April 2023

Congratulations, Linda Hood! Enjoy Your Retirement! The Things I Remember...

Linda Hood

I have had the privilege of serving our members for 34+ years, and my how things have changed.

In 1989, I was blessed to become the bookkeeper at Rush County REMC. My main task was to change our 'paper' accounting system to a computerized one. This appeared an easy task at first. I soon learned that sharing one computer amongst the whole office would make my job a little more complicated, and this process would take some time. We had a schedule assigning one-hour time slots to each employee. One's workday had to be constructed around your one-hour computer time frame.

Technology and computers are the most significant change I have seen. Each person eventually received computers on their desk. Considerable improvements in the computer age take training and time. Finally, our systems from payroll, payments, meter reading, general ledger, operations, and outages (which were recorded on note pads) were moved to the land of clouds and servers. Looking at the original general ledger books, I smile and wonder how we got it all done.

Technology has allowed us to be efficient today to serve the future needs of our system. We are better equipped to tackle the future economic, weather and energy evolution challenges.

As I retire, my husband Mike and I will enjoy more visits with our children Bradley and wife Lauren, Brittanni, and husband Mitch, along with our grandkids Brooklyn and Brayden. Many extra plans for RV travel, gardening, singing, playing the piano and reading books are in the works. And my favorite driving ponies, Thelma and Louise, may see more road time.

I have enjoyed my career at RushShelby Energy and am blessed to have worked with an outstanding team of employees, staff and directors. I THANK YOU, RushShelby Energy members, who support our great company.

Mike, Linda, Brooklyn & Brayden

Petition Deadline Approaching

Being an electric cooperative member offers a unique opportunity to be a part of the decision making process. Because RSE is a cooperative, it is owned by its members. That means members are responsible for electing other members to take the leadership positions on the board of directors and help guide the cooperative.

Each year, RushShelby Energy holds an annual meeting and encourages members to attend and vote for the directors of their choice. Members interested in being a board candidate may have his or her name placed on the ballot by completing a petition. The petition must have 15 signatures from other RushShelby Energy members living anywhere on our service territory. If you picked up a petition from our office, remember it must be completed and returned by May 5, 2023.

Districts Up For Election

District 1 - Keith Theobald In Shelby County: all of Sugar Creek & Brandywine TWP; the western portion of Moral TWP from the county line on the west to county road 600 west on the east.

District 4 -

In Rush County: all of Ripley, Center, Washington, Posey & Jackson TWP. All territory adjoining Rush County in Henry County. In Hancock County: Jackson & Blue River TWP.

VOTING

RushShelby Energy will offer three ways for you to vote. This is the same process as last year.

Voting by Mail - Members will receive paper ballots in the mail and then send the completed ballots back with the included envelope.

Online Voting - Each member will receive unique login credentials from RSE that will log you into a protected online voting site hosted on a secure server.

On-Site Elections - Just as in past years, members will be able to vote at the annual meeting.

Thursday, July 13, 2023 • 4:00 - 7:30 PM we hope to see you there!

Charles Smith

District 7 - Bruce Everhart In Shelby County: all of Noble, Liberty, Shelby & Addison TWP. In Decatur: County Adams TWP.

5thCooperative Principle

Education, Training & Information

Today's youth. Tomorrow's leaders.

There may be no better example of the cooperative principle - Education, Training and Information - than the youth programs sponsored by RushShelby Energy. Impacting the lives of young people is extremely important to the cooperative community. The mission of the youth programs sponsored by RushShelby Energy is built on the belief that textbooks and lectures alone are not enough to help young people understand the democratic process and gain the skills necessary to become tomorrow's leaders. Rather, today's teenagers also need an opportunity to experience government first-hand, engage in interactive workshops and discussions.

Farm Safety Days - Shelby County

RSE recently participated in Shelby County Farm Safety Days. This is a two-day event, where all Shelby County fourth graders rotate through a variety of short safety presentations. We used our tabletop demonstration to highlight different electrical safety concerns and teach the proper ways to use and work around electricity.

Rush County Exploration Into Work

Eastern Indiana Works put on a career fair that we participated in. Youth Career Exploration is an important part of developing and promoting career pathways and industry options to youth before they leave high school. Without events like this, our youth might have limited knowledge on the opportunities that exist.

David Toll teaching electrical safety.

David Toll assisting students.

RSE receives a thumbs up from these high school students.

STEM

RSE was invited to be part of a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) event at Waldron Elementary School. During this program we shared information about cooperative careers and electrical safety with the student groups.

Workshop - Waldron Indiana Youth Tour

These four high school juniors will be representing RushShelby Energy on the 2023 Indiana Youth Tour. A trip of a lifetime to Washington D.C. They will gain a better understanding of their government and obtain a personal appreciation of American history.

Camp Kilowatt

These six sixth graders are headed to Camp Kilowatt in June. Camp Kilowatt is a fun and unique camp experience for students across Indiana. The camp will give the kids a chance to learn more about electricity while making new friends and enjoying lots of activities and games.

David Toll teaching electrical safety. Nate Best teaching electrical safety. Student wearing rubber sleeves.

Shade Crabtree Ava Fields Madden Meek

Colton Selby Olive Shuppert Elijah Wagner

lineman appreciation day -

America's electric cooperatives designated the second Monday of April as Lineman Appreciation Day. At RushShelby Energy, we not only honor the linemen, but also the other employees who play such an important role in our Operations and Engineering departments. We are thankful for all of these people who take the time each day to ensure our members have safe and reliable service.

Capital Credit - Allocations

Unlike investor-owned utility companies who generate profits for shareholders, electric cooperatives like RushShelby Energy operate on an at-cost basis. Any profits made by RushShelby Energy, referred to as margins, are returned to our members as capital credits.

You pay your electric bill for electric service every month, and RushShelby Energy pays the expense of providing that service. Any funds left over at the end of the year, called margins, provide equity for the cooperative and you. The margins are allocated to the members in proportion to their purchases during the year.

This month, RushShelby Energy will allocate the margins for 2022. The allocation dollars remain on each member's record at RushShelby Energy until the board of directors approve the retirement of a specific year or years.

Even if members move off RushShelby Energy's electric lines, they retain their capital credit allocation. If a year is retired, the member will continue to receive a general retirement check as long as they keep the cooperative informed of their current address.

How Capital Credits Work

Quick Links

Journeyman Lineman, Matt Busald was awarded Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC) Distinguished Service to Safety Award for going above and beyond the call of duty. On May 17, 2022, Matt was working when he came upon a distressed woman in a ditch. He stopped to help. The woman had been attacked by three dogs while push-mowing. According to Matt, the dogs did a number on her. He helped her into her house and asked if she needed medical attention. The member's daughter called in to thank Matt for saving her mother's life and for the reminder that there is still good in the world. Matt is pictured with his wife Caitlin. Congratulations Matt! Well deserved!

Director

Milestones

Energy Efficiency Tip

This planting season, include energy efficiency in your landscaping plans. Adding shade trees around your house can reduce surrounding air temperatures as much as 6 degrees. To block heat from the sun, plant deciduous trees. They provide excellent shade during the summer and lose their leaves in the fall and winter months, allowing sunlight to warm your home.

May Festivals

May 3-27

500 Festival

-Indianapolis

May 6

Riley Wrangler's Arts and Crafts Fair

-Greenfield

May 6-7

Duck Creek Spring Fling -Metamora

May 12-13

Smoke on the Square -Hope

May 13

Celebration in the Ville -Connersville

May 19-20

Franklin Co Quilt Show

-Brookville

May 29

Memorial Day Parade New Castle

2023 Indiana Festival Guides are available in our lobby!

Chris Pile March Employee of the Month

Charlie Smith - 10 years

Mark Nigh - 25 years

Mini-Member Word Scramble

SPRING EFFICIENCY WORD SCRAMBLE

Did you know there are several ways you can save energy during spring months?

Read the efficiency tips and unscramble the bolded letters to reveal how you and your family can save energy during springtime.

Don't forget to check your work in the answer key!

1. Sealing air leaks around doors and diwwson saves energy and keeps your home comfortable. _________________________________________________________________________

2. LED hlgist typically use 75% less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs.

3. Unplug devices and electronics that consume energy even when they're not in use, like phone scragher. _________________________________________________________________________

4. Planting shade esrte around your home can block unwanted heat from the sun.

5. Ceiling fans cool people, not rooms. Turn them off when you leave the room to save yengre. _________________________________________________________________________