2015 August Daviess-Martin Newsletter

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATI www.dmremc.com CONTACT US

Daviess-Martin County REMC TOLL FREE

800-762-7362

GENERAL MANAGER

Dave Sutter

OFFICE HOURS

7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m., Monday-Friday STREET ADDRESS

12628 E 75 N, Loogootee, IN 47553 MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 430, Loogootee, IN 47553 SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS

To report an outage or emergency, call 812-295-4200 or 800-7627362 day or night.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dean Harrawood, PRESIDENT John Edwards, VICE PRESIDENT August Bauer, SECRETARY Michael E. Arvin, TREASURER Terry Chapman Dale Marchino Steve Streepy MONTHLY MEETING

Tuesday, Aug. 25 7 p.m., Daviess-Martin REMC office BILL PAYMENT OPTIONS

Online bill payment Budget billing Auto bank draft Drive-through window Night depository Credit card payment (VISA, Discover and MasterCard accepted) Pay-by-phone MISSION STATEMENT

“Our mission is to provide dependable electricity and quality services for our members at reasonable cost.”

Like us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/Daviess MartinCountyREMC

TIP OF THE MONTH

Save energy and prevent fire Periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked. This will save energy and may prevent a fire.

Manufacturers recommend using rigid venting material — not plastic vents that may collapse and cause blockages.

Caring about youth is the cooperative way Just two months ago, Daviess-Martin County REMC sent three students to Washington, D.C., for the Indiana Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Young people who experience DAVE SUTTER Youth Tour have the opportunity to explore our nation’s capital, make lasting friendships, learn a bit about how our government operates and see the impact electric cooperatives have on the legislative process.

Youth Tour is one of the programs for which electric cooperatives across the country are best known. You may have participated when you were a kid, or perhaps your child applied to be a part of the program. But electric cooperatives go far beyond Youth Tour when it comes to making a difference in our young members’ lives.

At Daviess-Martin County REMC, we believe that it is important to invest in youth education and engagement programs. In the past, we have missed some opportunities to teach our youth about the issues facing our industry, and these programs represent a great way to explain what we do. There are also many other programs available for youth participation, such as the Youth Power and Hope Awards, cooperative calendar art contest, legislative page day program and Touchstone Energy® Camp.

And we’re not the only ones getting involved. We are happy to be a part of the broader co-op community, which strives to provide young Americans with safety and educational programs during the summer and throughout the year. Here’s how some of them are getting young people involved.

Electric co-ops in several states, including Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Utah, run summer camps that teach

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER • AUGUST 2015 • ElectricConsumer.org

kids about the cooperative business model. In fact, the kids get to create and run a co-op for the summer! They pay their dues (50 cents) to become a part of the co-op and proceed to handle co-op business — from voting on board members and choosing a general manager to setting prices and determining inventory for their chosen business.

In Missouri, some co-ops are even taking students to their state capitals so they can see their state government at work. These programs allow students to create a mock state senate, where they can write and pass laws. They leave the program having learned more than just how a bill becomes a law; they leave with practical experience, leadership skills and a desire to work hard for their future.

There are also some programs that give kids a real taste of what it is like to be a co-op employee. In Virginia, an electric co-op hosts “A Day in the Life of a Lineman,” which educates kids on the technical skills needed for this complex profession, as well as teaches them proper safety techniques.

There are many great co-op programs out there that focus on youth education and engagement. But what all of these programs have in common, no matter how big or small, is the fact that electric cooperatives come together for a common cause to not only teach our youth about the cooperative difference, but to give them the opportunity to see and reach their potential.

At Daviess-Martin County REMC we want to make sure that we are working for our members. For more information about these programs, contact Janet Chestnut at jchestnut@dmremc.com or call 812-295-4200.

DAVE SUTTER is general manager of Daviess-Martin County REMC.

IVE A few cents = a huge difference Once again, our members participating in the Operation Round Up® program can see how rounding up their electric bills to the nearest dollar every month impacts the community.

The Daviess-Martin REMC Community Fund, Inc. recently granted $7,655 to organizations helping make Daviess, Martin and Lawrence counties better places to live.

The committee encourages civic organizations to apply for funding.

The third quarter applications are due in to our office by 4 p.m. on Aug. 28. Applications can be downloaded from our website at www.dmremc.com or picked up at our office at 12628 E 75 N, Loogootee.

Most recent Operation Round Up grants awarded k Area Churches Honoring Christ Together in Service (ACCTS): $2,655 for the ACCTS School Supply Giveaway event for Loogootee and Shoals students kindergarten through sixth grade needing assistance. k Haysville Community Volunteer Fire Department: $3,000 to help purchase needed equipment. k Knights of Columbus Council #1166: $1,000 for the Tootsie Roll Drive, which raises money to support citizens with intellectual and developmental disabilities. k Middle Way House, Inc.: $1,000 to help provide shelter and advocacy services for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

‘Win! Win! Win!’

Each month, Daviess-Martin County REMC asks our readers three questions to which the answers can be found in the articles of Electric Consumer.

Follow these simple rules: 1.) Clip the coupon along the dotted line. 2.) Fill it out. 3.) Return it to our office with your monthly payment before the 20th of the month. (Delinquent payments are not eligible.)

Each month, a winner will be drawn from the entries submitted. Make sure you bring or mail in your most recent coupon, as the coupons are dated monthly. Members with automatic payment accounts will be entered in the contest as well. Copies will not be accepted, and coupons are not available at the office! Winners will be notified and their names will be published in the following monthly issue of Electric Consumer.

JUNE WINNER: Beryl Dickens, Shoals

$50 MONTHLY DRAWING (FOR BILLS DATED AUG. 5; PAID BY AUG. 20)

1.

Many HVAC professionals recommend that you clean or change the filter on your air conditioner or furnace _________________________________________________.

2.

Place electric space heaters at least _______________ feet from any wall, furniture or fabric.

3.

_____________________________ is one of the programs for which electric cooperatives are best known.

NAME: ADDRESS: ACCOUNT NO.: PHONE NO.:

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Daviess-Martin County REMC News

Local youth experience energized summer

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ummer weather means camp for kids, with all those memorable activities like horseback riding, archery, swimming and campfires. Camp can also mean energizing your summer by challenging yourself to climb a pole like a lineman or to actually witness the power an electric shock can generate.

Joshua O’Brian and Matthew Poole experienced all this and more when they attended Touchstone Energy® Camp, June 3–6, at YMCA’s Camp Tecumseh near Brookston.

O’Brian, the son of Mark and Stephanie O’Brian, and Poole, the son of Brandon and Julie Poole, will be seventh graders this fall at BarrReeve and Loogootee Middle Schools respectively.

Daviess-Martin County REMC, a Touchstone Energy cooperative, sponsored the youth to the 14th edition of the annual camp program. A total of 126 students from throughout Indiana participated this year, along with adults from 30 Indiana cooperatives, including Daviess-Martin County REMC employees Janet Chestnut and Nathan Albright.

While there was plenty of traditional camp fun, like canoeing

The Daviess-Martin County REMC Touchstone Energy Camp participants were Nathan Albright, Matthew Poole, Joshua O'Brian and Janet Chestnut.

and horseback riding, the attendees also learned about Internet safety, power supply and electric safety.

For example, they saw an electrical safety demonstration that showed the danger lurking in live power lines and provided instructions on what to do if they ever encounter a power line in a car accident or other situation.

“The students also developed an appreciation for the work of co-op employees,” said Janet Chestnut, manager of communications and

member services at Daviess-Martin County REMC. “Not only did they get to ride in a bucket truck, they had to perform difficult tasks like putting together a cross arm. Co-op employees perform tasks like these every day, in all kinds of weather and conditions.”

For more information about Touchstone Energy Camp, contact Janet Chestnut at 812-295-4200 or 800-762-7362 or visit the co-op’s website www.dmremc.com. …

Change for the better It’s the little things. When it comes

to energy efficiency in the home, a small, unglamorous task like changing the filters on your HVAC system makes your unit run more efficiently.

And the savings gained from having your system run more efficiently can be applied to more fun pursuits that your family can enjoy together.

The lowdown on dirt Dust and dirt trapped in a system’s air filter lead to several problems, including: k Reduced air flow in the home and

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up to 15 percent higher costs k Costly duct cleaning k Lowered system efficiency

Making the switch It’s time to get busy changing or cleaning the air filter in your heating/ cooling system. Many HVAC professionals recommend that you clean or change the filter on your air conditioner or furnace monthly.

Filters are available in a variety of types and efficiencies, rated by a minimum efficiency reporting value, which tests filter effectiveness. The

ELECTRIC CONSUMER • AUGUST 2015 • ElectricConsumer.org

higher the value, the higher the filter’s effectiveness at keeping dust out of your system. While most types of filters must be replaced, some filters are reusable.

A teachable moment Beyond saving money and improving the air quality in your home, changing your air filter is a great opportunity to teach your family more about energy efficiency.

For other tips on how to save, visit togetherwesave.com. …

Students participate in Youth Tour

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lena Rhea, Loogootee, and Megan Hawkins and Allison Albright, Shoals, represented Daviess-Martin County REMC on the 2015 Indiana Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. The incoming high school seniors gained a personal understanding of American history, their roles as citizens and insight to the important roles electric cooperatives play in their communities.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives have been providing this opportunity since 1960.

Janet Chestnut, manager of communications and member relations at DaviessMartin County REMC, said the Indiana delegation of 90 students representing 32 Indiana electric cooperatives joined more than 1,700 other students on the Youth Tour.

“Daviess-Martin County REMC is pleased to be able to provide this opportunity for our local youth,” Chestnut said.

“These students gained a first-hand understanding of the legislative process and made connections that will last a lifetime.

Our youth are our future, and we can give them the tools to succeed.”

The students visited the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, Gettysburg National Military Park, Arlington National Cemetery, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Mall memorials, the National Museum of the Marine Corps and more.

“It was an action-packed trip with one cool stop after another. I learned about politics up-close, saw things I’d only heard about before and really understood why history matters,” said Allison Albright, a student who participated in Youth Tour.

The students also spent a day on Capitol Hill where they met with seven members of Indiana’s congressional delegation: Sen. Joe Donnelly (D) and Reps.

Jackie Walorski (R, Dist. 2), Larry Bucshon (R, Dist. 8), Luke Messer (R, Dist. 6), Todd Rokita (R, Dist. 4), Marlin Stutzman, (R, Dist. 3) and Todd Young (R, Dist. 9).

“Congressman Bucshon taking time out of his hectic schedule to meet with our students sent a strong message about the important leadership role they can play through civic engagement,” Chestnut said. …

Megan Hawkins, Allison Albright and Alena Rhea enjoyed "the trip of a lifetime" as participants in the Indiana Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.

“It is hard to put in to words how great Youth Tour really was. The one-week, fast-paced trip to Washington, D.C., was life-changing. One of my favorite sites was Arlington. I didn’t realize how big it was. We saw the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which was a heart-stopping experience.” — Megan Hawkins “Thank you so much for sending me on the trip of a lifetime. I would go back in a heartbeat. I think the thing that touched me the most was seeing all the Honor Flight service members. I met a man who had dementia but came to D.C., and he was asking me about all my ‘medals,’ the pins we got from other states. I asked him if he wanted an Indiana pin, and he was so happy when I gave him one. He told the person who was pushing him in his wheelchair that he had a medal now, too!” — Allison Albright “A highlight of the Youth Tour week for me was the amount of quality preparation we received to adequately have the respect and honor deserved for our upcoming stops, such as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and memorials. There were so many sights planned; it felt like we were sponges in an ocean of water! We were together, learning, and I wouldn’t have changed a moment of it! The rally was amazing, and, yes, I know what amazing means and how to use it.

What leadership and heart we have in the electric cooperative community! It is awe inspiring and patriotic. I’m sure proud to be an American and a member of the Touchstone Energy national cooperative!” — Alena Rhea

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