Electric Currents February 2013

NEWS FROM YOUR REMC

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Higher Goal

Zeller youth program emphasizes more than basketball

First Edition

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NBA players Tyler and Luke Zeller with DistinXion participant Josh Hanna Indiana’s Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives

PERIODICAL

Souper Bowl

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Shale Shock

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That Reminds Me

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Publication of Indianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

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ELECTRIC CONSUMER is for and about members of Indianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s locally-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It helps consumers: use electricity safely and efficiently; understand energy issues; connect with their co-op; and celebrate c`]\ `e @e[`XeX% Fm\i )).#''' ]Xd`c`\j Xe[ businesses receive the magazine as part of their electric cooperative membership.

Published monthly by Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. OUR ADDRESS: .)' E% ?`^_ JZ_ffc IfX[# @e[`XeXgfc`j# @E +-)(+ TELEPHONE:

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Indiana Statewide Association Officers Larry Fetters PRESIDENT Mark Evans VICE PRESIDENT Ron Arnholt SECRETARY/TREASURER Rick Coons CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Editorial Staff Emily Schilling EDITOR Richard George Biever SENIOR EDITOR Holly Huffman, Mandy Kent COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS/ LOCAL PAGE COORDINATORS

UNSOLICITED MATERIAL: Electric Consumer does not use unsolicited freelance manuscripts or photographs and assumes no responsibility for the safe-keeping or return of unsolicited material. We are always open to suggestions for stories about people, places and events in Indianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s electric co-op country.

SUBSCRIPTIONS: () ]fi `e[`m`[lXcj not subscribing through participating REMCs/RECs. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Readers who receive the publication through their electric cooperative membership should report address changes to their local co-op office.

POSTAGE: Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Ind., and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: Electric Consumer# G%F% 9fo )+,(.# @e[`XeXgfc`j# @E +-))+% @eZcl[\ b\p number.

COPYRIGHT 2013, Indiana Statewide Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, Inc. No portion of Electric Consumer may be reproduced without permission of the editor.

Find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/ ElectricConsumer Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ electriconsumer Find us on Pinterest pinterest.com/ electriconsumer/

Brand new, all for you As soon as I retrieve a magazine

from my mailbox, I thumb through it to check out my favorite features.

That first look-see through the latest issue is kind of like listening to a new song, or even meeting someone for the first time. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fun. It quenches my curiosity. And, rather quickly, I can decide whether the latest is actually the greatest (or at least deserves a thumbs up!).

This month, Electric Consumer has shed its tabloid newspaper format and has relaunched as a magazine. As you peruse the pages youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll also find a contemporary design, a more extensive use of four color, and expanded energy, food and outdoor life sections. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve added features like â&#x20AC;&#x153;Keeping Current,â&#x20AC;? a collection of news briefs and timely tips, and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Odds â&#x20AC;&#x2122;nâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Ends,â&#x20AC;? a reader-focused page where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find personality profiles of electric co-op members; and readersubmitted articles, comments, artwork and photographs. To help offset costs, we are running a limited amount of advertising on selected pages of our publication.

For many years, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve â&#x20AC;&#x153;mappedâ&#x20AC;? our issues

out. You could count on finding specific content on specific pages â&#x20AC;&#x201D; month after month. Though with our new format the locations of your favorite content may have shifted a bit, rest assured they will remain where they have â&#x20AC;&#x153;landed.â&#x20AC;? Foodies can get their recipe fix on pages 20-22 every time. Turn to page 27 each month for craft ideas and features geared to our young readers and their caregivers. Your local electric cooperative publishes information targeted just for you on pages 4, 8, 28 and 29. Flip through the magazine a few times and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll easily get a feel for what is where.

Just as our tagline on the cover indicates, we strive to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;Your Indiana Cooperative Companion.â&#x20AC;? Please drop us a line or email to let us know how we can better fulfill our mission to publish a magazine geared to you, the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Electric Consumer.â&#x20AC;? Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got some exciting things planned for the future, so look for us in your mailbox each month and start thumbing through our pages right away to find out whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new!

EMILY SCHILLING editor, eschilling@ElectricConsumer.org

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ON THE COVER

Brothers Tyler and Luke Zeller, both NBA basketball players who led their hometown Washington High School Hatchets to state championship titles, pose with one of their DistinXion participants, Josh Hanna of Bloomington.

12 ENERGY FEATURE

Shale shock!

5 HOOSIER HIGHLIGHTS

(not in all editions)

6 KEEPING CURRENT

Welcome to our magazine premiere!

A new Electric Consumer to better serve you 9 CO-OP CONNECTION

Express yourself!

Enter our 16th annual calendar art contest.

10 ENERGY NOW

Keep indoor air healthy

As homes tighten up, Jim Dulley points to ways to keep indoor air cleaner.

11 NEW GADGETS

Cold comfort

Winterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not over yet!

Here are some nifty gizmos to keep you warm.

Natural gas may soon replace coal as nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s primary energy source.

14 COVER STORY

A higher goal

Steve and Lorri Zeller â&#x20AC;&#x201D; parents of Indianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing trio of basketball stars â&#x20AC;&#x201D; talk about their familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s youth program that teaches basketball along with character and Christian values in an interview with Electric Consumer.

20 FOOD FOCUS

Souper bowls

Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll want to have spoons at the ready for these yummy tummy warmers.

23 THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Bat in the bedroom

Uninvited nighttime guest creates drama and slapstick for outdoors columnist and his wife.

24 GREEN THUMB

Grounds for gardening

Perc up your garden with recycled coffee grounds but use care.

25 HOOSIER ENERGY/ WABASH VALLEY NEWS 26 HOOSIER HAPPENINGS 27 POWER KIDS

Look like A. Lincoln

Celebrate presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday with â&#x20AC;&#x153;whiskers!â&#x20AC;?

28 LOCAL CO-OP NEWS 30 ODDS â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; ENDS

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Co-op News

Co-op democracy makes mandates unnecessary

W

hen Americans think about democracy, we treasure the concept of being able to have our say through voting. Voting is also an important component of the way electric cooperatives operate. Co-op members elect directors who then make decisions in the best interests of the membership. In contrast to our cooperative philosophy, some want state government to mandate how we produce energy from renewable sources.

What is a state energy mandate?

Electricity can be obtained from many sources, such as coal-fired power plants, nuclear power, wind energy, hydroelectric dams, and biomass sources. Since electric co-ops were created, each coop’s directors have had the responsibility of determining which power sources were best for its members. When state governments create mandates, they gain the power to dictate the energy sources that co-ops can use. They take the decision out of the coop’s control.

For example, when government makes those decisions for co-ops, that policy is usually called a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS). Those so-called standards are actually rules demanding that arbitrary and impractical percentages of a coop’s energy come from alternative or renewable sources.

Isn’t renewable energy a good thing?

It can be when it comes from a practical, reliable source.

Indiana’s electric co-ops are already leaders in the development and use of renewable energy sources. Co-op members in our state have the opportunity to light their homes and businesses with energy generated from landfill gas, wind turbines, livestock waste, and gases tapped from coal mines. Co-op directors and our power suppliers are committed to identifying and using clean energy sources that protect the environment and add diversification to our portfolio of traditional power sources.

We object to mandates, not to clean energy When co-ops and our power suppliers consider investing in renewable generation, they want to be sure that it is the most cost effective choice for their members’ needs. They use longterm planning to evaluate choices, and consider all aspects of every choice. Is it a reliable source? Is it available in abundance?

Is it affordable and cost-effective? Is it the best choice for us?

Co-op members entrust those important decisions to directors they know.

Indiana’s generation and transmission cooperatives, Hoosier Energy and Wabash Valley Power, are state leaders in the development of renewable energy. Currently, two percent of the energy produced for Hoosier Energy and five percent produced for Wabash Valley Power comes from renewable sources, and pilot projects for renewable energy across the state are studying wind and solar energy generation. Development of landfill and

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“In contrast to our cooperative philosophy, some want state government to mandate how we produce energy from renewable sources.” coal seam methane projects are also key parts of our ongoing commitment to lower our dependence on coal.

You already have a vote in the decision Those that support RPS legislation suggest that mandates are the only way to move our state toward the use of less fossil fuels and more of what they think of as clean energy. In fact, Indiana’s co-ops have been moving in that direction for several years, and we do not believe that state government should decide what’s best for our local members.

Just as our members vote for the legislators who represent them in the Indiana General Assembly, you choose the men and women who serve as your representatives on your REMC board. Our collective voice makes a difference in government through our partnership with our statewide association, but your own voice is just as important for lawmakers to hear on important issues. …

Join our team — It’s our future You can join your neighbors in being ready to communicate with your legislators on important co-op issues like mandates. Sign up for “Our Energy, Our Future” at www.OurEnergy.coop and help us encourage your elected leaders to keep electric bills affordable. Our united voice can make the difference!

Hoosier Highlights See page 26 for more events

Eagles have landed

Lincoln: Now more than ever FEBRUARY 10

Lincoln Day at the Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City features a talk from Glenna Schroeder-Lein from the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Ill. She is the author of the book, “Lincoln and Medicine.” Program begins at 2 pm, CST, at the visitor center and will be followed by the traditional pilgrimmage to the headstone of Lincoln’s mother for a wreath-laying ceremony.

812-937-4541; www.nps.gov/libo/index.htm; www.indianasabelincoln.org/

Turkey Run may be the name of the park, but watching eagles fly is the name of the game. Eagles in Flight Weekend — hosted

by Turkey Run State Park and Raccoon State Recreation Area — is the sixth annual celebration of eagles. Events includes visiting eagle nests and an eagle roost; and live eagle, hawk and owl programs.

Call 765-597-2654 for details FEBRUARY 2-3

Drive to some well-known eagle spots and the roost site to watch bald eagles fly in for the night at the Eagle Watch Evening Field Trips at Salamonie Reservoir. LIMITED van transportation available through pre-registration only. A small amount of walking is involved; handicapped parking available (please note this during registration). Participants should meet at the Salamonie Interpretive Center, Salamonie Lost Bridge West, 3691 S. New Holland Road, Andrews. Time: 3-8 pm.

260-468-2127 (Registration required)

Two great tastes that taste great together =<9IL8IP 0$('# (-$(.

COMPUTER PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

PHOTO BY JUPITERIMAGES

FILE PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

FEBRUARY 1-3

Chocolate Lover’s Weekends 2013 at wineries on Indiana’s Upland Wine Trail will offer different chocolates carefully paired with a selection of wines — perfect for a Valentine’s getaway. You can try the suggested pairings or create your own match with your favorite Upland wines. No ticket is needed for this event — just tell the winery hosts you are visiting the wineries along the trail in Indiana’s historic and beautiful uplands that run from Bloomington and Nashville south and southeast toward the Ohio River. Participating wineries include: Best Vineyards Winery, Elizabeth; Brown County Winery, Nashville; Butler Winery, Bloomington; Carousel Winery, Bedford; French Lick Winery, West Baden Springs; Huber Winery, Starlight; Oliver Winery, Bloomington; Turtle Run Winery, Corydon; and Winzerwald Winery, Bristow. www.indianauplands.com

It’s maple syrup time!

FEBRUARY 16-17

When the sap starts running in sugar maple trees this time of year, many Hoosiers will be out chopping wood, tapping the trees and boiling down the sugar water to make pure maple syrup. Several maple syrup festivals around the state will satisfy any hankering for the sweet gift of the maple trees (see page 26 for more).

Vigo County’s Parks and Rec will be serving up the syrup it makes at its Prairie Creek Park Sugar Cabin at its annual Maple Syrup Pancake Breakfast. The breakfast is at Fowler Park in Terre Haute, 8 am-1 pm.

(When the sugar camp is active at Prairie Creek, visitors are welcome to come by and watch syrup being made over a wood fire.

Please call ahead.)

812-462-3392 (8 am-4 pm, weekdays); 812-898-2279 (after hours, weekends)

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Welcome to our magazine premiere!

Electric Consumer ushers in new era to better serve Indiana co-op members

‘O

verture, curtain, lights …” is how Bugs Bunny used to begin his cartoon show. The staff at Electric Consumer, Indiana’s electric cooperative publication, is singing the same tune as we officially relaunch the publication with this issue … “no more rehearsing and nursing a part …”

Since its introduction as Indiana Rural News in July 1951, through its name change in the early 1980s, all the way up until last month, Electric Consumer was a tabloid newspaper. But after a reader survey, indepth study and a redesign, Electric Consumer will now come to the homes over 227,000 electric co-op members in this new format. The project, which began in the winter of 2010, involved Electric Consumer readers and electric co-op directors, managers and communications specialists. Indiana now joins 26 of the 32 electric cooperative statewide publications as a magazine.

Editor Emily Schilling, in her “That Reminds Me” column on page 3, has already noted many of the beneficial changes and some of the familiar items you’ll find in new places. But let us usher you through some of the rest of this issue, and what you’ll find in our 32 pages each month. Please watch your step — though we think it’ll be easy to navigate — and be sure to remove your chapeau … k Pages 4, 8, 28-29: Your local co-op news and information. The news and important info from your REMC, or local electric co-op, was always in the center of the old newsprint version. To give the new publication a more cohesive feel (and take advantage of lower printing costs), the local pages are now intermingled with the “common” pages of the 6

publication that go out to all. Be sure to page through so you don’t miss any of the marketing/rebate programs and important rate info or meeting dates, etc., that are relevant to your particular co-op.

On some occasions, your co-op might use more than those four pages for local info. k Page 5: Hoosier Highlights/ Page 26: Hoosier Happenings.

These two pages work together to bring you the popular listing of festivals and events around the state. On page 5, you’ll find a little more detail about certain ones. We will continue running these events at no charge, focusing more on free community events, and others as space allows. k Page 9: Co-op Connection.

This is where you’ll find info about statewide or national co-op programs and issues. This month, for instance, we focus on our annual student art contest. ®NRECA k Pages 23 and 27: The Great Outdoors/ PowerKids. Jack Spaulding is a syndicated state outdoors writer who has appeared in limited versions of Electric Consumer for 20 years. His column will now appear in all editions, as will PowerKids, our page for kids, parents and the young at heart. It previously appeared in only half of the editions.

We hope you’ll like your new publication, and, as movie reviewers Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert used to do, give a thumbs up. Let us know at: ec@ElectricConsumer.org.

And, to paraphrase that wascally, Oscarwinning wabbit, we hope we hit the heights for you … “On with the show, this is it!” — RICHARD G. BIEVER, SENIOR EDITOR

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Sometimes a little bumpy (on purpose), bucket truck rides into the treetops are on the bucket list at Touchstone Energy® Camp.

Search party looking for annual Touchstone Energy campers What summer activity for the past 11 years has put the “amp” into “camp” literally, let kids reach new heights in a bucket truck and cooked hot dogs on a hotline of 7,200 volts? Indiana’s Touchstone Energy Camp is what.

Participating Indiana electric cooperatives are now looking for applicants for the 11th annual camp to be held June 5-8 at YMCA Camp Tecumseh in Brookston.

The camp is open to boys and girls currently in sixth grade.

Students should contact their local electric cooperative for more information and applications, or can find more information on their local co-op pages (in most editions) of Electric Consumer. Participating co-ops will be selecting the students for the camp that combines traditional activities at Tecumseh with electrical safety and cooperative education.

Applications are due this month. ®

9E # E F ? D <E H C 7J ? E D ; D ; H=O 7 :L ? 9 ; D ; MI Contact us at ec@ElectricConsumer.org

Energy efficiency will continue to play a significant role in meeting the nation’s energy needs, a new report says.

“Energy efficiency opportunities are abundant,” said Dan York, utilities program director of the American Council for an EnergyEfficient Economy. “We continue to unlock further opportunities to achieve large energy savings.”

The nonprofit association, which supports private, government and institutional energy research, examined 22 types of energy efficiency programs and two additional program areas to determine their potential for future energy savings through 2030.

The 246-page report noted future energy savings will be found from: k Building shell improvements and duct sealing in new construction and renovation. k Expanded deployment of high efficiency laundry equipment, including heat pump clothes dryers, along with use of ductless heat pumps, home energy displays, light emitting diode and solid state lighting technology. k Integrated lighting control and high-efficiency mechanical systems to spur high performance and low energy use in commercial applications. k Increased use of combined heat and power systems by farmers and ranchers.

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Leave space for your space heater As we slog our way through this last half Always a stickler, of winter, the safety messages we heard electric co-op mascot back when the weather started getting Willie Wiredhand is cold may be long forgotten. But now’s making sure his space not the time to get lax, especially if your heater is at least 3-4 family uses an electric space heater to feet from furniture. take the chill out of a bedroom or family room. Here are some safety tips to still keep in mind: k Keep the heater at least 3 to 4 feet away from things that can catch fire like bedding, clothing, drapes, furniture and newspapers. k Keep children and pets away from the space heater. k Keep your space heater away from areas with water. k Do not use a space heater to warm bedding or dry clothing or other objects. k Never leave a space heater unattended. Turn it off and unplug it when the last person using it leaves the room or before you go to bed. k Be sure the heater’s plug fits snugly in an outlet. The cord and plug may feel warm when operating since the unit draws so much power, but they should not feel hot. If they do, unplug the heater and have a qualified repair person check for problems. Never use an extension cord with a space heater.

To see more of Willie’s safety tips, go to ElectricConsumer.org.

Get stuck on solar energy!

It sounds like something only kid-show genius “Jimmy Neutron” would concoct, but part of the answer to the world’s energy needs might lie in stickers.

Researchers from Stanford University, working with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, have developed peel-off solar cells that might soon be a source of power for everything from portable electronics to military helmets.

Stanford scientists had previously worked with peel-and-stick technology. However, the latest partnership has produced the first successful demonstration using actual thin-film solar cells.

The thin-film solar cells are less than one micron thick — that’s one-millionth of a meter. The cells are dipped in room-temperature water to remove them from a silicon substrate used in their fabrication.

After exposing them to heat for a few seconds, they can stick like a bumper sticker to almost any surface and supply a source of power.

Stanford’s Xiaolin Zheng said the cells are unusual since they can adhere to almost any surface. The technology is in its infancy, he said, adding that researchers will examine other materials to make stick-on solar cells that might supply energy to aerospace systems.

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GUATEMALA DOCUMENTARY SET FOR APRIL The PBS documentary, “Power to the People,” about the Indiana lineworkers’ mission to Guatemala will now air in April.

Originally, it was planned for February. Stay tuned for stations, dates and times.

For details, visit: www.fyi.org.

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PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

National report touts efficiency as way to meet energy needs

KEEPING CURRENT Move your furniture, save energy If you feel a draft while you’re curled up on the sofa with a good book or your favorite TV show, don’t crank up the thermostat. Move the sofa.

The chilliest places in your home during the winter are right next to the windows. So move your furniture away from the windows.

Here are six other ways to stay warm by rearranging the furniture when it gets cold outside: 1. Locate your bookcases against an outside wall, and fill them with as many books as you can. The wood, paper and cardboard will absorb some of the cold air that seeps through the walls so it won’t make it into your heated room.

2. Similarly, hanging your favorite quilt or tapestry on an exterior wall will help keep heat indoors and the cold from seeping into the room.

3. Find the air-supply and return registers in every room. Sometimes they are on walls, and sometimes they are in the floor. Move furniture and carpet away from floor registers and scoot bookshelves far from wall grids so the your furnace gets the airflow it needs to operate efficiently. And if you’ve covered an ugly wall register with a poster or painting, it’s got to go. That register needs to “breathe” in order for your heating and cooling systems to work properly.

4. Likewise, clear sofas, chairs, beds and carpets away from heating vents. Fabric-covered furniture will not only block the stream of warm air from reaching the rest of the room, it actually can absorb the heat.

5. Your computer, TV and lamps generate some heat while they’re turned on, so take advantage of it. Move those electric appliances away from exterior walls so the warm air the devices generate won’t exit through the walls. Also, move those pieces away from your thermostat.

The extra heat can trick the thermostat into cycling the furnace off, even though the rest of the house feels cold.

6. When it’s sunny outside, open the blinds and drapes so the outdoor warmth can flood your room. But on cloudy days and after dark, keep windows covered. The fabric will help keep your heated air indoors.

Energy-efficiency tip of the month Your heat pump can use 10 percent to 25 percent more energy if it’s not properly maintained, which includes regularly checking and replacing the air filter when it’s dirty to keep parts from working too hard or even becoming damaged. Keep brush and plants tidy around the outdoor unit, and dust the return registers inside. For more details on heat pump maintenance, visit EnergySavers.gov — U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

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Co-op Connection

COMPOSITE ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD G. BIEVER/ARTWORK BY PREVIOUS STUDENT ART CONTEST WINNERS

Express yourself!

Enter our 16th annual calendar art contest

E

ntries are now being accepted for Electric Consumer’s 16th annual student art contest.

Winning works will illustrate the “Cooperative Calendar of Student Art” for 2014.

The contest, sponsored by Electric Consumer and participating electric cooperatives around Indiana, provides young Hoosier artists a unique opportunity to express themselves and develop their artistic talent while possibly earning cash prizes and statewide acclaim.

Winning artists will have their artwork published in the calendar and be part of a special exhibition through the Electric Consumer’s continuing partnership with Hoosier Salon, the historic organization of professional artists, art patrons and galleries.

Check out the highlights of the rules at right, and visit our website for the complete rules and downloadable PDFs of the rules and required entry forms. …

Highlights of the rules for 2014 co-op calendar art contest Who can enter: Any Indiana student, attending any public or private school or educated at home, who — for the 2012-2013 school year — is in the grades kindergarten through high school senior. kStudents do not have to be consumers of a rural electric cooperative. kArtwork can be submitted by teachers, 4-H leaders or others as a group or class project, or by individual students or their parents or guardians. kStudents may enter as often as they wish.

How does the contest work: Match the grade the student is in during the current (2012-13) school year to the corresponding month. Students should draw or paint a picture to illustrate their assigned month.

1st grade-January 5th grade-May 9th grade-September 2nd grade-February 6th grade-June 10th grade-October 3rd grade-March 7th grade-July 11th grade-November 4th grade-April 8th grade-August 12th grade-December Kindergarten students will create the cover art. There is no theme for the cover: any subject, season, event, etc., is acceptable.

How is the contest judged: Artwork will be judged on artistic merit, originality, creativity, how well the assigned month is depicted and suitability for a wall calendar.

What are the rules for originality: Students/teachers/parents/guardians are responsible for entering only original works by participating students. kArtwork MAY NOT be copied from other sources without substantial creative changes. This includes other paintings and photographs — unless the photo was composed and/or taken by the student. kEvery element of the artwork (design, lines, marks, paint, color, shapes, shading, highlights, etc.) must be the work of the student whose name appears on the back of the artwork and be done by that student’s hand. kNo tracing of other works is allowed. kNo photographs or artwork created with a computer will be judged for inclusion in the calendar.

How should the artwork be submitted: Artwork should be no smaller than 8x10 inches. kThe artwork can be most any medium as long as the art is relatively flat.

Charcoal and pastel drawings should be sprayed with a fixative. Do not use glitter, sand, liquids or other elements that can flake off or otherwise damage the works of other students. No photographic process, digital art, metallic or fluorescent paints may be used in the finished art. kThe artwork should be stand-alone artwork; do not include the name of the month, days of the week or calendar dates into the art itself. kSubmit the original artwork. Judges will not consider photocopies. kDo not mount, mat, frame, fold or crease artwork.

How should the artwork/artist be identified: One of two methods can be used to identify the art and artist depending where the artwork was created. Please use the most appropriate. kEntries from home or a small group: On the back of each entry, in the lower right hand corner, include: student’s first and last name, age, grade, school, names of parents or guardians, complete home address and phone number with area code.

In addition to information on the back of each entry, each entry must include a copy of the 2014 entry form (A) available from Electric Consumer or downloaded from electricconsumer.org. The form must be signed by each student-artist and parent/guardian (if the student is under 18 years old) acknowledging that the student has adhered to the rules of originality and each submission is original according to the guidelines above.

kEntries from a large group, classroom or school: If including all the above

information is impractical because of the number of entries or a violation of school policy, a large group of simultaneous entries from a single source should include on the back of each entry, in the lower right hand corner, the student’s first and last name, grade and a complete contact phone number. Please make sure all information is included and legible, and group submissions are sorted by grade.

In addition to information on the back of each entry, each package of entries must include a copy of the 2014 entry form (B) available from Electric Consumer or downloaded from ElectricConsumer.org. The form must be signed by the art instructor/classroom teacher acknowledging that the students have adhered to the rules of originality and each submission is original according to the guidelines above.

What are the prizes: A first place will be selected for each grade, kindergarten through 12, and will receive $200. Up to nine additional artists will be selected for honorable mention awards and receive $50.

Rights and returns: All artwork and reproduction rights become the property of Electric Consumer. Artwork selected to appear in the calendar will be returned to the artists in late 2013 or early 2014. All other entries will not be returned unless accompanied with full prepaid postage and proper packaging.

Deadline: Artwork must be at the Indianapolis office of the Electric Consumer by 3 p.m., Friday, March 22, 2013. Mailing address: P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224; street address: 720 N. High School Road, Indianapolis, IN 46214.

For full rules, policies and required entry forms: Visit our website and click on “Student Art Contest” at ElectricConsumer.org; or contact Richard Biever or Emily Schilling at Electric Consumer, 317-487-2220, 800-340-7362, or email us at ec@ElectricConsumer.org.

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Energy Now

Keep indoor air healthy

BY JAMES DULLEY

I want the best air quality at home for my family. Which type of central air cleaner is best, and will installing a central air cleaner make my heating and cooling more efficient?

I

ndoor air quality is becoming a greater issue for families as homes become more airtight for energy efficiency. And with all the synthetic products used in homes today, indoor air is often more polluted and hazardous to your health than outdoor air.

Installing a high-quality central air cleaner or filter in the furnace/air conditioner duct system does not technically improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. What it will do is keep the units running at their highest original efficiency levels.

Most air cleaners use little or no electricity to operate.

Indoor air quality is becoming a greater issue for families as homes become more airtight for energy efficiency.

With a lower-quality air cleaner, such as the standard one-inch-thick fiberglass filter, dust and dirt can build up on the heat exchanger and cooling coil surfaces. This dust creates a layer of insulation so that heat is not transferred as effectively as it should be. This reduces the overall energy efficiency.

If you don’t change the filter often enough, dirt can clog the many pores in the filter medium and reduce air flow through it. This further reduces efficiency because the heating and cooling coils and heat exchangers are designed for a specific air flow rate.

Within the past several years, manufacturers have begun producing new, 10

super-efficient central air cleaners.

They use a combination of electronic air charging and filter media to trap almost all of the tiniest particles in the air. They can even catch flu viruses and bacteria as they pass through the duct system.

Standard electronic air cleaners use wires to give air particles a negative charge. A collection cell has plates with a positive charge so the negatively charged particles stick to it.

When the collection cell is dirty, you can wash it in the dishwasher or bathtub and slip it back into the unit.

For many people, this standard type of electronic air cleaner is adequate.

For people with allergies, the new electronic air cleaners with the charged filter media may be more effective.

It’s important to regularly clean the collection cell of the standard electronic air cleaner to keep it operating at maximum cleaning performance and reduce the amount of ozone generated. When the cell gets dirty, the charge can arc from the wires to the collection plate. This may produce excessive concentrations of ozone gas, to which some people are sensitive. I set mine to a lower charging voltage to reduce ozone.

Another option is a pleated media air cleaner. This type of unit is less expensive and relies on many square feet of folded filter material to catch particles as the air passes through it. There are various levels of media quality and price. The cleaning effectiveness of various models can be compared by their MERV (minimum efficiency reporting value) rating.

If you don’t want to have the ducts modified to install a new air cleaner,

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This high-efficiency pleated media central air cleaner can be operated with the remote control even when the furnace or air conditioner is not heating or cooling.

SOURCE: APRILAIRE

consider a self-charging electrostatic model. This slips into the existing furnace filter slot and is many times more effective than a fiberglass filter.

Just the air flowing over the resin filter material creates a charge that tends to trap more dirt particles.

Another option is a bypass HEPA (high efficiency particle air) cleaner that has its own air circulation motor.

A HEPA is a very dense media filter, which makes it very effective, but it may create too much resistance for the furnace blower to force adequate air flow through it.

With any central air cleaner, it cleans only when a furnace/air conditioner blower is running. To get around this, Aprilaire offers a new controller which mounts next to the wall thermostat. It allows you to automatically run the blower for any length of time when no heating or cooling is needed.

JAMES DULLEY is a nationally

syndicated engineering consultant based in Cincinnati.

If you have a question about energy use or energy-efficient products, send it to: James Dulley, Electric Consumer, 6906 Royalgreen Drive, Cincinnati, OH 45244; or visit www.dulley.com.

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11

SHALE

SHOCK

OVER THE PAST DECADE, THE NATURAL GAS industry in North America has experienced a dramatic renaissance thanks to a combination of horizontal drilling and a shale fracturing technique called “hydraulic fracking.” With this technology, previously unrecoverable gas reserves located in shale formations deep underground are now flooding the market and should continue to do so for several decades.

This “shale gas revolution” promises to have a major impact on our nation’s energy future, particularly in shifting reliance from burning coal for power generation. Studies show that the U.S. will overtake Russia as the world’s largest gas producer by 2015, according to International Energy Agency Chief Economist Faith Birol.

She notes the resulting cheap domestic supply should lead electric utilities toward a heavier reliance on natural gas for generating power.

Given the fact that consumption of natural gas for electricity has increased every year since 2009, Birol’s predictions appear to be well under way. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), natural gas’s share of electric power generation in the U.S. will increase from 25 percent today to 28 percent by 2035, with renewable energy’s share growing from 10 percent to 15 percent and coal falling from 48 percent to 38 percent. However, 12

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Natural gas may edge out coal as nation’s primary source of power BY ANGELA PEREZ

Studies show that the U.S. will overtake Russia as the world’s largest gas producer by 2015 preliminary 2012 numbers indicate that pace of change may be accelerating.

When it comes to electricity, natural gas is most commonly used to fuel peaking and intermediate power stations. Peaking stations operate for brief periods during times of high electricity demand; intermediate plants are those whose output changes in response to electricity demand over the course of each day.

Today, gas accounts for about 15 percent of the power produced by generation and transmission cooperatives and 16 percent of all electric cooperative power requirements nationwide.

Over the past two years, the relatively low price for gas combined with increasing federal and state regulation of power plant emissions have led to natural gas-fired plants being run for longer periods, while many older coal-fired baseload power plants — those that provide dependable

Playing shale games Many shale formations are so large that only a limited portion has been extensively tested for its natural gas potential. The availability of large quantities of shale gas should enable the United States to produce more natural gas than it consumes for decades to come. k According to Penn State University, Marcellus Shale — a shelf of black porous rock stretching from southwestern New York across northern and western Pennsylvania into eastern Ohio and down through West Virginia — could become the second largest natural gas field in the world, with a potential of more than 500 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. k Barnett Shale covers at least 24 counties in North Texas. It is one of the most active shale plays in the U.S. and is estimated to contain as much as 26 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. k Primarily in Louisiana and Texas, Haynesville Shale could potentially contain as much as 251 trillion cubic feet of recoverable resources. k Antrim Shale covering much of Michigan and Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas are the latest examples of the still-emerging wealth of North American natural gas supplies.

SOURCE: U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION ILLUSTRATION BY STOCKBYTE

electric power year-round at a low cost — are being shut down or converted to gas operations.

In fact, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) last March proposed a New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) rule that aims to curb the release of carbon dioxide and six other greenhouse gases blamed for contributing to climate change from new fossil fuel-fired power plants.

(It also could be expanded at some point to cover existing generation.) To do so, it sets an emissions cap of 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour — a nearly impossible standard for coal-fired power plants to achieve.

Coal-fired power plants average in excess of 1,800 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per megawatt-hour.

“The only way to meet it is with carbon capture and storage [CCS] technology, which is prohibitively expensive and years away from being commercially viable,” David Hudgins, director of member and external relations at Old Dominion Electric Cooperative, told the U.S. House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment in June 2012.

Old Dominion EC is a generation and transmission co-op based in Glen Allen, Va. “No company will take the risk to invest billions of dollars in a power plant in the hopes that CCS will be developed,” Hudgins said.

The new standards, as outlined, will push power plants away from coal and toward natural gas baseload genera-

tion because most newer combined cycle gas facilities produce emissions within range of the 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per megawatt-hour limit. But natural gas prices are more volatile than coal, making the fuel a dicey option.

“Historically, natural gas prices have varied widely, making reliance on gas as the sole fuel to provide affordable future baseload power risky at best,” said Rae Cronmiller, environmental counsel for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the trade organization representing more than 900 electric co-ops in the U.S. “These risks are significantly enhanced because the cost of electricity derived from natural gas is largely driven by cost of the fuel itself. This differs from coal power, which is driven by capital costs. Also, natural gas in quantities necessary to provide year-round baseload generation is unavailable in some geographic areas.”

Despite this, utility experts believe that natural gas production will continue to increase and that the “blue flame” will surpass coal as the nation’s leading source of electric energy. …

ANGELA PEREZ writes on technology issues for the National Rural

Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.

ElectricConsumer.org <;8HK7HO (&') ;B;9JH?9 9EDIKC;H

')

INDIANA’S BAILIWICK is basketball. The state’s love of the game is renown and real. And while a handful of Hoosiers can lay claim to a vein of hardwood lineage running in their family tree, Hysteria historians would be pressed to find any stronger or deeper than what Steve and Lorri Zeller transplanted in the fertile soil near Washington when they moved here in 1993. Then, their three sons, Luke, Tyler and Cody, were saplings.

But the boys grew … and grew.

Following in the shoes of their parents, an uncle and a grandfather, they picked up the round ball Hoosiers love. The net result was nothing but net: Among the trio, they have four state class 3A championships, and each has an Indiana Mr. Basketball award to his credit. All three went on to play for storied Division 1 college programs. The oldest two, Luke and Tyler, now mix it up with the game’s elite as rookies this year in the NBA, while “little” brother Cody has reaped loads of press and praise helping restore the Indiana University men’s basketball program to prominence.

But basketball isn’t all that drives the Zeller boys. Above the game and fanfare, they each possess an abiding faith, strong character and work ethic, and a deep love and commitment to their family and community. These qualities were instilled by their parents and run as deep in the family as the game they play so well.

The Zellers are committed to sharing what they know about the game and the character needed to succeed in basketball — and in life. The family’s DistinXion program is gearing up for its fourth season — with 15 camps for boys and girls in Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina. The Christian-based 14

program teaches positive life values and character through elite basketball and cheerleading instruction.

The camp started with 38 youngsters in 2010. That number grew to 280 in 2011. Last year, some 1,300 boys and girls around Indiana and Ohio participated in 12 camps.

Electric Consumer met with Lorri and Steve Zeller, Daviess-Martin

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County REMC consumers, to talk about the program that also includes their sons; Luke’s wife, Hope; and a growing staff of others. While Steve has maintained his day job managing Perdue Farms’ Washington plant, Lorri has left her position in Washington High School’s athletic department to devote full attention to the nonprofit program.

Here’s a portion of that conversation.

Indiana’s first family of basketball targets life’s bigger picture

8O H?9>7H: =$ 8?;L;H

A camp with a difference Electric Consumer: Luke is actually the president of DistinXion. How did he develop this idea?

Lorri: When he went to Notre Dame, he studied entrepreneurship. His business plan was to start a Christian basketball camp.

Steve: It really started before that when we were going to the AAU [Amateur Athletic Union] games when he was in seventh grade. He always said, “I want to do a basketball camp.”

Lorri: This was his brain child that he’d dreamt of since he was probably 9 or 10 years old.

EC: Was the character aspect something you initiated with him, or did he see this was a missing element even at that age?

PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

Steve: He started it. He really did. We talked a lot about the camp and how we wanted to do it. Basketball and character were the two things that always came up. Luke always was — still is — a very giving person. And he wanted to always give back.

Lorri: Through our experiences you see a lot. When you have summer AAU, you see … [pauses] … you see a lot — let’s just leave it at that. I worked at the school. You see not

all kids have a mom and a dad. There’s just a need for that to be reinforced.

EC: A lot of star athletes and coaches have camps. What makes yours different?

Lorri: For one, it’s nonprofit. And secondly, the character and the life skills are different.

Steve: The other thing that we do that’s unique, and we’re going to keep it that way, is that we keep the number of campers per counselor low. We want to make it personalized.

At a lot of these camps, you’ll get 500 or 600 campers because they want to make the big bucks. All they want to do is one or two camps a year, and they’re done. We get more payment out of being able to help a kid and the families than from the money we get. Unfortunately, you have to have money to run the business or you can’t keep it going.

EC: DistinXion’s numbers have grown incredibly over the first three years, but as you noted, that’s with a dozen camps in two states. Cody is listed as a staff member. As you’ve added more camps, do you think the success he’s had his first two years at Indiana University brought more attention to the camp?

Lorri: That definitely helps. But part of it, though, is parents see the need for the character training. It goes over great with parents, but the kids really hone in to it, too.

EC: Another thing unique about DistinXion is the name …

Lorri: When Luke did his business plan, he first named it “Summit Athletics,” as in reaching the summit.

Steve Zeller talks about the importance of preparation to DistinXion’s AAU team during a practice at DistinXion’s gym at the Antioch Christian Church in Washington last month.

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15

Steve: … “We need nose surgery; so help us out. Come to our camp.”

Lorri: None of which got approved.

So Luke’s wife said, “You guys stick to basketball, and let me do the marketing part of it.”

She wanted something that meant distinct. That’s how we wanted to be: different. We say, “We’re different in a positive way.”

At camp, our head trainer, Bryce Bow, will tell the kids, “You want your teacher to remember you not because you’re the kid causing problems.

You’re the kid that held the door open for somebody. You’re the kid that said ‘please’ or ‘thank you.’ You’re distinct, you’re different in a positive way.”

So, with DistinXion, she changed the spelling. The center is a red “X.” X is the Greek symbol for Christ. It’s at the center of our name, and it’s at the center of what we do.

Steve: When Hope first brought that to me, I right away said, “No.” My mom always said never put “Xmas” because you’re “crossing Christ out.”

Hope was prepared. She had it all laid out what the X stood for.

EC: The name has the Christian emphasis, but it seems the stories you use to illustrate the guiding principles of your “CHAMPIONS” acronym [please see sidebar on page 19] are the kind of examples any kid can relate to. I guess I’m asking whether children of other beliefs would feel as comfortable attending your camps?

Lorri: While the “X” in DistinXion represents Christ, we do not overwhelm the campers with this. However, we have small things that we do to bring in the Christian principles.

16

“

is the Greek symbol for Christ.

It’s at the center of our name, and it’s at the center of what we do.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF DISTINXION

After we had our first pilot summer, he would see things around town like “Summit Realty,” or “Summit … you know” …. One day, he saw “Summit Sewage,” and he said, “That’s it. We need a new name!”

He and Tyler and Steve had been trying to think of a name. And, you know, they’re not very creative. Luke said they had ideas like, “We’re tall; come to our camp” … [Laughs]

—LORRI ZELLER

At the beginning of every camp, we have the score on the scoreboard at “4” and “13”. The scoreboard doesn’t change during the three-day camp.

We will have some campers ask about the score. At the closing ceremony, we explain to the kids and parents that the number on the scoreboard is 4:13, which is Luke’s favorite Bible verse, Philippians 4:13 — “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

And Luke will explain what that has meant to him, and he is available for anyone who wants more information.

EC: Is there a certain type of youngster you hope to attract to the camp?

Lorri: We want a variety of kids. There are kids that are doing great, and we have a message for them. There’re kids that aren’t doing so well, and we have a message for them, too. So, it doesn’t matter where they come from or what their story is. We just want them to come and experience it.

EC: What are some examples of how you teach character?

Steve: We start off by doing things like first impressions: a handshake, eye contact. And then the second thing we’ll go to is the table manners.

The best table manners actor we have is Cody. He’s the bad guy. He comes and does everything wrong.

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Cody will come out with a hat on backwards. His chair will be turned around. He reaches across the table, and he coughs in his hand. And then the kids start pointing it out. They get a big kick. One: it’s Cody; and two: they get to point out everything he’s doing wrong. It sticks in their mind, and we give them a talk at the end not to be like that.

EC: How much do Luke, Tyler and Cody’s busy schedules allow them to participate in the camps?

Lorri: It always depends. We try to have at least one of them at each camp. We don’t promote it as all three boys are going to be there. We really want it to be that you’re coming not for an autograph, but to improve your basketball skills and be a better person when you leave.

EC: When talking to the kids, how do you know they’re listening?

Steve: Occasionally, we’ll get one that won’t. We’ll draw attention to them.

If they’re requiring too much attention, I’ll pull them aside and say, “Hey, here’s the way it’s being viewed, here’s the way you’re being looked at.”

We explain it to them that way rather than “you’re doing this wrong” or “you’re doing that wrong.” Go after the behavior, don’t go after the personal end of it. And it seems to work.

I think kids don’t get enough of that. Sometimes, I think parents are afraid to say to their child, “Hey, let’s just take it aside here.”

EC: These parenting and communications skills … were the same ones you practiced on your sons?

Lorri: We were pretty strict.

Steve: Lorri was definitely a better person as far as laying down the rules.

We were a nice combination because I could sit back and still be the threat if Lorri got into a situation.

Lorri: We had the advantage that there were two of us. There are a lot of households that don’t have that.

There’d be times the boys would challenge me, and Steve would back me.

But if that happens and you’re a single parent, then it’s tough.

The stellar Zellers Luke, Tyler and Cody Zeller have a little hardwood history among them: three Indiana Mr. Basketball awards; four state titles; three McDonald’s All-American honors; an NCAA championship and more. Here’s a little about them, and what they’ve been up to lately …

PHOTOS COURTESY OF PHOENIX SUNS/CLEVELAND CAVALIERS/INDIANA UNIVERSITY

LUKE ZELLER Phoenix Suns

Date of Birth: April 7, 1987 (age 25) Birth Place: Ames, Iowa Height: 6 feet, 11 inches Weight: 245 pounds Uniform number: 40 High school: Washington H.S. (2001-05) (Co-valedictorian) College: Notre Dame (2005–09) (A team captain in 2008-09) Pro career: 2009/Undrafted 2009-10: Shiga Lakestars (Japan) 2010: Naglis-Adakris (Lithuania) 2010-11: Bakersfield Jam (D-League) 2011-12: Austin Toros (D-League) 2012-present: Phoenix Suns (NBA) Career highlights and awards: k D-League Champion (2012) k Indiana Class 3A State Champion (2005) k Indiana Mr. Basketball (2005) k McDonald’s All-American (2005)

In overtime of the Indiana high school Class 3A state championship game his senior year, Luke made the winning shot from midcourt as time expired.

After playing in pro basketball’s developmental league and abroad the past three years, he signed with the Phoenix Suns, Oct. 1, 2012. In January, the Suns gave Luke a guaranteed contract through the end of this season.

JOB;H P;BB;H Cleveland Cavaliers

Date of Birth: Jan. 17, 1990 (age 23) Birth Place: Visalia, Calif.

Height: 7 feet Weight: 250 pounds Uniform number: 40 High school: Washington H.S. (2004-08) College: North Carolina (2008–12) Pro career: 2012/Drafted in Round 1 (17th overall) by Dallas Mavericks; traded to Cleveland Cavaliers, July 2012 2012-present: Cavaliers (NBA) Career highlights and awards: k ACC Player of the Year (2012) k Academic All-American of the Year (2012) k 1st Team Academic All-American (2011, 2012) NCAA National Champion (2009) k Indiana Class 3A State k Champion (2005, 2008) k Indiana Mr. Basketball (2008) k McDonald’s All-American (2008)

Tyler averaged 16.3 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in his senior year at North Carolina where he was a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award. He’s averaging 7.9 points in 26.5 minutes per game as a center-forward in his rookie season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

9 E :O P ; B B ; H Indiana University

Date of Birth: Oct. 5, 1992 (age 20) Birth Place: Winona, Minn.

Height: 7 feet Weight: 240 pounds Uniform number: 40 High school: Washington H.S. (2007-11) (Salutatorian) College: Indiana (2011-present) Career highlights and awards: k Big Ten Freshman of the Year (2011) 1st Team Freshman k All-American (2011) k 2nd Team All-Big Ten (2011) k Indiana Class 3A State Champion (2008, 2010, 2011) k Indiana Mr. Basketball (2011) k McDonald’s All-American (2011)

Cody led the Indiana Hoosiers his freshman year with 15.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. His 62.3 percent field goal percentage was fourth in the nation, led the Big Ten Conference and was second highest in IU history.

At press time, Cody was averaging 16.6 points per game this season, shooting 63.4 percent from the field. He is majoring in business.

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17

EC: As you travel around and meet so many kids, do you think parents, in general, are shirking that responsibility of teaching kids character?

Steve: Parents have to be reminded that it’s OK to discipline your kid. It’s OK to be a parent. Anymore, it seems, parents want to be friends. It’s great to have that relationship, but you also have a responsibility of being a parent.

We as human beings want to be disciplined. When I say “disciplined,” I’m not talking about being spanked.

We want to stay between the ditches.

We don’t want to be down in the ditch.

Lorri: We tell parents, “Your children have friends. They don’t need you to be a friend. They need you to be a parent. That’s your job.”

Kids need boundaries, and that’s the parents’ job. So, we hope to empower parents to do that.

Now, I can say that, as my kids are in college or beyond, we’re really good friends. It’s OK to be friends now. I don’t have to make rules or boundaries for them. But at the time, I was not their friend; I was their parent.

EC: Is this where basketball — with its boundaries and rules — intersects with your larger message?

Steve: Any sport works this way. When you think about what we prepare for when we’re preparing for basketball, so much of it falls right into line with what you do in life. You work hard to achieve a goal. You have to prepare. You have to have put in the time.

Life happens so much faster in basketball. One of the things the boys have learned more than anything else, and we’ve learned as well, is that they get in a year probably 10 years of business. When you look at the basketball season they’ve gone through: they learn teamwork; they learn who are the authorities; they learn the people who will try to take advantage of them.

They’ve learned so much. It took me 28 years to learn what they’ve learned in a four-year career in college. And now they’re learning more — beyond me — in the pro ranks.

18

“Luke is a visionary.

Sometimes we have to rein him back in …

He loves this business. He loves it because he’s able to help people.”

—STEVE ZELLER

>eei_[h j^Wdai]_l_d]i EC: In Indiana, basketball seems to come into every kid’s life at some point.

Very few, even the tall kids, go on to play in college, let alone the pros. What is it about Luke, Tyler and Cody that made them want to excel in the sport, and work at it far beyond the average kid to achieve their amazing success?

Steve: Luke was definitely the pioneer.

He was a great older brother. Luke was 6-foot-9 in the eighth grade. So he got a lot of exposure. Basketball just came naturally because he was so tall.

Then, you had Tyler come along.

Tyler’s very strong willed. Tyler, at one point, wasn’t too excited about basketball. He was 5-foot-11 going into ninth grade. He then grew almost a foot, and by his sophomore year, he was starting on the varsity. So, he had the will to push on.

As far as natural athletic ability, Cody’s always had the most. Cody could have been almost anything. He always jokes, “I would’ve been a great wide receiver if you would’ve just let me play football.”

EC: Since each is at or about 7 feet, they seemed destined to play basketball. But did moving to Indiana contribute to their success? Had you stayed in any of the places where each of the boys was born, do you think you’d have two sons in the NBA and the third heading that way?

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Steve: I always say I wasn’t smart enough to bring us to Indiana. The good Lord brought us here, if you think about where we were.

We were in Iowa. I raised my hand when Louis Rich said we’re going to start a plant in California, and I took Lorri kicking and screaming to California. Then, from California to Minnesota.

Iowa is all wrestling. California, you’re not real sure because there are so many people out there. Minnesota is all hockey. And we end up in Indiana with 7-foot kids. It definitely made an impact.

Lorri: Iowa thinks they’re a big basketball state. But they’re not compared to Indiana.

Steve: We’ve seen the best in basketball in high school in Indiana.

EC: All three boys now wear the jersey number 40. Is there any significance to this?

Lorri: All of our boys have worn jersey #40 because it was worn by my dad, Marvin Eberhard. He wore it when he played high school basketball in Nebraska, and they won the state championship in 1942. So, that number has been special in our family, and our boys wear that number to honor him. He is now 88 years old and still lives in Iowa.

When the #40 was already being worn at North Carolina, Tyler wore #44 in honor of my brother Al Eberhard who wore that number in college and in the pros.

EC: Tyler was drafted right out of college last year. But this is also Luke’s first year playing in the NBA, after playing abroad and in the developmental league. Was there a time when he thought the NBA wasn’t going to happen for him?

Steve: The “P” in CHAMPIONS is for “perseverance.” We use him for perseverance because he has persevered without a doubt. He went from the pinnacle — scoring the state championship last second half-court shot — to going to a rough college career.

It was a good career, but it wasn’t a

Zeller program is more than just a sports camp

great career like everyone anticipated.

He went undrafted. He went to Japan.

And he’s just stuck with it. He’s definitely persevered.

EC: Beyond basketball, what’s Cody studying at IU that perhaps he’ll later be able to bring to DistinXion?

Steve: Business, also … Luke and Tyler tried talking him into going into nursing because they felt we really needed a medical staff — and they didn’t think he was smart enough to be a doctor. [Laughter] I’ve heard his older brothers explain all this to him … [More laughter]. They have fun with each other. It’s just fun to sit and listen to them.

Lorri: Here’s an example of Cody. That was him that just tried to call, and I just text-messaged him. I said, “We’re in an interview, but I’ll call you when we’re done.”

He goes, “Oh, tell the story of how I’m your favorite child.”

Steve: Did you tell the story of what he did to your Facebook?

Lorri: On my own computer at home I don’t sign out of Facebook or whatever. Well, Cody comes home and he usually writes something under me.

When he came home at Thanksgiving, he wrote, “Today on Thanksgiving I’m thankful for my son Cody … and the money that I’m hoping to receive from my other two sons now that they are both in the NBA.” People were like, “I can’t believe Lorri Zeller said that!”

And I’d say, “C’mon, you know it’s Cody. I wouldn’t say stuff like that.”

Steve: And then you’d get the others writing, “Cody’s on your Facebook again.” They knew right away.

Lorri: You were in on that with him, by the way.

Steve: I just … he … I just proofread it for him is all I did. He had a grammatical error.

PHOTO AND PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

DistinXion, a nonprofit “Basketball is something that is 501(C)3 organization, offers definitely a segue to life,” says three programs: Indiana basketball standout Luke Zeller in the introductory video to k Basketball Camps — open the basketball training program to students entering second — DistinXion — that he created through eighth grades. There and operates with his family. will be 13 weekend camp What makes this training and sessions at locations around youth camp program distinct the state starting in May. ps Xion cam The “score” at Distin d among sports camps is that Private Basketball Training sai , k nce ere is always 4-13, a ref orite — open for players from fav s ke’ Lu DistinXion — which also includes to , ller Ze mom Lorri ns 4:13 — Luke’s brothers Tyler and Cody, second grade through high Bible verse, Philippia ough Christ thr s ng thi parents Steve and Lorri, and school.

“I can do all .” who strengthens me wife Hope on staff — combines k Cheerleading camps — elite baskeball and cheerleading instruction open to high school and junior high squads. with lessons on leadership, character building, High school students with basketball/cheerwork ethic and more. “If you learn that through leading experience are welcome to apply for basketball, it’s fantastic because for the rest of life volunteer positions, directly helping the profesthat’ll apply and be able to help you out when you sional and college athletes. have a job or when you have a family,” Luke says.

The schedules for the 2013 camps will be The Zeller Family program teaches the life available Feb. 1. For information about the skills by focusing on nine principles grouped in an programs and the dates and locations around acronym the Zellers call CHAMPIONS posted on Indiana, visit www.DistinXion.org. You can also their gymnasium wall (right). get information by calling 812-250-9594.

Lorri: Who’s side are you on? [Laughter]

EC: As you prepare for the 2013 schedule, what’s the future goal Luke — and all of you — have for DistinXion?

Steve: Luke has a dream. We want to build a model. We want to take that model and go to different spots. We want to be able to work with as many kids as possible and be able to influence as many as possible. Luke will go wherever he’s able to put it together financially.

Each one of the boys is unique, and that’s what’s neat about the company. Luke is a visionary. Sometimes we have to rein him back in. But he definitely has a vision. He loves this business. He loves it because he’s able to help people. …

RICHARD G. BIEVER is senior editor of Electric Consumer. To find links to more information, please visit our website: ElectricConsumer.org.

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Food Focus

BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH CHIPOTLE CREAM

Spoons at the ready for these yummy tummy warmers

SOUP: 1 medium butternut squash 3 T. olive oil, divided Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1 medium onion, chopped CHIPOTLE CREAM: 1 t. minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce ½ cup sour cream

2 ribs celery, chopped 2 carrots, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 6 cups chicken broth, divided 2 t. minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

Salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 400 F. Halve squash lengthwise. Discard seeds and wash squash.

Using 1 T. olive oil, grease the sliced surface of the squash and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast until very tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. In a large, heavy pot over mediumhigh heat, add remaining olive oil, onion, celery, and carrots, then season with a pinch of salt. Sauté just until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Scoop the butternut squash flesh into the pot and stir. Add 4 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Turn off heat and using an immersion blender, carefully puree the soup until very smooth, or puree in batches in a blender. If necessary, add more of the remaining stock to create desired consistency. Mix in 2 t. chipotle into soup and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

In a small bowl, mix together 1 t. chipotle and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer soup to bowls. Top each with a dollop of chipotle cream and serve. Note: unused portion of canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce may be frozen on a cookie sheet and then stored in a plastic freezer bag for later use.

DOTTY DILTZ, BRISTOW, IND.

In foreground, Dotty Diltz’s “Butternut Squash Soup with Chipotle Cream”

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SOUP PREPARED BY MANDY KENT/PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

WINTER CHOWDER 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed ½ cup chopped onion 1 cup water ¾ t. onion salt or powder ½ t. pepper 1/8 t. salt 2 drops Louisiana hot sauce

½ cup cubed, cooked ham 1 cup quartered Brussels sprouts 1½ cups milk ¾ cup shredded Colby/ Monterey Jack cheese, divided

In a large saucepan, bring potatoes, onion and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Do not drain. Mash potatoes.

Mixture will NOT be smooth. Stir in onion salt or powder, pepper, salt and hot sauce. Set aside. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, sauté ham and Brussels sprouts for 5-6 minutes or until sprouts are tender. Stir into potato mixture. Add milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Gradually stir in ½ cup cheese. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish with remaining cheese. Serves five.

DOLORES WOLFE, LAFAYETTE, IND.

Dorris Smith’s “Portuguese Kale Soup” SOUP PREPARED BY EMILY SCHILLING/PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

PORTUGUESE KALE SOUP 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks 1 pound smoked, skinless sausage, cut diagonally into 1-inch slices 1 small bunch kale, washed, stems removed, and cut into small pieces 1 (15-oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained Place potatoes and sausage in a large cooking pot and cover with 4 inches of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are partially done. Add kale and beans, and continue cooking until potatoes and kale are done. Serves eight.

Cook’s note: “This soup can be made ahead and frozen. Portuguese kale soup is served in many restaurants on Cape Cod. We vacationed there and liked this version the best.”

DORRIS SMITH, ANGOLA, IND.

SUPER DUPER POTATO SOUP 1 pound roll of hot sausage (sage flavored works well, too) ¼ cup chopped onion 4 medium to large white potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces 1 large sweet potato or yam, peeled and cut into small pieces

1 large turnip, peeled and cut into small pieces (don’t omit; see cook’s note below) 1 cup chopped carrots 1 cup chopped cauliflower (optional) 1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth Milk, half-and-half, or cream, to taste

Using a large soup pot, brown sausage with onion, breaking up the sausage as it cooks. Remove from pan and drain. Add vegetables to pot. Add chicken broth and just enough water to cook the vegetables. (The less water, the better.) When vegetables are tender, after approximately 20-25 minutes, turn off burner and let cool slightly. Blend, either with a hand blender or regular blender, half to threequarters of the vegetable mixture. Combine remaining vegetables with blended vegetable mixture. Add sausage and enough milk, half-and-half, or cream to achieve desired thickness and reheat.

Cook’s note: “The use of the turnip is essential. Years ago I was told that by combining carrots with turnips to cook them, the flavor is greatly enhanced. From that point on, I would cook my turnips and carrots together, blend them, and then freeze the mixture. In an effort to find new ways to use the turnip/carrot mixture, I began to add it to soups, all kinds of soups. The flavor was so much better with this addition that I experimented more by using the mixture in the tomato sauce of lasagna, the cheese sauce of macaroni and cheese, and many others.”

CAROL J. MORGAN, KINGMAN, IND.

<EE: J?FI 7D: JH?9AI

Have leftover scalloped potatoes? Make soup!

Ruth Ann Zechiel of Culver, Ind., shared an easy way to make a bowl of soup with leftover scalloped potatoes. Just process the potatoes in a blender until smooth, heat in the microwave, and add a few oyster crackers.

Do you have a kitchen tip or trick that saves time or money that you’d like to share with other readers? How do you save time when you’re preparing a meal or pinch a few pennies when shopping for groceries? Send them to us at ec@ElectricConsumer.org or P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224.

If we pick your tip, we’ll send you a check for $5.

TORTELLINI TOMATO SOUP 1 pound bulk Italian sausage 6 cups beef broth 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce (or traditional spaghetti sauce) 1 (28-oz.) can stewed tomatoes (see cook’s note below) 1 cup sliced zucchini 1 large onion, chopped 2 cups sliced carrots 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium green pepper, chopped ¼ cup minced fresh parsley (or 1 T. dried parsley flakes) 2 t. sugar 1 t. dried oregano 1 t. dried basil 1 garlic clove, minced 2 cups frozen cheese tortellini Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker; add the next 13 ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until vegetables are tender. Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Stir into slow cooker; cover and cook 30 Find all our minutes longer. Serve with Parmesan cheese if desired. (If you do not recipes online at want to use a slow cooker, simply simmer meat, vegetables and spices ElectricConsumer. on low for 1 ½ hours. Add cooked tortellini and simmer another 30 org and on Pinterest minutes.)

Cook’s note: “I omit the stewed tomatoes to suit our family’s taste and double the spaghetti sauce.”

at Pinterest.com/ electriconsumer.

JULIE MARSHALL, DUNKIRK, IND.

JAMAICAN RUM DOWN 1 (14-oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk ¾ cup water 1 small onion, chopped 2 carrots, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, chopped 1 green chile, chopped and seeded 2 potatoes, diced 2 sweet potatoes, diced 1 (14-oz.) can kidney beans 1 t. soy sauce

Combine coconut milk and water in medium-sized pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, to bring to a boil. Add onion, carrots, pepper, bay leaf, garlic and chile. Return to a boil. Turn down heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Add potatoes and sweet potatoes. Return to a boil and simmer for 18 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Add kidney beans and soy sauce and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serves four.

SANDRA MILES, BLOOMFIELD, IND.

CORRECTION: In our January issue, there was an error in one of our oats recipes, “Sunday Salmon Supper.” The recipe should read ¼ cup oat bran instead of 1 cup. We apologize for the error.

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Food Focus Food Facts and Fancy Bananas bruise in a bunch

A ‘soup-er’ quiz: How well do you know soup?

Separate bananas when you get home from the grocery store.

They naturally release gases that cause fruits (including other bananas) to ripen quickly, so if you leave them connected at the stem, they will ripen faster.

Test your soup-erability by matching the definitions of various types of soup with the correct name.

Definitions

1. A traditional Spanish soup served cold and

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

made of fresh tomatoes, oil, vinegar and seasonings A thick soup of meat, fish or vegetables to which salt pork, milk, diced vegetables may be added The broth that results when meat, chicken or fish is slowly simmered with vegetables, seasonings and water A shellfish-based cream soup A soup made from vegetables, seasonings, seafood or chicken, and usually thickened with okra A soup which gets its major thickening from vegetable or other food A clear liquid, made from poultry or meat with vegetables and seasonings and then strained Concentrated stock (beef or chicken) Clarified double-strength meat or poultry stock

Soups

A. Bisque B. Bouillon C. Broth

D. Chowder E. Consomme F. Gazpacho

Celebrate hearts all month This month, load up on “heart”-y foods (and we’re not talking about heart-shaped chocolates and candies for Valentine’s Day) because it’s National Heart Healthy Month! The American Heart Association recommends eating unrefined whole grain foods to help lower blood cholesterol, as well as fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids (such as salmon, trout and herring) to lower the risk of coronary artery disease. The AHA’s ‘heartcheck mark’ can be found on numerous products throughout the aisles of the grocery store, signifying that these items have been certified by the AHA as heart-healthy foods.

Big game means big consumption According to the Snack Food Association, every year, Super Bowl fans consume: k 11 million pounds of potato chips k 13.2 million pounds of avocados k 8.2 million pounds of tortilla chips k 4.3 million pounds of pretzels k 3.8 million pounds of popcorn k 2.5 million pounds of snack nuts

G. Gumbo H. Puree I. Stock

1, F; 2, D; 3, I; 4, A; 5, G; 6, H; 7, C; 8, B; 9, E

On the Menu APRIL

Asparagus

Fresh asparagus is at its peak in the springtime.

In April, our reader-submitted recipes will feature this veggie, which is one of the most nutritionally well-balanced of all produce items in the wide array of nutrients it supplies. Send us recipes for salads, sides, stir-frys or other dishes that use asparagus. The submission deadline is Feb. 24. If we print your recipe we’ll send you a check for $10.

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MAY

Fresh from the garden

Gardens begin to grow and farm stands start to pop up all over Indiana as summer nears. What are some of your favorite dishes using fresh, Indiana grown fruits and vegetables like strawberries and sweet corn? Send us recipes using garden fresh ingredients by March 21. Our address is Electric Consumer Recipes, P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224. You can email us at ec@indremcs.org.

The Great Outdoors

Bat in the bedroom Uninvited night guest creates bedroom drama with a touch of slapstick

BY JACK SPAULDING

(Note to readers: Jack Spaulding’s outdoors column has appeared in limited versions of Electric Consumer for many years. With the new format, we can now present him to our full readership.

For this broader introduction, we went into our attic to find one of our favorite columns of his from the past.)

O

ver the years, I have developed a fondness, or at least respect or tolerance for about every creature imaginable. But even though I have come to realize everything fills a needed niche in the grand scheme, sometimes my fondness, respect and tolerance get stretched.

We live in a large rambling old farmhouse that presents a grand character and enough nooks, cracks and crannies to give easy access for some often uninvited guests.

As I was slipping off to dreamland one night, my wife, Chris, rolled over and said, “What was that?”

“What was what?” I said.

“Didn’t you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“That fluttering sound.”

“Go to sleep … it was probably just the wind.”

Then, in the darkness, I heard it, too. I couldn’t pinpoint the location until, suddenly, the air above the bed was filled with the fluttering of wings.

I could feel the wind on my face!

Chris suddenly became more in tune with the situation when I said, “It’s either Mothra, the moth from you-know-where, or there’s a bat in the bedroom!” At that point, a scream of surprise penetrated the pitch black.

Using the old childhood ploy of get-under-the-covers-and-stay-underthe-covers, she refused to cooperate when I said, “Turn on the light!”

So, as I crawled around the bed on the floor to reach the light, I slammed face first into the bench seat at the foot of the bed, veered left, turned back right, and continued on to the light switch. I shuffled on all fours at such high speed, I literally almost left my bedtime attire behind.

I finally reached the light. Blinded by the flash of 60 watts in my face, it took a minute to focus on the scene unfolding in the bedroom. The center of the bed looked like a quivering Sherpa’s tent with Chris completely covered and tucked in all around.

Overhead and flying wildly was a typical brown bat, confused by the light and swooping around the walls.

Jumping to my feet, I made a mad dash for the door and swung it closed.

My isolation tactic to keep the bat in the bedroom, though, was viewed by my wife as an unforgivable act of abandonment. From the other side of the door, I heard a lot of muffled shouting along with a few colorful metaphors about me and the bat.

Adjusting my bedroom attire to a slightly more modest position, I headed for the den to retrieve my fishing net. The net is a rugged piece of equipment with a 6-foot collapsible handle and a tight weave.

Digging into the den closet, I could still hear Chris voicing her opinion and expressing a high level of concern about my absence and the bat’s continued presence. Never anticipating an immediate need for a collapsible dip net, I had safely tucked it at the back and the bottom of the closet. Ten minutes later, with enough equipment on the floor to stock a new sporting good’s store, I had it in hand.

As I rushed back to the bedroom, the net caught the overflowing waste basket in the hallway leading to the kitchen. I tripped through the coffee grounds but continue my dash to bedroom door. I eased it open, slipped past the frame and quickly shut the door behind me. Now, it was down to me and the bat.

As the bat flew laps around the room, I readied myself and the net. I swung the huge landing net like the “Mighty Casey” at the bat. It was a clean miss that left me marveling at the bat’s ability to detect the net by echo radar and veer safely to the side.

Changing tactics, I decided to come up on the bat’s blind side … from the rear. As the little bug biter sailed past me again, I made a flying leap the length of the dresser, scooped the bat out of mid air, and fell to a heap on the floor.

None the worse for capture, the bat flapped its little wings, chirped and clicked its dismay and gave me a very distrustful stare through the mesh of the net. A quick trip to the front door and a flip of the net sent the little bat soaring off into the night.

After putting up the net and washing the coffee grounds off my feet, I went back to bed. Knowing my hero status was most likely to be shortlived, I asked Chris to remind me to take the trash out in the morning.

Her only reply was, “Next time …

I’ll get the net!” …

JACK SPAULDING is a state

outdoors writer and a consumer of RushShelby Energy from Milroy. Readers with questions or comments can write to him in care of Electric Consumer, P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224; or email jackspaulding@hughes.net.

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Green Thumb

Perc up your garden with coffee grounds

BY B. ROSIE LERNER

D

o Johnny jump ups jive with java? How about a little coffee on your cucumbers?

With so many coffee houses these days, there is a lot of interest in recycling used coffee grounds to divert them from the landfill. And being a plant product, a frequent question is whether coffee grounds are useful for gardening.

A few companies have been studying the use of coffee grounds as a soil or compost amendment, and there are even a few companies marketing it as such. So here’s my cup of counsel.

Coffee grounds are a low-level source of nitrogen, having a fertilizer value of around 2.0-0.3-0.2, as well as a minor source of calcium and magnesium. Post-brewed coffee grounds are reported to be slightly-to-highly acidic, depending on the source, but no more so than peat moss. So, one could apply them to the soil for acidloving plants, such as rhododendrons, azaleas and blueberries, etc.

They might even help keep your bigleaf hydrangeas blue. Or, you could spread them out over a

larger garden area to minimize the pH effect. It’s difficult to make a specific recommendation for an application rate, but it’s always better to err on the lighter side, since the pH can be variable. A rate of 10 pounds (dry weight) per 1,000 square feet would be conservative.

Composting is also a way to recycle the grounds, which have a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio of around 20:1.

Use the grounds as you would green, leafy material, mixing with some dry, brown plant materials in the compost.

The Environmental Protection Agency suggests adding no more than 25 percent volume coffee grounds. Worm composters report that coffee grounds are an excellent food source for the little critters.

Some companies indicate a shallow layer of coffee grounds can be used as mulch around landscape plants, but avoid using it in areas where pets have unsupervised access; ingesting coffee grounds could be toxic to dogs and cats. Also, I am hesitant to recommend this because of the fine grind that is typically used for brewing. The grounds are likely to pack down tightly, decreasing aeration as well as posing the risk of fungal growth. Likewise, I would avoid using coffee grounds with potted houseplants, not only because of the potential for fungal growth but also potential buildup of soluble salts. …

B. ROSIE LERNER is

the Purdue Extension consumer horticulturist and a consumer of Tipmont REMC. Questions about gardening issues may be sent to: “Ask Rosie,” Electric Consumer, P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224, or ec@ElectricConsumer.org. Because of the volume of letters received, not all questions can be answered in print or personally.

PHOTOS BY THINKSTOCK/DIGITAL COMPOSITE BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

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Ask Rosie Elephant grass My elephant grass keeps getting smaller year after year.

It just dies and turns to dust in the middle. How do I keep from losing it entirely?

— LANA HAKUNDY, CHARLESTOWN, IND.

It is quite common for perennial grasses (and other perennials) to die out in the center, particularly those that form dense clumps.

The new growth logically occurs to the outer perimeter of the clump while the center gets choked out. This allows a single plant to spread out considerably over the years — an ingenious method of self-propagation.

Dividing the clumps every three years or so will help keep the planting more attractive. Be sure to sharpen your garden spade before attempting to divide!

‘Killer bee’ mystery We may have an answer to the mystery bee killer question that appeared last month. Purdue Entomologist Larry Bledsoe has a strong suspicion the culprit is a member of the robber fly family.

He says these flies are robust and capture insect prey in-flight.

“It is a pretty good fit to the verbal description provided. This is an example where one species (the robber fly — a predator) has a coloration pattern that mimics another species (bumble bee — the prey) that allows it to ambush its meal.”

For photos, see: http:// entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/ misc/flies/bee_killers.htm.

PHOTO BY NANCY WEST, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

Grounds for gardening

Wabash Valley Power News

2012 filled with energy-efficiency accomplishments

W

e’re excited to report that in 2012 the POWER MOVES® programs returned $1 million to cooperative members across Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri! Your projects saved 18.7 million kilowatt-hours — or enough electricity to power 1,500 homes for one year.

Not only did these programs help you manage your monthly energy costs, but the energy savings helped delay the need for us to purchase additional electricity resources — such as building a new power plant or buying on the power market. And, because we’re a cooperative, when you save money, we all save money.

If you are one of the over 300 electric cooperative members who participated in the POWER MOVES program in 2012, we thank you for your efforts in saving energy.

If you haven’t taken advantage of the program yet, please call your local cooperative’s energy advisor for more information. You can also visit powermoves.com, “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter at PowerMovesEE. …

2013 POWER MOVES Energy Efficiency Programs k

Air-source heat pump

k

Geothermal heat pump

k

Dual fuel heat pump

k

Heat pump water heater

k

Refrigerator/freezer recycling

k

Commercial lighting

k

Commercial HVAC

k

Agriculture lighting and HVAC

k

School lighting and HVAC

k

Commercial custom program — tell us what your project is

k

Commercial new construction — coming in April

A POWER MOVES success story

Ken Blaney, left, Porter County Expo Center interim director, receives an POWER MOVES incentive check for $920 from Darrell Marks, energy advisor at Kankakee Valley REMC, thanks to energy improvements made at the center.

W

hen Ken Blaney, the interim director at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, Ind., wanted to make energy-efficiency improvements to the center, he looked no further than the POWER MOVES® program from his local electric cooperative.

The Expo Center, which is served by Wanatah, Ind.-based Kankakee Valley REMC, is brighter and more energy efficient thanks to a $920 incentive that allowed it to replace 23 older lighting fixtures with six-bulb T-5 high-output fixtures. The new fixtures use less electricity and the contractor wired them in a way that gives the Expo Center’s staff more control of which bulbs were being used, adding to the efficiency. According to Blaney, the incentive money will allow the Expo Center to reduce the cost of the upgrades.

“It was nice to get extra money to help us accomplish that,” Blaney said.

The Expo Center is currently looking into additional energyefficiency upgrades to the facility. …

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Hoosier Energy News

I-69 brings opportunities for cooperative-served areas

T

he recent opening of a 67-mile stretch of Interstate-69 in southwest Indiana will bring economic opportunity, reduced travel times and a safer highway to a long under-served area of the state. The new highway corridor is routed through rural country that will impact Hoosier Energy members Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC and Daviess-Martin County REMC. On Nov. 19, after four years of construction, the first 67 miles of the proposed 142-mile stretch were opened to traffic. The $900 million project provides the first-ever interstate access from Evansville to Naval Support Activity Crane or NSA Crane, the employer of more than 5,000 civilian and contractor personnel.

Nearby is the WestGate at Crane Technology Park, home to more than 12 national defense companies, employing more than 1,400 technology professionals with more than $46 million of investment.

“Where else in the United States, in a rural area, have you seen this kind of development in the last five years?” asked Jim Weimer, a member of the Greene County Redevelopment Commission (GCRC) who also serves as Hoosier Energy’s chairman of the board and president of the Utilities District of Western

is slated to open by late 2014. That’s more good news for those who live, travel and do business in co-op-served areas.

Weimer, Sparks and Frye were among hundreds of guests who watched then-Gov. Mitch Daniels arrive by motorcycle at the I-69 – Crane interchange where dedication took place on Nov. 19.

“Many people said this interstate expansion wouldn’t happen in their lifetime, but it’s here. In addition to opening the road ahead of schedule and under budget, we’re opening greater economic opportunity, faster and safer travel and improved connectivity,” said Daniels. …

Hoosier Energy Board Chairman Jim Weimer, left, and Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC Chief Executive Officer Brian Sparks, right, joined Indiana then-Gov. Mitch Daniels Nov. 19, at ceremonies marking the opening of Interstate 69 to the Crane Naval Support Activity Center exit.

Indiana (UDWI) REMC board of directors.

The development has become an economic development success story because elected officials, citizens and leaders from Greene, Daviess and Martin counties worked together for a common good. Crane’s Commanding Officer James M. Stewart says the interstate improved material movement to and from the base and provides an opportunity to increase commerce across the region.

While the tech park is

at the heart of the revitalization plan, Brian Sparks and Ken Frye — chief executive officers for UDWI REMC and Daviess-Martin County REMC, respectively — believe the collaborative effort with adjoining counties will spawn satellite businesses and employment. Acres of open land at the I-69 interchanges and elsewhere in the three counties are available for development.

The next 27-mile leg of I-69 to Bloomington, currently under construction,

Festival Guide marks fifth decade of tourism support With the arrival of the 2013 edition of the Indiana Festival Guide, Hoosier Energy and its member cooperatives are entering their fifth decade of support for Indiana tourism by promoting local events. Copies of this popular and comprehensive tourism publication are now available free of charge from your electric cooperative.

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Hoosier Happenings N O RT H =<9% ) ANNUAL PAJAMA

DAY IN SHIPSHEWANA, Shipshewana (LaGrange) — Shop in your PJs and receive great discounts. 800-254-8090; www.VisitLaGrangeCounty.org. =<9% .$0 MICHIANA CAMPING & RV SHOW, Howe (LaGrange) — MEC Center. 800-254-8090; www.VisitLaGrangeCounty.org. =<9% 0 ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES SHOW, Shipshewana (LaGrange) — Shipshewana Auction.

800-254-8090; www.

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VisitLaGrangeCounty.org. =<9% )( LET’S HEAR IT FOR SALAMANDERS, Fort Wayne (Allen) — Meet at the Fox Island County Park Nature Center, 7324 Yohne Road. Learn the results of an extensive study of the salamanders of Eagle Marsh. 7-8pm. Free.

260-478-2515; www.lrwp.org. =<9% ))$)* MICHIANA OUTDOORS SPORTSMEN SHOW, Howe (LaGrange) — MEC Center. 800-254-8090; www.

VisitLaGrangeCounty.org. =<9% )* WHOLE HOG SAUSAGE & PANCAKE DAY, Peru (Miami) — 4-H fairgrounds.

7am-7pm. 765-472-1921 =<9% )+ MAPLE WOOD NATURE FOLK JAM, LaGrange (LaGrange) — Maple Wood Park. 800-254-8090; www.VisitLaGrangeCounty.org. =<9% )/$D8I:? ) QUILT WEEKEND WITH KAYE ENGLAND, Shipshewana (LaGrange) — Cotton Corner. 800-254-8090; www.

VisitLaGrangeCounty.org.

FEB. 28-MARCH 1-2, 8-10, 15-16 HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, Fort

Wayne (Allen) — First Presbyterian Theater, 300 W. Wayne St. ThursSat: 7:30pm; Sun: 2pm. Admission charge. 260-422-6329; www. firstpresbyteriantheater.com.

EVENTS FEBRUARY 2-MARCH 3

CENTRAL

SOUTH =<9% (# (,# D8I:? ( FISH

K?IFL>? D8I:? )*

SELECTIONS FROM THE WORKS OF HARLAN HUBBARD ART EXHIBIT, Frankfort (Clinton) — Frankfort Library, 208 W. Clinton St. Mon-Fri: 9am5pm. Free. 765-654-8746.

K?IFL>? ALE< ) WILLIAM HOGARTH: THE PAINTER OF COMIC HISTORY, Indianapolis (Marion) — Indianapolis Museum of Art. William Hogarth (1697–1764) was born in London and rarely strayed beyond its precincts.

Hogarth’s London, overcrowded with a million people, raucous and bawdy, provided a limitless source of subjects for his observant eye and sharp wit. Hogarth reached the broadest possible audience and was by far the most popular artist of his day and was the first truly English artist. Exhibit features Hogarth’s 57 most-noted engravings, drawn from the IMA’s permanent collection. Tues-Wed and Sat: 11am-5pm; Thurs-Fri: 11am-9pm; Sun: noon-5pm. Free.

317-923-1331; imamuseum.org. =<9% ($(- HEARTBEAT OF THE HEARTLAND, Kokomo (Howard) — IU Kokomo Art Gallery.

Exhibit featuring artists from all over Indiana. Tues and Thurs: 10am-4pm; Wed: 10am-8pm; Sat: noon-4pm. 765-455-9523. =<9% ) CHILDREN’S ART ENRICHMENT, Frankfort (Clinton) — Frankfort Library.

Memory Wire Bracelet with Vicki Moyer. Grades 1-3: 9-10am; Grades 4 and up: 10:30-11:30am.

Free. 765-654-8746. =<9% - BROWN BAG LUNCH, Frankfort (Clinton) — Frankfort Library. Leroy Good reviews local history. Noon. Free. 765-654-8746. =<9 0 EXPRESSIONS! VALENTINE’S DAY CRAFTS, Russiaville (Howard) — Russiaville Branch Library. Grades k-5.

10:30am-noon. Registration required. 765-883-5112.

=<9% (, FATHER/DAUGHTER

SWEETHEART BALL, Kokomo (Howard) — Celebrations Banquet & Conference Facility. Special night out.

Ticket includes dinner, dancing, craft, dance lesson and photo opportunity.

6-9pm. Admission charge. 765457-3227; www.sweetheartball.net. =<9% (. LAFAYETTE NUMISMATIC SOCIETY COIN SHOW, Lafayette (Tippecanoe) — Home Economics Building, County Fairgrounds. 9am4pm. Free. 765-564-4391. =<9 )* 2013 IVY TECH WINTER CORNHOLE CLASSIC, Kokomo (Howard) — Event & Conference Center. 10am.

765-459-0561 ext. 273. =<9% )*$)+2 D8I% )$* PARKE COUNTY MAPLE SYRUP FAIR, Rockville (Parke) — 4-H Fairgrounds. =<9% )/ MUSIC DOWN UNDER, Frankfort (Clinton) — Frankfort Library. Guitarist Jason Wells.

7pm. Free. 765-654-8746.

D8I:? ( MOM ‘N’ SON CARNIVAL NIGHT OF FUN, Kokomo (Howard) — Celebrations Banquet & Conference Facility.

Mom and sons can enjoy a casual night out with fair foods, games of skill with prizes and a photo opportunity. 6-9pm. Admission charge. 765-457-3227; 765-4573227; www.momnsoncarnival.com.

FRY, Millhousen (Decatur) — Fire Station. 5-8pm. =<9% ) FLEA MARKET, Otwell (Knox) — Community Center, 2301 N. Spring St. 8am-3pm. Admission charge. =<9% 0 MARDI GRAS CELEBRATION, Nashville (Brown) — Brown County Playhouse.

6pm-? Admission charge.

812-988-6555; http://www. browncountyplayhouse.org/. =<9% 0 ORGANIC LIVING PROGRAM, Ferdinand (Dubois) — Kordes Center, Monastery Grounds.

Seminar offers a variety of ways to live a more natural, simple, and holistic life, offered by the Sisters of St. Benedict. 9:30-11:45am.

Admission charge (registration due by Feb. 6). 800-880-2777, or 812-367-1411, ext. 2915; www. thedome.org/programs. =<9% 0 PERRY COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION HIKES, Tell City (Perry) — German Ridge Recreation Area, via SR 66. 3-8 miles. All hikers must sign a dislcaimer form/youth under 16 must have a parent/guardian on hike. 9am.

Free (may be a gate entrance fee).

812-547-3453; 812-746-2646; www.PerryCountyIndiana.org. =<9% 0 (- MURDER & MOONSHINE AT T.C. STEELE, Belmont (Brown) — T.C. Steele State Historic Site. A murder mystery and dinner. 6:30pm.

Admission charge; registration required. 812-988-2785; http:// www.tcsteele.org/programs/. =<9% (' OLD POST BLUEGRASS JAM, Vincennes (Knox) — Vincennes University Beckes Student Union.

Open jam sessions all day long and afternoon scheduled performances.

Acoustic instruments only. Free.

800-886-6443; vincennescvb.org.

=<9% (( UPCOMING TRAVEL

OPPORTUNITIES, New Albany (Floyd) — The Retired Senior Volunteer Program of South Central Indiana, 1307 E. Elm St. Video presentation of upcoming travel opportunities. 2-4pm. 812-9481815 to register or for more info. =<9% () HUNTINGBURG MUSEUM BINGO, Huntingburg (Dubois) — Huntingburg VFW, 314 Geiger St. 6:30-9pm. 812-683-2211. =<9% (,2 D8I:? ( ST. MARY’S LENTEN FISH FRY, Aurora (Dearborn) — St. Mary’s School, 211 Fourth St. 812-926-1558. =<9% )* PERRY COUNTY PARKS & RECREATION HIKES, Sulphur (Perry) — Oriole Trail West, via SR 66. 6-8 miles. All hikers must sign a dislcaimer form/youth under 16 must have a parent/guardian on hike.

9am. Free (may be a gate entrance fee). 812-547-3453; 812-746-2646; www.PerryCountyIndiana.org. =<9% )*$)+# D8I% )$* LEANE AND MICHAEL’S SUGARBUSH 22ND ANNUAL MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL, Salem (Washington) — 321 N Garrison Hollow Road. Free.

877-841-8851; lmsugarbush.com.

D8I% )$*# 0$(' NATIONAL MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL, Medora (Jackson) — Medora Community School, Burton’s Maplewood Farm. Tours, bluegrass music, nation’s largest Native American and French American sugar encampment/demonstration, more. 8:am-5pm. Free (Medora school)/Admission charge (shuttle bracelet required for Maplewood Farm). All proceeds from shuttle bracelet sales go to the Heads Up!!!

Foundation, for Camp About Face benefitting youth with craniofacial anomalies. 812-966-2168; nationalmaplesyrupfestival.com.

D8I:? * SPUD, Soup & Salad Luncheon, Batesville (Ripley) — St. John’s UCC of Huntersville Dining Hall, 300 N. Huntersville Road.

11am-1pm. 812-663-7422.

ELECTRIC CONSUMER ADVISES CONFIRMING DATES AND TIMES OF EVENTS BEFORE MAKING PLANS BY CALLING CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS OR VISITING LISTED INTERNET SITES TIMES.

H OW TO S U B M I T E V E N TS Electric Consumer publishes events as space allows, giving preference to those in and around areas served by subscribing REMCs/ RECs. Preference is also given to community festivals and general interest events .

Many of the events are taken from the Indiana Festival Guide, published annually with the support of Hoosier Energy REC, the Bloomington-based cooperative power supplier, and its member cooperatives.

To add events to Hoosier Happenings, please send information two months

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before the date of the event to: Hoosier Happenings, Electric Consumer, P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224; or email Happenings@ElectricConsumer.org.

Because of space limitations, please limit your submission to no more than 10 events for any given month. It is preferred that emailed information be submitted in the text of the email and not attached as a word document, PDF or image.

To ensure full consideration, please follow the format used for the events listed above,

;B;9JH?9 9EDIKC;H <;8HK7HO (&') ElectricConsumer.org

by submitting your event this way: Dfek_ Xe[ ;Xk\j EXd\ f] <m\ek# :`kp :flekp Æ GcXZ\# X[[i\jj% ;\kX`cj XYflk the event. Specific hours. Free or Admission Z_Xi^\% G_fe\ eldY\i i\X[\ij ZXe ZXcc kf ZfeÓid k_\ \m\ek fi ^\k dfi\ `e]fidXk`fe gc\Xj\ `eZcl[\ Xi\X Zf[\ 2 \dX`c ]fi `e]fidXk`fe2 n\Yj`k\ ]fi `e]fidXk`fe%

We will accept color photos (at least 300 dpi at 3x5 inches) to accompany the new longer featured events in Hoosier Highlights (page 5 in most editions), or for Hoosier Happenings.

Look like Make your own Abraham Lincoln mask to celebrate the birthday of the 16th president on Feb. 12.

You’ll need 9-inch paper plate Scissors Newspaper to work on Black poster paint or acrylic paint Paintbrush Stapler 2 sheets black construction paper (12-by-9-inch) Craft glue

What to do k Cut out the center of the paper plate, leaving the

rim (about 2 inches wide). k Spread out newspaper on your work surface.

… Enter our Giv eaway!

Make your Lincoln m ask and send us a pi cture of yourself wearing it! If we receive your picture

by Feb. 19, your nam e will be entered in to a drawing to win a copy of the bo ok “Abraham Lincol n for Kids: His Life and Times with 21 Activities” by Ja nis Herbert. This book tells the story of Abraham Lincoln’ s life and provides directions for lots of fun games and activ ities, like making a log cabin to resem ble Lincoln’s boyhoo d home in Indiana or creating a flatboa t like the one he bu ilt near Rockport to travel down the Mississippi River. Se nd your picture to us by email at ec@El ectricConsumer.org or m ail it to us at P.O. Box 24517, Indi anapolis, IN 46224.

Be sure to tell us your name, age, an d address.

PHOTO BY RICHARD G. BIEVER

Paint the entire back of the rim of the plate black for Abe’s beard, and let it dry completely. k Cut a 7- by 8-inch rectangle of black construction paper for the hat. Glue one of the 7-inch sides to the edge of the black rim beard. k Cut a strip of black paper to make a band for the back of the mask to hold it in place. Staple one end of the strip to one side of the mask behind the base of the hat. Fit the strip to your head, then staple the other end in place. (You might have to cut two strips and staple them together if one strip of construction paper is not long enough to fit around your head.) k Cut a 2- by-12-inch strip of black construction paper for the rim of the hat. Glue the strip along the bottom of the black rectangle.

Indianapolis third grader Neva Harke assumes a ponderous pose of Abe Lincoln fiddling with his whiskers.

ElectricConsumer.org <;8HK7HO (&') ;B;9JH?9 9EDIKC;H

(-

REMC Life

Students — participate in legislative page program

T

How to Apply

he Indiana General Assembly offers students Complete these six steps to submit an application: ages 13 to 18 the opportunity to serve as pages during each legisla1.) Go to District.IGA. IN.gov to find your state tive session. Indiana’s representative. electric cooperatives have teamed up with 2.) Head to www.IN.gov/ the Indiana House of Legislative and select Representatives Page “House Republicans” Office to reserve all 42 or “House Democrats” openings for REMC Day reflecting the party of your on March 7. Students are representative. excused from school and take part in a day that 3.) Select the “Student features the Legislature Services/Opportunities” tab in action, a tour of the at the top of the page to governor’s office and begin the page application.

Statehouse, and the opportunity to meet 4.) Make sure to select March and have their picture 7, 2013, for BOTH the first taken with their state and second choices of representative. dates.

It is an excellent opportunity to encour5.) Complete the application age students to learn by inserting “REMC first-hand of the work our Day” into the “Special legislators do for us in Arrangements/ Indianapolis.

Requirements” box.

Indiana’s electric cooperatives hope you 6.) Submit your application. will encourage your favorite student to join The page office will confirm appliothers from Indiana’s cations on a first-come, firstelectric cooperaserved basis. We anticipate these tives in learning more openings will fill up quickly, so about our state governencourage your student to apply ment and meeting the today! men and women who serve in the General Assembly. The decisions made by Indiana’s lawmakers have a significant impact on our ability to provide safe, reliable and affordable electricity to our members, and is a great way to promote the cooperative difference in the Statehouse.

To apply, students must be available on March 7, and have reliable transportation to and from the Indiana Statehouse that day. …

(.

;B;9JH?9 9EDIKC;H <;8HK7HO (&') ElectricConsumer.org

Maintain your home exercise equipment regularly so it’s ready when you are Even if you’ve already abandoned your New Year’s resolution to stay in shape with a home gym, keep an eye on that expensive equipment you bought for your workout room.

The dust that collects on unused equipment can clog its moving parts and mar its surface if you let it build up. That could cause problems once the body-building bug bites you again next New Year’s.

Some tips for keeping your exercise gear in better shape than your abs: k Dust your machines once a week, even when you’re not using them. Vacuum underneath your treadmills and steppers regularly, even if you have to move them to reach. If you use free weights, keep them dust-free as well. k When you do feel inspired to jog on the treadmill or get yourself moving on the elliptical machine, use a mixture of bleach and water — or a store-bought solution that’s safe for metal and plastic — to wipe down your equipment afterward. Remove sweat, fingerprints, and any grime or dirt that you see on the surface. This will disinfect the machine so it won’t harbor germs that can spread colds or other ailments. k If your machine creaks or squeaks while you’re working out, something is wrong. Check your owner’s manual for possible causes and solutions; call the manufacturer’s customer service desk or hire a repair tech to check out the noise. Try calling a local store that sells gym equipment for a referral to a repair service. k Tighten bolts and screws or any other part that comes loose — and look for them every month or so. If a part detaches from the machine, it could cause you to trip or fall during your workout. Prevent the accident with regular inspections. k Enlist a repair tech to do annual maintenance, including oiling moving parts so they don’t damage each other as they rub together when the machines are in use. The tech also will inspect cables and wires for fraying or other damage. k Ask an electrician to determine whether your home’s electrical system can handle a treadmill and other electric gym equipment. Especially if you live in an older home, the system might not be designed for the added load, which can lead to tripped circuits. The electrician can upgrade the electricity in your home to accommodate your good intentions. …

How do you know when a filter must be replaced? Check to see if air can get through.

This dirty filter was left in place for six months — layers of dirt and hair prevent air from entering the home’s HVAC system.

Clearing the air Replace air filters regularly for an efficient HVAC system 8O C;=7D C9AEO#DE;

SOURCE — NRECA

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logged air filters could add $82 to your electric bill each year. Checking, changing, or cleaning your filter once a month saves money and extends the life of your home’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

<_bj[h \WYji Air filters protect HVAC systems and perform double-duty by collecting some loose dirt from the air. These handy sieves live in duct system slots or in return grilles of central air conditioners, furnaces, and heat pumps.

Successful filters have a short lifespan—the better a filter catches dirt, the faster is gets clogged and must be cleaned or replaced. Leaving a dirty air filter in place cuts a home’s air quality, reduces HVAC system airflow, and causes unnecessary wear and tear on the system.

Monthly check-up The U.S. Department of Energy advises checking an air filter once a month and replacing it at least every three months. It’s critical to inspect and replace filters before seasons of heavy use like summer and winter.

Turn your heating and cooling system off before checking your filter. Slide the filter out of your duct work, and look for layers of hair and dirt. Run a finger across the filter.

If the finger comes away dirty or there’s a line left on the filter, it’s time for a change.

When replacing the filter, make sure the arrow on the filter indicating the direction of the airflow points toward the blower motor. To help schedule monthly check-ups, write the date on the side of the filter so you know when it needs to be checked again. Once you’ve made the change, turn your system back on.

<_bj[h_d] Y^e_Y[i Shopping for a new filter? Before you leave home, write down the size printed on the side of your current filter to make sure you are getting the correct filter for your system.

There are several different types of filters and levels of efficiency. Filters are either flat or pleated. Pleated filters offer extra surface area to hold dirt, making them more efficient.

The most common filters use layered fiberglass fibers reinforced with metal grating. Some filters boost efficiency by using polyester fibers. Electrostatic filters are made from positively- and negatively-charged fibers and capture smaller debris.

The filters best able to capture small debris are high efficiency particulate arrestance (HEPA) filters, but these deluxe filters are mainly used in hospitals and office buildings, not in homes.

Air filters are rated by a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV). Ranging from one to 20, this scale gauges a filter’s effectiveness at blocking debris. Low MERV-rated filters offer high airflow into a cooling or heating system, but only catch large air particles. A higher rating isn’t always better — those filters block more dirt but also reduce system airflow.

Most experts recommend filters with a MERV 6 or higher.

If a family member suffers from allergies, a high MERV filter keeps out excess dander, smoke, and other allergens.

Ask a heating and cooling professional what type of filter works best for your home and family needs.

Once you find a filter that works well in your home, it’s a good idea to keep spare filters on hand. Basic filters cost anywhere from $2 to $10; electrostatic filters may range from $18 to $25.

More efficiency boosters Before summer hits, clean cooling system coils inside and outside the home. Leaves, dirt, and other debris gather around a home’s air conditioner throughout fall and winter months. These intruders keep the coils from operating at top efficiency, both shortening the lifespan of the unit and ratcheting up summer cooling bills.

Just as clogged air filters force your system to work harder, blocked vents strain your system. Clean air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators. Make sure air ducts are not blocked by furniture, rugs, or window treatments.

Want more ways to save? Take the home energy savings tour and see how little changes add up to big savings at www.togetherwesave.com. …

SOURCES: ENERGY STAR®, U.S. Department of Energy, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, Home Depot, 3M, Permatron

MEGAN MCKOY-NOE writes on energy efficiency issues for the

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.

ElectricConsumer.org <;8HK7HO (&') ;B;9JH?9 9EDIKC;H

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Odds ’n’ Ends

Progress, opportunity and freedom (Note to readers: This is an edited version of the speech Dexter Odle presented after being selected to represent Indiana on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Leadership Council during last June’s Youth Tour.)

Ind. Now electric co-ops can be found across the globe. That’s progress!

While at the Lincoln Memorial on Youth Tour, I was able to stand where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood when he gave his “I Have a Dream”

BY DEXTER ODLE speech. King inspired 200,000-plus people that have a couple of great day about the opportuuncles. They can tell nity of equality. His words story after story about Dexter Odle speaks at the not only reached those in state electric co-op annual August of 1963 but also how they worked their meeting in December. farm in rural Indiana have continued to reach before the electric lines FINALLY millions as his message of opportumade it down the road to their nity for all lives on. His legacy touches farmstead. one of the seven principles that coopIn their lifetime, we have proeratives live by: Voluntary and Open gressed from candles and outhouses Membership. Cooperatives are open to autosteer, Facebook and Skype. to all able to use their services and Just like my uncles, I have now willing to accept the responsibilities of experienced firsthand the progress of membership, without regard to gender the cooperative system. Before startor race, or social, political or religious ing my trip to Washington D.C., my background. That is opportunity! knowledge about co-ops was limited Arlington Cemetery is one of the to Tipmont REMC, three miles from many locations where we stopped on my home. But as Youth Tour went on, Youth Tour. I had seen pictures, but so did my understanding of cooperato truly grasp the magnitude of the tives on a national and international cemetery, you must see it for yourself. scale. Progress has truly shown itself I felt overwhelmed by its size and the since one of the first cooperatives in rows and rows of headstones of fallen the nation started in Boone County, heroes. It made me ask myself, “Why

I

would so many risk their lives?”

The answer is: for you and me. It is for our freedom. Freedom is a privilege we can never take for granted.

Youth Tour allowed me to recognize that progress, opportunity and freedom are foundations for this great nation. They also are the building blocks of our cooperative system across the world. The cooperative way is always working to be fair, just, and providing for its members. Big or small, you are equal in the eyes of the cooperative. I find that amazing simply because we live in a capitalistic society where “more, more, more” is the only thought in a corporation’s mind, while cooperatives continue to be for their members. …

DEXTER ODLE is a senior at North Montgomery High School. He will continue his YLC experience this month at the national electric cooperative annual meeting in New Orleans. He was sponsored on the Youth Tour by Tipmont REMC.

If you are a high school junior interested in applying for the Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., this June — or you know a junior who might be — contact your local electric cooperative. Application deadlines are fast approaching.

B E PA RT O F T H E O D DS ’ N ’ E N DS “Odds’n’Ends,” is our new catch-all place for shorter, bright features and photos from you and about you — our electric consumers.

We’ll occasionally offer a theme for an upcoming issue and ask for photos or short stories. But most for months, we’ll consider just about anything readers have submitted: original personal commentaries about life in rural Indiana, favorite pastimes or Indiana getaways (include your snapshots); original

30

poems; tried and true tips to save energy or make household chores easier; favorite candid photos you’ve taken of people, places or landscapes; you name it.

Know a person who is also a member of your electric co-op who you think would make an interesting feature? Let us know.

Send all submissions and suggestions to: Odds’n’Ends, Electric Consumer, P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224. If you want

;B;9JH?9 9EDIKC;H <;8HK7HO (&') ElectricConsumer.org

any part of your submission returned, please include a self-addressed envelope with appropriate postage. Don’t forget to include your name, address, phone number and the name of your electric cooperative. You can also send electronic documents and photos to EC@ElectricConsumer.org. Digital photos should be at least 300 dpi at 5x7 inches.

Whether submitting photos by mail or email, please include all pertinent info.