Empowered October 2025

POWERING UP FOR ANNUAL MEETING Central Rural Electric Cooperative’s 86th annual meeting is returning to a community near you in the drivethru format!

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 7, at one of these convenient locations: • Lincoln County Fairgrounds 15th & Rozell Ave., Chandler • Logan County Fairgrounds 215 Fairgrounds Rd., Guthrie • Noble County Fairgrounds 1 Ivanhoe St., Perry • Payne County Expo Center 4518 Expo Circle E, Stillwater You will have the opportunity to drive-thru the annual meeting, visit with Central employees and board members, and be entered for prize drawings. There are no bylaw

amendments to vote on this year.

Drive-thru anytime between 3 and 7 p.m. at one of the four locations.

Attendees will receive a $10 bill credit on their December bill and a $20 restaurant gift card to be used

by Oct. 31. This year’s attendance gift will be a Central and Centranetbranded 2-gallon bucket! Prize winners will be announced on Central’s website and social media on Wednesday, October 8.

Only one registration per membership is allowed. If you have multiple memberships, such as a residence and a business, a separate registered delegate for each membership must be present.

Learn more at mycentral.coop/ annualmeeting.

central rural electric cooperative

86th annual meeting drive - thru

Tuesday, Oct. 7 3 - 7 p.m.

ANNUAL MEETING FAQS I have two meters, do I get to register twice?

No. It’s one registration per membership.

What if I have a membership for myself and my business has a membership?

One person cannot register for two memberships. You will need a separate registered delegate and a completed Business Delegate Form.

Do I need to bring anything?

Your official notice will make registration quicker! Make sure the person who registers is included on the account.

Attendees receive a bucket, $20 meal card and $10 bill credit

Choose your location: CHANDLER

GUTHRIE

Lincoln Co. Fairgrounds

Logan Co. Fairgrounds

perry

stillwater

Noble Co. Fairgrounds

Payne Co. Fairgrounds

OCTOBER IS NATIONAL CO-OP MONTH This October, Central is celebrating National Co-op Month along with cooperatives from across the nation!

Co-op Month is an opportunity to raise awareness of cooperatives and how we differ from other business structures.

Empowered Editors: Larry Mattox - Director of Marketing & Communications Kory Bowman - Marketing and Communications Specialist Ivy Swan - Marketing and Communications Specialist

Contact Us: editor@mycentral.coop 405-372-2884 | 800-375-2884 3305 S. Boomer Rd. | P.O. Box 1809 Stillwater, OK 74076 mycentral.coop facebook.com/MyCentralCoop instagram.com/MyCentralCoop

Central Rural Electric Cooperative is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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Executive Team: Shane Burgess - Chief Executive Officer Sondra White - Chief Financial Officer Mark Prather - President of Fiber and Technology Jillianne Tebow - Vice President of Brand Strategy and Engagement

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Central will promote Co-op Month along with programs that have been created for EST. 1938 members Today, Central R R AL through email, E provides P RUR at mycentral.

AL ELECT RIC COO electricity to more coop and on our than 25,000 meters social media accounts. with a service area covering If you don’t already, follow 2,000 square miles in Noble, Central on Facebook, LinkedIn and Garfield, Lincoln, Logan, Oklahoma, Instagram @MyCentralCoop.

Pawnee and Payne counties.

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Central Board of Trustees: James Wells, President (District 6) Sid Sperry, Vice President (District 4) Greg Tytenicz, Secretary/Treasurer (District 2) Randy Wedel (District 1) Melanie McGuire (District 3) Ken Starks (District 5) Randy Ethridge (District 7)

Central was organized in 1938 when 10 local men came together to create Central State Rural Electric Cooperative and borrowed $85,000 from the newly created Rural Electrification Administration to construct a distribution system that would provide electricity to 141 farms and homes.

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LEARN ABOUT YOUR COOPERATIVE

HISTORY CORNER Before the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935, one out of every 10 rural residents had electricity.

Electric cooperatives maintain 56% of the nation’s electric distribution lines, while serving about 13% of the population.

BENEFITS OF BEING A MEMBER YOU’RE AN OWNER, NOT JUST A CUSTOMER Members own the co-op, which means they have a voice in decisions and elect the board of directors.

AFFORDABLE, RELIABLE SERVICE Because Central is not-for-profit, its priority is keeping rates fair while investing in reliability and system improvements.

GUIDED BY COOPERATIVE PRINCIPLES All cooperatives, no matter their size or industry, are guided by the same seven cooperative principles that put people, not profit, first.

CAPITAL CREDITS Instead of profits going to shareholders, margins are reinvested into the system or returned to members as capital credits.

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Ken Starks, District 5 Trustee

James Wells, District 6 Trustee

CENTRAL TRUSTEES RETAIN SEATS Two positions on Central’s board of trustees were up for election this year, and both incumbents will continue serving their districts.

position. More than 10% of the district’s membership participated in the election; 5% participation was needed to meet quorum.

In District 5, members re-elected Ken Starks to the District 5 Trustee position. He has served as District 5 Trustee since 2023.

In District 6, James Wells will continue serving as District 6 trustee for Central as he did not draw an opponent in the recent trustee election cycle. According to the cooperative’s bylaws, a district election is not necessary, and Wells will retain his board seat for another three-year term.

Starks is a Stillwater native and worked in banking for more than 40 years before retiring from BancFirst in 2022. Starks has multiple degrees from Oklahoma State University and has been an active member of the community, serving on various boards and civic organizations. He is a member of the Stillwater Bible Church. He and his wife Kathy have three grown children.

The drive-thru district five election was held August 26 at Central’s headquarters parking lot in Stillwater.

James Boggs and Jeremy Brooks also filed for the District 5 Trustee

Wells is the president of A&B EcoSafe Pest Control, Diversified Resources Group, and the owner and manager of Alpine Investment Properties. He has been a member of Central since 1997 and has served on the board since 2020. Wells is also a board member of the Bandit Football Association, Stillwater Chamber of Commerce and has been a local youth sports coach since 1993.

LOCAL PUMPKIN PATCHES Enjoy the magic of fall within Central’s service area. These local pumpkin patches offer everything from corn mazes to fields full of pumpkins ready to take home. These pumpkin patches within Central’s service area are worth the visit!

Cross Timbers Pumpkin Patch 2161 Harrison Ave., Harrah

Grider Farm Pumpkin Patch

14500 S. Country Rd., Perkins

Jones Garden Center 423 N. Grand, Crescent

McRay Farms

19800 E. Simmons Rd., Luther

Noon Lion’s Annual Pumpkin Patch

Highland Park United Methodist Church, 524 N. Stallard St., Stillwater

Oh My Gourd pumpkin Patch

9212 E. Glencoe Rd., Glencoe

Parkhurst Pumpkin Patch 720 S. Henney Rd., Arcadia

The Twelves Pumpkin Patch 112 W. 68th St., Stillwater

Walnut Woods

5217 W. Simmons Rd., Edmond

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YOUTH TOUR ALUMNA WINS SCHOLARSHIP Central is proud to announce that Abbi Avers, a senior at the University of Central Oklahoma, has been awarded a Glenn English National Cooperative Leadership Foundation Scholarship.

This prestigious scholarship is presented each year to students across the nation who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement, leadership and commitment to the cooperative principles.

“Receiving the Glenn English Scholarship is a huge honor,” Avers said. “Being awarded this scholarship proves that dedication to community and leadership is recognized and celebrated.”

Central’s 2026 Youth Tour contest is currently open to high school juniors within Central’s service area.

Applications are due on Friday, December 19. Learn more or apply at mycentral.coop/youthtour.

Abbi Avers, Glen English Scholarship Recipient

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Avers, Carney High School graduate, was selected as one of Central’s 2021 Youth Tour delegates. Youth Tour is an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., where students

from across Oklahoma explore our nation’s capital. During the pandemic, Youth Tour was canceled and winners received a scholarship.

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