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CO-OP NEWS
CONTACT US Office: 260-726-7121 / 800-835-7362
WEBSITE www.jayremc.com
EMAIL remc@jayremc.com
OFFICE HOURS 8 a.m.-4 p.m., Monday-Friday
STREET ADDRESS 484 S. 200 W. Portland, IN 47371
MAILING ADDRESS 484 S. 200 W. Portland, IN 47371
POWER OUTAGES To report a power outage, call 260-726-7121 or 800-835-7362, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kenneth Denton Rick Dues Dru Hall Kent Homan Klint Moser Michael Ninde Steven D. Ritchie, Chairman Diane Schrock, Secretary Ronald Smithson
STAFF Neil Draper President/CEO Becky Napert Business Manager Pete Byrum Operations Manager Jeff Myers Engineering Manager Carly Nichols Marketing and Communications Coordinator
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KEEPING PETS AND ENERGY BILLS COMFORTABLE
Most of us consider our pets as part of the family. That’s why during the winter months, we make sure our whole family, stays warms without breaking your budget.
This month, I’d like to share a few simple ways you can make your home more comfortable for you and your pets this winter, which can ultimately help you save on energy bills.
At the onset of the cold weather season, replace the HVAC filter for better air quality and to help the unit operate more efficiently. You can also keep your home cozier by caulking and weatherstripping windows and doors. If your home is particularly chilly, you can tape or affix heavy, clear plastic to the inside of your window frames to create an additional barrier against the cold. Ensure that the plastic is tightly sealed to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
We know winter can be tough, so set your thermostat at 68 F, a perfect temperature for people and pets. This is especially important for smaller, short hair and senior dogs — not just for warmth, but for their general health. Puppies, kittens and older pets with arthritis or other ailments may have a harder time controlling their body heat and need the additional warmth when it’s chilly out. Pets that sleep close to the floor can be subject to cold drafts that enter your home through windows and exterior doors. If your pet’s bed is near a window or door that feels drafty, tightly roll up a towel and place it near the bottom of the door or window to eliminate the draft. Cutting down on cold drafts helps everyone feel more comfortable during colder months.
If possible, elevate your pet’s bed so it’s not placed directly on a cold floor. An old chair or sofa cushion works well. If you don’t use a dog bed, take some old blankets and create a doughnut shape on the cushion so the dog can snuggle and “nest” within the blanket. You can do the same for cats but on a smaller scale. Blankets enable pets to nestle into them, even when they aren’t tired, and provide a comfortable place for dogs and cats to curl up.
During the day, open your blinds and curtains to allow sunlight to warm your home. Close window coverings at night for an added layer of insulation. At Jay County REMC, we want to help you save energy and money. Check out our SmartHub app to monitor your use or visit our website at jayremc.com for additional energy-saving tips.
We can’t control the weather, but we can provide advice to help you save energy and keep your family and furry friends more comfortable during the winter season.
NEIL DRAPER
CEO
ALL ABOUT
THE RESCUE
By Carly Nichols
A heavy-set elderly dog, appearing to be an assortment of many breeds, sways toward me as I sit at a wrought iron patio table. He wobbles a little with every step to give me an approving sniff before he lays down under a chair. I assume he’s resuming a nap he was already taking when I arrived. His name is Earl, and he is just one of the many friendly faces at the CSC Farms Rescue Haus in Hartford City. Judi Crouch and her son, Zach, have been running the farm for many years as a nonprofit wildlife rehab center. It also serves as a location that rescues exotic and livestock animals throughout Indiana. “CSC” is a combination of the initials of the last names of Judi’s children, and “Rescue Haus” is an homage to a friend who passed away. She had owned a facility by that moniker, and they felt moved to keep the name alive through their rescue.
You may wonder why you’ve never heard of CSC, but the answer is simple. It’s a game of numbers. “We get animals from all over the state, and we take all mammals, reptiles, and amphibians,” Judi said. So, there isn’t much time for advertising when you can potentially have 700 to 800 animals at a given time and only five people to run the show. When the pandemic hit, the rescue’s traffic increased considerably. Judi explained that they would have cars lined up and down the road, dropping off animals. Each vehicle would wait its turn, pull in to drop off an animal, and then pull out only for another car to replace it immediately. The effects of COVID have been widespread and publicized when it comes to people, but repercussions like animal surrender are not so easily recognizable as fallout from this pandemic. Even during periods of normalcy, the reality is there are times of the year that are more burdened with animal surrenders than others. Sadly, these are moments when animals are purchased rashly as presents, like bunnies at Easter. These animals are then handed over when the owners realize they don’t have the time, money, or know-how to take care of them.
Unfortunately, this happens often in this field. Zach and Judi mainly want you to know, “Educate yourselves before you get an animal.” Zach reiterates that taking the time to do the research will help you make a truly informed decision and keep an extra animal from being rehomed or surrendered. The farm might receive 15 to 20 calls a day in the spring for animals no longer suitable for the families to keep. It’s a heartbreaking scenario that can be avoided.
Though they handle many of those cases, most of the animals at the Rescue Haus are wildlife. They offer these animals sanctuary, food, and rest as they recover. When the animals are ready, they release into the wild when possible. Some animals will never be eligible for release and will spend the rest of their days comfortably on the farm. The good news is that even though some animals cannot be released or succumb to injuries, there are more happy endings than not. Zach said, “The amount we release is significant compared to the amount we can’t help.” Ultimately, their main goals are rehabbing and releasing as many animals as possible. You might be wondering if there are
WIN A PET-THEMED BASKET!
Complete this form for a chance to win a pet-themed basket worth $50. Mail entry to Jay County REMC, 484 S. 200 W., Portland, IN 47371. You may also call 800-835-7362 or drop off your entry at the REMC. Entries can be emailed to nicholsc@jayremc.com. Drawing will be held Nov. 30 at 4 p.m.
any animals they don’t work with at the rescue. Remember my new friend Earl? They don’t work with dogs, cats, or birds native to Indiana. There are other options for those animals, like a local bird facility, to which they can refer. Earl is a family pet and apparent front door guardian that helps them by keeping one napping eye on things. Even though Earl is a great helper, the CSC Farms Rescue Haus could use a little more help. The rescue has many cages to clean, dishes to wash, and animals to feed. It can be overwhelming for such a small crew to handle this much work, and having more volunteers would be ideal.
If the Rescue Haus is the type of place your heart calls to, but you cannot offer help by physically volunteering, they also need donations. Donations for a place like this can come in many forms. The farm has an Amazon wish list on its Facebook page that allows people to donate items the animals need from the comfort of the donator’s home. The facility also has an easyto-use PayPal link on its Facebook page, enabling you to donate cash online. Checks can also be written to CSC Farms Rescue Haus and mailed to 4593 E. 500 S., Hartford City, IN 47348. Any donations made to the farm are tax deductible, and you will receive documentation for tax purposes. Judi and Zach initiate fundraisers during the year when time permits. However, it can be difficult because they don’t want to burden community members more during certain times of the year. Nor do they want to compete with the teams and groups working on fundraisers for their programs. They offer the option to sponsor an animal or enclosure throughout the grounds, another unique way you can donate to the facility. Judi and Zach know the impact donations can have on a project, program, or organization. They both ensure that they give back to the community anytime they can. Zach explained, “People need people, and if you can be anything in this world, be kind.” This mantra seems to be the guiding light that fuels the CSC Farms Rescue Haus.
If you want to keep up with the CSC Farms Rescue Haus, the best way to do that is to like and follow it on Facebook. Or, if you would like to contact Judi or Zach directly to help volunteer, donate, or learn more about how you can help, please call Judi at 765-209-0848 or Zach at 765-7175941.
CARLY NICHOLS is the marketing and communication coordinator at Jay County REMC.
A fox greets visitors at CSC Farms Rescue Haus.
EnergyEfficiency Is your home heating system ready for the winter chill? One of the easiest ways to keep your system running efficiently is to regularly replace filters. If your central air system has a furnace filter, it should be replaced about every 90 days. If your home is heated through warm-air registers, baseboard heaters or radiators, remember to clean regularly to boost efficiency.
Tip
Source: Department of Energy
REMC RATES AND REBATES
RATES
RESIDENTIAL AND FARM SERVICE Service charge: $28 per month
Kilowatt-hour (kWh) charge:
• 0-500 kWh: $.0371/kWh • 501-1,500 kWh: $.0191/kWh • Over 1,500 kWh: $.0131/kWh Power Cost Adjustment: $.092/kWh
Outdoor Lights:
• 50-watt LED: $8.75 per month • 400-watt MV: $13 per month
Rebates
ELECTRIC WATER HEATERS 30 GALLONS OR LARGER
• Replacement of an existing electric water heater: $125 • Gas to electric replacement: $175 • New construction water heater: $200 Visit jayremc.com for complete guidelines and restrictions. Additional rebates can be found at powermoves.com.
DRAWING WINNER
The winner of the emergency kit was Tamra S. of Portland.
Win a $50 bill credit
Follow these simple steps for your chance to win a bill credit for $50 in electricity. CLIP THE COUPON BELOW. Complete and return the form to the office with your monthly payment by the bill due date in order to be entered. Or you can email your entry to marketing@jayremc.com.
SEPTEMBER WINNER: Jodi H. of Decatur
NAME:
ACCOUNT NO.:
PHONE NO.:
OPERATION ROUND UP
SIGN UP
Those who receive their electric service from Jay County REMC can “round up” their monthly bill to the nearest dollar.
ROUND UP
Donations from you and other cooperative consumers are collected and placed in a trust.
COMMUNITY IMPACT
Because of electric cooperative consumers’ generous donations, organizations throughout Indiana are able to make necessary improvements to benefi t those in their communities.
A FEW CENTS CAN MAKE A BIG IMPACT
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