The Light Post January 2020

JANUARY 2020

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KEC makes $5,000 donation

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Student leadership contests now open

A supplement to the Oklahoma Living

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Lig ght Post

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Operation Round Up report

PUBLISHED FOR MEMBERS OF KIAMICHI ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

Holiday Hours Kiamichi Electric Cooperative will be closed Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day. To report a service problem during this time, please call 800-888-2731, or report your trouble using KEC’s customer service portal.

KEC helps provide Telemed unit to LeFlore Public Schools LeFlore Public Schools is the latest recipient of an Eastern Oklahoma Medical Center (EOMC) Telemed unit thanks to funding from KEC and American Farmers & Ranchers Insurance.

“We are so fortunate to have local companies that buy in to our mission and vision of making a healthier community,” said EOMC CEO Bob Carter. “American Farmers & Ranchers as well as Kiamichi Electric Cooperative have given LeFlore Schools a wonderful gift in the form of a Telemed unit.”

The Telemed unit allows not only students, but faculty and staff of LeFlore Public Schools to see a nurse practitioner during school hours with the assistance of the school nurse using video conferencing and medical equipment.

Similar units are already active in the Poteau, Howe, Spiro and Wister school districts. It is estimated that school absences are cut by around 43 percent which keeps

Have a wonderful holiday, and please stay safe!

the children in the classroom and the parents at work.

“Rural healthcare is a growing issue and is becoming more and more dependent on virtual care,” said Todd Minshall, KEC member services director. “As technology evolves, we believe it is vital that schools have access to practitioners in any and every way possible.”

EOMC agrees and is leading We are so fortunate to have local the way in eastern Oklahoma by companies that buy in to our partnering with local businesses mission and vision of making a to provide units to school districts.

“The Telemed clinic is just one healthier community.” of the many goals at EOMC and — BOB CARTER, EASTERN OKLAHOMA MEDICAL CENTER CEO we hope to have Telemed Clinics in all 17 schools in LeFlore county within a 5-year period,” said Amy Lomon, Marketing Director, for EOMC.

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ceo’s report BRETT ORME

C HI E F E X E C U T I V E O F F I C ER

Kiamichi Electric Cooperative 944 SW Highway 2 PO Box 340 Wilburton, Oklahoma 74578 tele: (918) 465-2338 toll free: (800) 888-2731 FAX: (918) 465-2950 www.kiamichielectric.org email: support@kiamichielectric.org HOURS OF OPERATION Monday-Friday 8 am to 5 pm 24-HOUR OUTAGE HOTLINE (800) 888-2731 BOARD OF TRUSTEES Don Parr, President DISTRICT 5 Mark Ichord, Vice President DISTRICT 6 Ron Pelanconi, Treasurer DISTRICT 3 Russell Shaw DISTRICT 1 Amy Miller DISTRICT 2 David Ray DISTRICT 4 Larry Culwell DISTRICT 7 Brett Orme Executive Vice President-CEO Kiamichi Electric provides reliable and affordable electricity to members in Pushmataha, Leflore, Latimer, Atoka and Pittsburg Counties.

We live in a device-driven world.

Our smartphones, tablets, laptops and an assortment of other devices help us communicate and connect. Companies spend billions pushing out a steady drumbeat of messages and information, and we are constantly bombarded with one-way communication. But is anyone listening on the other end?

At KEC, we are not only listening, we are eager to hear from you. Whether you respond to a survey or social media post, send an email or simply stop by and chat in person, we thrive on your feedback.

Connecting with you helps us keep pace with our community’s priorities and needs.

Because we are a cooperative, we have a different way of operating. KEC exists to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy to you, the members of the co-op. Equally important is our mission to enrich the lives of the members we serve. We hope you will consider us more than your energy provider, but instead as a local business that supports this community and powers economic development and prosperity for the people.

We also conduct an annual survey to gather feedback so that we can plan for

new initiatives, technical upgrades and improvements on existing co-op programs and services. Our planning is led by local members just like you who understand the needs of the community and are looking out for the long-term interests of the larger community.

We are in the midst of significant changes in the energy sector, as technology and the drive for more renewables and a more balanced energy mix is impacting long-term planning. These are complex issues that we will be navigating in the coming months and years. This is why it’s so important that we hear from you and other community members as we plot our course for the future.

KEC works to continually learn from our members about their priorities so that we can better serve you – because your electric co-op was built by the community, for the community. But we can only improve, adapt and effectively plan for the future if we have two-way communication.

For our co-op and community to thrive now and in the future, we depend on hearing from you. I hope you will connect with us and let us know your perspective.

CoBank helps KEC donate $5,000 to Salvation Army In partnership with CoBank, a national cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America, KEC presented a $5,000 check to the local Salvation Army.

The funds helped Salvation Army provide assistance in KEC’s service area.

Pictured on the left is KEC CEO Brett Orme and Claudia Jeffrey, Kibois director for the Latimer County Service Unit.

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employee spotlight

Family makes Sharla Ivy’s world go ‘round Sharla Ivy has worked for Kiamichi Electric Cooperative, Inc. (KEC) for over 18 years but says the last three years as KEC’s procurement manager have been the most challenging — yet the most rewarding part — of her career.

Sharla took on the role managing the main warehouse and three external warehouses, along with the task of competitively bidding material to build services to KEC members. Keeping material in stock, buying smart and managing inventory is a very important part of keeping the co-op’s costs down — a goal she strives to reach daily.

A graduate of Panola High School and Eastern Oklahoma State College with an associate degree in business, Sharla later received a bachelor’s degree in finance from East Central University in Ada. After living in several other places as a young adult, she found her way back to southeastern Oklahoma and planted her roots on her family’s land where she grew up and has made Wilburton her hometown.

Sharla and Jeff Cox have shared the past 12 years together and have three adult sons and three grandchildren. Sharla strongly believes that family is what makes the world go ‘round. They spend most of their free time remodeling houses on the weekends but like to squeeze in a little relaxation from time to time enjoying country living.

Sharla said she doesn’t know anything else but work and is very thankful to be blessed with all that she has. She loves her family and loves the Lord, and said “what more does a person need?”

KEC announces leadership opportunities for eighth graders, high school juniors Each year, KEC sends three high school juniors from its service area on an unforgettable, all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. Students travel with the Oklahoma delegation (70+ students) to our nation’s capital where they tour historic sites and national landmarks, meet Oklahoma’s Congressional delegation and more. Youth Tour has earned a reputation as “a trip of a lifetime” by former participants. The trip will be held June 19-25, 2020.

To enter the Youth Tour contest, high school juniors are asked to write a letter to the elected official of their choice describing an issue that concerns them. Each contestant should submit their letter along with the application at www.kiamichielectric.org by 5 p.m., Friday, March 6, 2020.

Eighth graders are invited to apply for a fun, four-day trip to Energy Camp.

Set for May 26-29, 2020 at Canyon Camp and Conference Center near Hinton, OK, Energy Camp helps develop leadership skills and promotes teamwork while teaching about cooperative principles, rural electrification and electrical safety.

Applications can be found at www.kiamichielectric.org. Call (918) 465-2338 for more information.

4 | the Light Post RECIPES

operation roundup M O N T H LY U P D AT E Operation Roundup is a voluntary bill roundup program that benefits local communities, organizations ,and needy families. Funding applications are available at Kiamichi Electric, local social services, or online at www.kiamichielectric.org.

YEAR-TO-DATE COLLECTIONS 2019: $70,353.71 YEAR-TO-DATE DISBURSEMENTS: $87,721.23 TOTAL COLLECTED SINCE INCEPTION: $1,601,558.60 TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS SINCE INCEPTION:

$1,544,928.31

Energy Efficiency

Tip of the Month Let the sunshine in! For additional warmth, open drapes over windows that receive sunlight during the day. Close them at night, which can reduce heat loss from a warm room up to 10% Source: Energy.gov

Artichoke Bruschetta INGREDIENTS

• 1 (6.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped • 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese • 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion • 5 tablespoons mayonnaise • 1 French baguette, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the broiler.

• In a medium bowl, mix marinated artichoke hearts, Romano cheese, red onion and mayonnaise. Top French baguette slices with equal amounts of the artichoke heart mixture. Arrange slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet.

• Broil in the preheated oven 2 minutes, or until toppings are bubbly and lightly browned.

Recipe courtesy of Roxanne Blesh

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