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CO-OP NEWS
“This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.” CARROLL WHITE REMC P.O. Box 599; Monticello, IN 47960 800-844-7161 (Toll Free) www.cwremc.coop MONTICELLO OFFICE 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday DELPHI OFFICE 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday – Friday EMAIL info@cwremc.coop CEO Cathy Raderstorf BOARD OF DIRECTORS Margaret E. Foutch, 219-279-2677
7535 W, 500 S, Chalmers Gary E. Gerlach, 574-595-7820
9833 S. Base Road, Star City Kent P. Zimpfer, 765-479-3006
4672 E. Arrow Point Court, Battle Ground Tina L. Davis, 219-204-2195
7249 W, 600 S, Winamac Ralph H. Zarse, 219-863-6342
1535 S, 100 E, Reynolds Aaron N. Anderson, 765-427-5592
6634 W, 300 S, Delphi
MISSION STATEMENT
“Creatively enhancing our community through safety and service.” Safety, Service, and Community
IMPORTANT DATES
Cycle 1 August bills are due Sept. 5 and are subject to disconnect Sept. 27 if unpaid. Cycle 2 August bills are due Sept. 20 and are subject to disconnect Oct. 11 if unpaid. Meters are read using the Automated Meter Reading system. Cycle 1 meters will be read on Sept. 1. Cycle 2 meters will be read Sept. 15.
LOWER YOUR WATER HEATING COSTS
To save energy (and money!) used for water heating, repair any leaky faucets, install low-flow fixtures and insulate accessible hot water lines. When it’s time to purchase a new washing machine or dishwasher, look for models that are ENERGY STAR®-certified.
— U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
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FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
www.twitter.com/cwremc Ashley Ponto with her husband, Chris, and their two sons, Easton and Kase.
PONTO NEW REMC MEMBER SERVICE REP
Interacting with and helping Carroll White REMC’s members are what recently hired Member Service Representative Ashley (Shafer) Ponto is looking forward to most in her new position.
Working with the public is nothing new for Ponto, who started at the REMC on June 6. “I worked seven months at a private law firm and have a combined 18 years working at both the White and Tippecanoe County prosecutor’s office,” she said. “For one year, I worked at the Twin Lakes School administration office.”
Ponto was born in Lafayette but raised in Monticello. A graduate of Twin Lakes High School, she earned a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice with minors in psychology and sociology from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She also has an associate degree in accounting from Ivy Tech Community College.
She and her husband, Chris, live in Monticello with their two sons: Easton, age nine, and Kase, age seven. Chris is employed at Caterpillar as the team leader for the 3500 Rod Lin in the machine shop.
Describing herself as familyoriented and outdoorsy, Ponto continued on page 6
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enjoys watching and supporting her sons in 4-H and their sporting events. She serves as PTO copresident at her sons’ school, Oaklawn Elementary. A former high school basketball player, not only does she coach her sons’ school basketball team, she continues to play basketball herself. She also enjoys playing tennis.
“We are very excited to have Ashley on the front lines of our team as a member service representative,” Member Services Supervisor Sandy Cotner said. “She has a strong background in serving the community on several fronts. Our members are our highest priority, and we are confident Ashley understands and embraces that cooperative principle.”
Ponto’s Go-Tos
FAVORITE SONG:
“If Heaven Wasn’t So Far Away” by Justin Moore.
LIFE PHILOSOPHY:
Operation Round Up grants awarded to nine non-profits
Proving what is possible when people come together to help each other, Carroll White REMC’s Operation Round Up program is on track to reach the $1 million mark in grant donations in the next two years. So far, the program, funded by REMC members who round up the their monthly energy bills to the nearest dollar, has donated $936,722.41 to non-profit organizations in our service territory.
“Rounding up shows real dedication to the communities we serve,” REMC CEO Cathy Raderstorf said. “It is impossible to calculate how many individuals have benefited from Operation Round Up.
In this quarter alone, the Operation Round Up board of trustees distributed $11,250 to nine area nonprofits.
The largest grant awarded this quarter was to the DEMOCRAT
TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT
in Cutler which received $3,500 to purchase boots for the volunteer firefighters.
“The boots that all volunteers are currently wearing were purchased with their own funds,” said grant writer Cody Miller. “All volunteers’ boots are more than 15 years old and are no longer in compliance with industry standards. We want to make sure that everyone’s protective gear is as safe as possible.”
A $2,000 grant was awarded to
WHITE COUNTY COUNCIL ON
AGING and another $2,000 grant was earmarked for the BURLINGTON AMERICAN LEGION. The Council on Aging grant will be used to purchase a van for its Public Transit program. The Burlington American Legion will use its grant money to purchase a new flagpole in the veteran area of the Burlington Cemetery.
The PULASKI COUNTY 4-H AND
COMMUNITY FAIR ASSOCIATION
received $1,500 to upgrade the 55-year-old lighting in the Community Building. This project will promote safety, reduce electrical use, and extend the building’s life.
FRONTIER SCHOOL CORPORATION’S SIXTH GRADE
was granted $550 to help send students to the Foundation for Success program at Camp Tecumseh. For the past 20 years, Frontier Elementary School students have participated in this two-daylong field trip which promotes trustworthiness, problem solving, communication and other essential leadership skills.
Three $500 grants were awarded in this grant cycle. TWIN LAKES SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL will use its grant to purchase a filament to be used with 3D printing in biology and AP biology classes. “This will add more variety to future projects with multi-color filaments, color change filaments and glow-in-the dark filaments,” said grant writer Steven Krawczyk. FRONTIER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL will use its grant to send seventh grade students on a simulated space mission to the Challenger Center.
The TOWN OF BROOKSTON received $500 to beautify a spot in the center of town for the public to “sit down, have a small picnic or just simply rest or gather for special occasions,” said grant writer Dawn Girard. Frontier Rotary is assisting in this project.
The DELPHI COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY received a $200 grant to help restock supplies in the Makerspace section of the library. “Libraries have had to reinvent themselves since the onset of the internet,” grant writer Amy Tonsoni said. “Makerspace is a location in our library full of games, puzzles, art supplies and STEM activities.”
“Operation Round Up is a success story for CW REMC and the nonprofits we serve,” Casey Crabb, CW REMC communication and public relations manager, said. For more information on how to participate in Operation Round up, visit www.cwremc.coop. Applications are available on the website as well.
CW REMC PROGRAMS AVAILABLE
MAKING GEOTHERMAL MORE AFFORDABLE
Are the upfront costs of installing a geothermal heat pump keeping you from switching your home or business to this energy-efficient heating and cooling system? Carroll White REMC’s new Looped In program is here to help you! Carroll White REMC will pay to have a member’s loop system installed. The REMC will own the loop portion and will add a small rider to your monthly bill for your use of the loop. The process: • Call our energy advisor, Joe
Spear, at 800-844-7161 to set up a home visit. • After consulting with Spear, you will select a licensed contractor to install the geothermal system and sign the necessary agreements and paperwork so work on the project can begin. • Carroll White REMC will select a contractor for the loop installation. • Post construction, Carroll White
REMC will ensure all the work was done as expected and will finalize all rebates. A copy of the geothermal installation invoice from the member’s approved contractor will be required. • Our billing department will then add the monthly lease fee to your electric bill.
YOUR PROJECT PARTNER
Are those money-saving energy efficiency projects on your to-do list too daunting? Carroll White REMC can help! Partnership for Efficiency provides low interest loans to rural families and small businesses to help them with their energy efficiency projects.
• Lighting improvements • Building envelope improvements • HVAC systems • Heat pump water heaters • Motors
• Appliance upgrades • Compressed air systems • Boilers, dryers, heaters, and process related equipment • Other activities and investments directly related to efficiency HERE’S HOW PARTNERSHIP FOR EFFICIENCY WORKS:
1. Member must contact our energy advisor, Joe Spear, to schedule a free energy audit. 2. Member should fill out the application. 3. A credit check is done to determine the loan amount.
4. Upon approval, the member chooses a licensed contractor to perform the work. 5. After the work is completed, the member contacts our energy advisor to perform another energy audit to validate the energy efficiency was achieved. 6. Carroll White REMC pays the contractor.
7. Carroll White REMC adds the monthly loan charge to the member’s electric bill.
