Market, and the community shows up to shop, eat, and connect. People linger over lavender lemonades and wood-fired pizzas. Regulars line up early for cultfavorite cookies. Families make
who also serves as president of the Main Street Corydon Board.
from 4 to 7 p.m. and features 27 vendor booths, all of which are filled this season, with a waiting list for overflow spots. Vendors range from produce growers and meat farmers to bakers, beekeepers, mushroom growers, and artisan crafters.
it a Friday night tradition.
What makes the Corydon market
Harrison County’s local food scene
sale, but the spirit in which it
has quietly become one of the most vibrant in southern Indiana. Growers, bakers, and makers built this community on a shared belief that people deserve to know
stand out is not just what is for operates. Vendors visit each other’s booths, buy from one another, and incorporate each other’s products into their own.
the hands that grew their food.
“The high tide raises all boats,” York
A MARKET THAT GROWS COMMUNITY
each other’s booths. They go and
The Corydon Farmers Market has been a cornerstone of the local food scene since 2015, when it was established through a Stellar Grant as part of an effort to revitalize downtown Corydon. Now in its 11th season, the market
said. “I love that our vendors visit buy the honey and use it in their cookies. They support each other,
Angela de Krieger, owner of Singing Trees Keep (Photo courtesy of de Krieger)
pad to open brick-and-mortar storefronts in downtown Corydon. “It allows the vendors an opportunity to see what is popular, what is in demand, what will sell,” York said. “It’s an incubator for businesses downtown.” The market is free to the public, with vendor fees kept accessible. Permanent vendors pay $150 for the season, while temporary vendors pay $25 per event up to a $150 cap. The market features two covered pavilions on a concrete slab, with electricity for vendors and on-site restrooms.
SINGING TREES KEEP: THE HEART OF THE HOMESTEAD Angela de Krieger and her husband, Sang, run a teaching
which makes me want to cry.”
homestead in Harrison County
Three vendors — Abruzzo’s Italian
small-batch fermentation studio,
Foods and Confections, Ageless Agape, and Precious Lather — have used the market as a launching
that includes a microbakery, a pasture-raised poultry, and workshops to help neighbors reconnect with their food supply. SEPTEMBER 2026 17
INDIANA CONNECTION FEATURE
“Our mission is to produce holistically managed livestock and products to improve food security for ourselves and the surrounding communities,” de Krieger said. De Krieger began making kimchi in 2014 after her family moved from Los Angeles to Indiana. Her husband was adopted from South Korea as a child and could not find kimchi locally once the family settled in Indiana. What started as a gift for him became a passion, and by 2019, she was selling fermented foods at the Corydon Farmers Market. She later launched a sourdough microbakery, inspired by her efforts to bake healthier bread for her son’s health. At her booth, shoppers find fermented vegetables including pineapple-ginger sauerkraut, kimchi asparagus, fermented carrots, and curtido, a Latin American-style ferment, alongside sourdough loaves, muffins, scones, and pancake mixes. Her brown butter chocolate chip cookies have such a following that customers line up 20 minutes before the market opens to secure a bag. Singing Trees Keep also raises and sells pasture-raised chickens, about 180 last year, and offers sourdough baking workshops and chicken processing classes.
GYPSY RAIN ORGANICS: THIRD-GENERATION ROOTS AND A MODERN VISION Tad Streepey grew up next door to the farm he now runs. His grandmother farmed row crops in Harrison County, his
18 SEPTEMBER 2026
parents were homesteaders, and he spent childhood summers picking tomatoes and milking goats. He created Gypsy Rain Organics as an LLC in 2020. “From the time we got the farm, I always wanted to do something with it,” Streepey said, “and then COVID hit, and I thought, no better time than now.”
program (a CSA is a direct arrangement where you buy a share of a local farm’s harvest upfront), sells at the Corydon Farmers Market every Friday, supplies vegetables to local restaurants, hosts farm visits, and offers growing classes. Streepey’s
Gypsy Rain Organics now
offerings include four colors of
runs a Community Supported
beets, uncommon greens, and
Agriculture (CSA) subscription
microgreens grown year-round
“If we didn’t have beekeepers, I
areas in the United States for pests,”
think there’d be hardly any bees
Streepey said. His approach relies
left,” Oliver said. “And it’s very
on neem oil, beneficial nematodes,
rewarding when people tell me
soil inoculation, caterpillar
how much they enjoy the honey.”
tunnels, and bug netting, all without synthetic chemicals. This year, Streepey said, is intentionally a “catch our breath” year, a chance to stabilize before scaling up again. Sourdough bread and locally sourced honey are also available through the
over months of experimentation
an industrial water treatment engineer, and beekeeping has
and launch a winter CSA. Organic farming here, Streepey explained, is not without challenges.
a custom 11-ingredient blend of psyllium husk powder, developed on her family’s 28-acre farm. “With gluten-free baking, it has to be a blend,” Zenor explained. “It’s a more involved process than baking regular sourdough, but to get the consistency,
become his primary focus.
you have to have the mix.”
Oliver and his wife, Carol, run
Her lineup includes artisan
Bee Boy Honey together, selling at the market every Friday. Their line has expanded beyond raw honey to include creamed honey, hot honey, honey sticks, honeyspiced pecans, beeswax soaps, lip balms, hand cream, deodorant,
Streepey plans to add two more
after discovering her own gluten
Scott Oliver started keeping bees
2025 from a 34-year career as
producing through winter, and
families across Harrison County
whole-grain flours, starches, and
around Corydon. He retired in
keeps collards, kale, and spinach
gluten-free sourdough for
BEE BOY HONEY: SWEET WORK, 50 HIVES STRONG
than 50 hives across six locations
under lights. A new hoop house
Seeds Bakery & Blooms, bakes
sensitivity. Her signature loaves use
years later, he manages more
de Krieger and Main Street Corydon)
Sharon Zenor, owner of Sowing
Gypsy Rain Organics CSA.
in 2010 with two hives. Sixteen
Clockwise from top left: Angela de Krieger teaches a class at Backroads Market in Corydon.; Gypsy Rain Organics offers a CSA program along with their farmers market sales.; Bee Boy Honey manages over 50 hives in six locations around Corydon.; The Corydon Farmers Market offers 27 vendor booths.; Farmers Market vendors range from produce growers and meat farmers to bakers, beekeepers, and artisan crafters. (Photos courtesy of Angela
SOWING SEEDS BAKERY & BLOOMS: GLUTEN-FREE MADE WITH CARE
sourdough loaves, gluten-free cinnamon rolls, cookies, pizza crusts, and dinner rolls, with vegan and dairy-free options in development. Orders are accepted through HotPlate.com every other week, and Zenor
candles, and propolis extract.
delivers personally along a route
His honey-spiced pecans started
to New Albany and Louisville,
as an afterthought and now sell out every week in four-pound batches. Because his four-acre property can support only about 15 hives, Oliver has built a network of host properties, all current or former market vendors, providing
“Talk to any organic farmer that
equipment and labor in exchange
has grown in this area, and they
for 10% of his annual harvest.
stretching from Harrison County Kentucky. Customers can also pick up orders year-round at Backroads Market in Corydon. The bakery grew entirely by word of mouth after Angela de Krieger tried a loaf and started passing the name to friends. The two now barter regularly, trading bread for pasture-raised chickens.
SEPTEMBER 2026 19
INDIANA CONNECTION FEATURE
will tell you this is one of the worst
INDIANA CONNECTION FEATURE
K&B LIBERTY FARMS: REGENERATIVE, PASTURERAISED, AND MISSION-DRIVEN Kris and Brittney Hobt bring a unique story to the county’s food scene. Both are U.S. Army veterans who continue to serve
producers across Indiana. When
applied to commercial food
regulatory guidelines threatened
establishments, and state and
to restrict what home-based
local health authorities are
vendors could legally sell, the two
barred from imposing rules or
built a grassroots coalition and
licensing requirements beyond
took their case to Indianapolis.
those required by federal law.
their community while running
De Krieger founded an online
a regenerative farm and raising a
group, Hoosiers for Food
family. They joined the Corydon
Freedom, that grew to more than
Farmers Market in 2023 and
3,000 members statewide and
have quickly become a valued
connected with the Institute for
part of the vendor community.
Justice and Leah Wilson, president
The farm specializes in pasture-
of Stanford Health Freedom.
raised poultry and beef raised
Together, they rallied support
using regenerative practices. K&B
for House Bill 1424, the Farm
Liberty hosts Bee Boy Honey
and Homestead Food Sales
hives on its property and carries
Act, authored by Rep. Hunter
products from Ageless Agape,
Smith and co-authored by Reps.
a local toxin-free cosmetics
Robert Morris, Matt Lehman,
company whose formulations use
and Robb Greene. The bill was
tallow sourced from K&B’s cattle.
sponsored in the Senate by Sens.
BACKROADS MARKET: WHERE LOCAL MAKERS FIND A HOME Not every part of the local food scene happens outdoors on a Friday night. Backroads Market, owned by Abby Taylor, provides year-round visibility and a gathering space for the area’s makers, bakers, and artisans. De Krieger drops off bread orders there during the off-market months, and Taylor charges nothing for the dedicated shelving. The space also hosts workshops throughout the year, including fermentation and sourdough classes led by de Krieger.
HOUSE BILL 1424: A WIN FOR INDIANA’S FOOD PRODUCERS De Krieger and Streepey of Gypsy Rain Organics spent much of the past year championing legislation that has reshaped what is possible for small food 20 SEPTEMBER 2026
Brian Buchanan, Gary Byrne, Tyler Johnson, Eric Koch, Blake Doriot, and Stacey Donato. De Krieger and Streepey testified before the Senate committee, each bringing sons who also testified. Of the roughly 14 people who testified in support, de Krieger estimates at least half were connected through her advocacy group. The bill passed the House 74-12, and Governor Mike Braun signed it into law on March 12,
Vendors may sell specified meat products and other foods from their own property or at a farmers’ market, and may ship and deliver food directly to consumers under specified conditions. Vendors must still provide consumers with product information through signage or labeling, and health departments retain the ability to investigate foodborne illness complaints. “This will free up not just small farms, but customers too, to choose where they buy and what they feed their family,” de Krieger said. “I truly believe that small farms feeding local communities is the way forward.”
A COMMUNITY WORTH SUPPORTING These businesses represent a value much greater than the sum of their parts. They are a network of vendors who buy from, barter with, advocate for, and show up together at county health board meetings and Statehouse hearings.
2026. It took effect July 1.
The Corydon Farmers Market
Homestead and small farm
the end of October. Bring
vendors are now exempt from health regulations that previously
continues every Friday through an appetite, a bag, and the family. Dinner is waiting.
For a list of vendor contacts and product ordering details, visit indianaconnection.org.
EMPOWERING CO-OPS TO MEET RISING ENERGY DEMANDS RESPONSIBLY
I
make it a point to get out into our co-op communities. There
is one topic that seems to come up everywhere I go. Whether I’m
INDIANA CONNECTION WVPA NEWS
Navigating growth meeting with directors, talking with community leaders, or visiting with our member co-ops, the conversation often turns to growth. New investment. New businesses. New opportunities. And increasingly, questions about how much electricity those projects may need. For much of my career, electricity demand was relatively flat. Growth in population and economic activity was often offset by gains in efficiency. Utilities could generally predict future demand with a fair degree of confidence. That has changed.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES Across Indiana and much of the Midwest, communities are seeing interest from manufacturers, technology companies, data centers, and other large energy users looking for places to invest and grow. These projects can bring jobs, expand local tax bases, and create new opportunities for the communities we serve. Along with those opportunities come important questions. Can the electric system support the additional demand? What infrastructure will be needed? How long will it take to build?
Who should pay for those
The discussions and arguments
investments? Most importantly,
surrounding growth will continue
how do we continue providing
for years. The opportunities are
reliable and affordable electricity
real, and so are the challenges.
to the members who already
What gives me confidence
depend on us every day? These
is knowing that co-ops were
are not always simple questions,
built for exactly these kinds of
but they are the right questions.
conversations. The cooperative
OUR RESPONSIBILITY As co-ops, our responsibility is not to pursue every opportunity that comes along, nor is it to
business model encourages us to think long-term, ask tough questions, and keep members at the center of every decision.
avoid growth altogether. Our
Growth will continue to knock
job is to evaluate opportunities
on our door. When it does,
carefully and make decisions
we will approach it the same
that strengthen our communities
way we’ve always approached
while protecting the interests
important decisions: thoughtfully,
of our members. That means
responsibly, and with our
looking beyond the headlines
members’ best interests in mind.
and considering the long-term impacts. It means planning for reliability, evaluating risk, and ensuring growth supports rather than compromises our mission.
Jeff Conrad
President and CEO Wabash Valley Power Alliance
SEPTEMBER 2026 21
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC CO-OP NEWS
2025
Operation Round Up
OPERATION ROUND UP GRANT RECIPIENTS
2025 YEAR IN REVIEW
Bikes for Kids, Inc. Community Services of Starke County Family House
In 2025, Operation Round
acts of kindness add up, turning
Up continued its tradition of
spare change into significant
Harold W. McMillen Center for Health Education
supporting the community
support for those in need.
Hebron Country Pantry
by contributing $88,500 in grants to local non-profit organizations. These vital funds empowered a variety of groups dedicated to helping and supporting people throughout our service area.
Thanks to this collective
Hilltop Neighborhood House
effort, numerous non-profits
Holy Spirit Church-St. Vincent DePaul
received the resources they
LaPorte Symphony Orchestra
need to carry out their missions, whether providing food, shelter, education, or other essential services. Together, the co-op and
LifeWise Academy East Porter County School Corp. LifeWise Academy North Judson-San Pierre
What makes Operation
its members are making a real
Round Up truly special is its
difference, strengthening the
North Judson United Methodist Church Food Pantry
grassroots approach. The
foundation of our community
Making A Kid Smile (MAKS)
program is entirely funded
one grant at a time.
Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana
by the cooperative's generous
Porter County Ag Society
members, who choose to
Porter County Aging and Community Services
round up their monthly bills to the next dollar. These small
LifeWise Academy North Judson-San Pierre
Pulaski County Human Services San Pierre Parks & Recreation Society, Inc. SC Weekend Food Pantry Servants at Work Starke County Initiative For Lifelong Learning Starke County Soil & Water Conservation District St. Thomas Aquinas Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society St. Vincent de Paul Supplemental United Food Pantry South County Love Your Neighbor The Caring Place The Church of Jesus Christ of Valparaiso Food Pantry The Christian Community Food Pantry Union Mills Conservation Club
22 SEPTEMBER 2026
SEPT. 25, 2025 The 2025 Annual Meeting of the membership of the Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation was held at the Porter County Fairgrounds in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, on Sept. 25, 2025. A catered meal with pork chops prepared by the LaCrosse Lions Club and sides by John Andy’s was served to the members beginning at 3:30 p.m. CST by REMC employees and board members. Live music by Ashlyn and Nate Venturelli was presented on the indoor stage. The business meeting was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. CST, pursuant to notice provided to each member of the cooperative. The business meeting included the announcement of board members for a new three-year term, industry updates by the cooperative leadership team, recognition and a scholarship presentation to the Junior Board of Directors, and the awarding of prizes. A copy of the proof of mailing of the Notices and Secretary’s Affidavit is appended as EXHIBIT A, at the end of these minutes, and was included in the member program available to the membership at the Annual Meeting event for those who appeared and registered at the meeting, and also was available on the cooperative website. The business meeting opened, and the first matter of business was the consideration of the notice of the meeting. The reading of the Notice of the Meeting to Members as provided in Bylaw Art. III Sec. 3 was waived and dispensed after a motion duly made and seconded was carried on a unanimous vote. The next item on the agenda was the reading of the minutes of the 2024 Annual Meeting. On motion duly made and seconded, the membership resolved to waive the reading of the minutes. Then, on motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of the 2024 Annual Meeting were approved as printed in the program, on a vote. A count of the members present for the meeting showed that a quorum was reached pursuant to Bylaw Art. IV Sec. 4(d). A total of 628 members attended the Annual Meeting in person. The membership had been advised at the Annual Meeting that there were two director seats up for election at this Annual Meeting for terms of three years each or until their successors shall be duly elected and qualified. The candidates were selected by obtaining nominations by petition pursuant to the bylaws of the cooperative. Instructions were provided to all members on how to complete the membership vote
online prior to the Annual Meeting or in person at the event. In accordance with Bylaw Art. IV, the following candidates were nominated for election by petition in Districts 1 and 2:
DISTRICT 1 Chris Birky (unopposed) DISTRICT 2 Dean Moretton Amy Swift Robert Wichlinski Attorney Krsak called the members appointed to serve as election inspectors to gather and begin counting the votes and to certify the election. The members appointed to serve as election inspectors were Dennis Leek and Tim Miller. The election inspectors, with assistance from KV REMC employees, counted the votes cast for the election for the District 1 position, where Chris Birky was running unopposed on the ballot. Ballots were counted and added to the pre-meeting voting, and the total results showed that Chris Birky had at least 1 vote. Thus, Birky was duly elected director on the board of directors for District 1 for the ensuing three years or until their successors have been elected and qualified. Election inspectors, with assistance from KVREMC employees, counted the votes cast for the District 2 position, which included Dean Moretton, Amy Swift, and Robert Wichlinski on the ballot. Ballots were counted and added to the pre-meeting voting totals, and the results showed: Dean Moretton with 450 votes, Amy Swift with 407 votes, and Robert Wichlinski with 404 votes. Thus, Moretton was duly elected director on the board of directors for District 2 for the ensuing three years or until their successors were elected and qualified. The results of the election to the board for Districts 1 and 2 were duly certified by the Election Inspectors, and the prevailing candidates are as reported above. The Certificate of Election Inspectors is available to the member-consumers upon request at the Kankakee Valley REMC office. CEO Scott Sears announced the prize winners, including anyone whose registration card was selected, regardless of whether the member was present at the time of the drawing. The chairman called for any other business or new business to be brought to the attention of the membership; there being none, the meeting was duly adjourned.
EXHIBIT A
Secretary’s Affidavit of Mailing of the Notice of the 2025 Annual Meeting STATE OF INDIANA, COUNTY OF LAPORTE I, Bill Bohling, being first duly sworn, upon his oath deposes and says: That I am the duly elected and qualified Secretary of the Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation, hereinafter called the Cooperative. That on the 27 day of August 2025, I had mailed to each member-consumer of the cooperative, to the addresses as they appear on the records of the 2, a notice of the Annual Meeting of the memberconsumers to be held on Sept. 25, 2025, by depositing such notice with postage prepaid thereon and addressed as aforesaid in the United States mail. The total number of member-consumers receiving notice of the Annual Meeting on said date was 19,062.
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO BILL BOHLING, SECRETARY, BEFORE ME THIS 27TH DAY OF AUGUST
ALISSA WOLF NOTARY PUBLIC COUNTY OF RESIDENT, LAPORTE MY COMMISSION EXPIRES FEB. 13, 2030
SEPTEMBER 2026 23
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC CO-OP NEWS
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE KANKAKEE VALLEY RURAL ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION, INC.
Indiana’s electric cooperatives put Hoosiers’ needs first The residents and businesses in the communities we serve are our member-owners. We put our members’ needs first.
36 FEBRU ARY 20 19
This registration card certifies that you are a Kankakee Valley REMC member-consumer and entitles you to be entered into the prize drawings to be held at the 2026 Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting event on Sept. 24 at the Porter County Fairgrounds, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso, IN 46383.
DETACH THIS CARD THIS IS YOUR OFFICIAL REGISTRATION CARD. DO NOT THROW IT AWAY!
MEMBER SIGNATURE
Please bring this card to the Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting.
This card will be used for the prize drawings. The registration table will close at 6:30 p.m. CDT. No registrations will be accepted after that time. Member-consumers must register at the event to be eligible for prize drawings. You do not need to be present to win a prize.
Meet your director candidates Learn more about your fellow members running for the board of directors by viewing their biographies online at kvremc.com. Each KV REMC member may cast one vote in each district up for election.
Notice of the 2026 Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting of the member-consumers of the Kankakee Valley REMC Be advised that as a memberconsumer of the Kankakee Valley REMC, you are hereby notified that the 2026 Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting of the organization is now scheduled for the Sept. 24 at the Porter County Fairgrounds, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso, IN 46383. Doors will open at 3 p.m. CDT, with the business meeting taking place at 7 p.m. CDT.
Brad Hazelton
Mike Yankauskas
The purpose of the business
DISTRICT 4
DISTRICT 4
minutes of the 2025 Annual
meeting shall be action on the Meeting as prepared, presentation of audits and reports for the previous fiscal year, election of directors, and transacting such other business as may come before the member-consumers. In accordance with the bylaws,
Sharon Angelina
Russell Guse
Charles Kleinfehn
AT LARGE
AT LARGE
AT LARGE
this notice is being sent to you no less than ten (10) days or more than sixty (60) days prior to the meeting. IC 8-1 13-8.
THIS IS YOUR OFFICIAL REGISTRATION CARD. Please bring this card with you to the Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting at the Porter County Fairgrounds on Sept. 24, 2026.
DO NOT THROW THIS CARD AWAY! Tear it off and keep it.
SEE YOU ON
SEPT. 24!