July 2022
A newsletter for members of Rural Electric Cooperative
Co-op Comments Alton Brown retires from REC after 43 years of service After 43 years of service Alton Brown has retired from REC. Brown started the week before he graduated from Lindsay High School at 18 years old. During his years of service, he has seen many changes. “The biggest change I experienced during my time here was the conversion of upgrading our electric lines to 14,400 volts verses the 7,200,” explains Brown. “When I came to work, we had converted about 75 percent of the line, but I was able to see us get to 100 percent.” Having the same voltage across the system helped speed up the time of outage restoration as well as increase reliability. “There have been a lot of equipment changes throughout the years - all for the better,” adds Brown. “It went fast. After I started, I got married a year later and now this chapter of my life is over.” Being with his friends and coworkers is what Brown is going to miss the most. “I started in the construction crew, then went to the maintenance crew, then to district,” explains Brown. “In the early days it was always fun to work together. There were many times the crews would see where each crew was working and then see if they could meet at the same spot for lunch and we would take a break and play football.” Brown is looking forward to spending time with his wife and family during his retirement. “For 42 years of marriage, REC has been
my life,” says Brown. “Many times, we would have plans and either be on our way or already there and I would have to leave to go to work. She has always understood that, and I am grateful. But I am looking forward to spending more time with her.” Brown is going to do some traveling, continue raising miniature ponies and working on his old tractors. He also plans
to help teach a class at his church as well as helping at a printing press in Wynnewood where they print bibles to give to inmates and people overseas. “It has been a good place to work, and I am going to miss it, but this chapter is closed and I have other things to look forward to,” concludes Brown.
Alton Brown retires from REC after 43 years of service. Brown's wife and daughter made him a quilt from some of his old REC shirts. His daughter-in-law helped by stitching it all together. The front side of the quilt is part of the shirts and the back has Willie Wiredhand along with REC's logo.
CEO’s MESSAGE
The signs of a scam
It is no secret consumers with a water, gas or electricity connection have long been targets for utility scams, however, fraudsters have changed their tactics since the Covid-19 pandemic. As consumers became more reliant on technology for work, school and commerce, scammers noted these shifts and adapted their tactics to this changed environment. Imposter scams are the number one type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission. While scam artists may come to your door posing as a utility worker who works for the “power company,” in today’s more connected world, attempts are more likely to come through an electronic device, via email, phone or text. A scammer may claim you are overdue on your electric bill and threaten to disconnect your service if you do not pay immediately. Whether this is done in-person, by phone, text or email, the scammers want to scare you into immediate payment so you do not have time think clearly. If this happens over the phone, simply hang up. If you are concerned about 2 Co-op Comments
your bill, call us at 405-756-3104. Our phone number can also be found on your monthly bill and on our website, www. recok.coop. If the scam is by email or text, delete it before taking any action. If you are unsure, you can always contact us at 405-756-3104, or use Smart Hub to check the status of your account. Some scammers may falsely claim you have been overcharged on your bill and say they want to give a refund. It sounds easy. All you have to do is click or press a button to initiate the process. If you proceed, you will be prompted to provide banking or other personal information. Instead of money going into your bank account, the scammers can drain your account and use personal information such as a social security number for identity theft. If this “refund” scam happens over the phone, just hang up and block the phone number to prevent future robocalls. If this scam attempt occurs via email (known as a “phishing” attempt) or by text (“smishing”), do not click any links. Instead, delete it, and if possible, block the sender. If you do overpay on your electric bill, REC will automatically apply the credit to your next billing cycle. When in doubt, contact us. Be wary of calls or texts from unknown numbers. Be suspicious of an unknown person claiming to be a utility worker who requests banking or other personal information. 1557200 Never let anyone into your home you do not know unless you have a scheduled appointment or reported a problem. Rural Electric employees wear logoed apparel and have an employee ID badge. When we perform work on our members’ property or come into your home, our employees are professionals and will always identify themselves. We want to help protect our community against utility scams, and you can help create the first line of defense. Please report any potential scams to us so we can spread the word to prevent others in the community from falling victim.
July 2022 Co-op Comments
Official publication of Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. CO-OP COMMENTS is owned, controlled and directed by Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. It is printed monthly and mailed to members in Garvin, McClain, Comanche, Stephens, Grady and Carter counties in Oklahoma. Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. 13942 Highway 76 • P.O. Box 609 Lindsay, OK 73052 405-756-3104 • 800-259-3504 Outage Number: 855-399-2683 www.recok.coop
Board of Trustees Gary Jones, President, District 1 Scott Christian, Vice President, District 1 Brent Bacon, Sec./Treasurer, District 1 Larry Anderson, District 2 Johnny Harrel, District 2 Terri Hays, District 2 Charles Crawford, District 3 Mark Finch, District 3 Randy Griswold, District 3 Management and Staff Dusty Ricks, Manager/CEO Linda Ray, CFO Kelli Lindsey, Administrative Assistant and Staff Coordinator Elaine Gilreath, Manager of Customer Service and Data Processing Jon Jones, Manager of Engineering Mitch Gilreath, Manager of Information Technology Services Megan Lawrence, Manager of Member Services and Marketing David Crull, System Superintendent Jason Mays, Operations Superintendent
CO-OP NEWS
REC employees volunteer at the Special Olympic Summer Games Co-op employees from across the state volunteered at this year's Special Olympic Summer Games in Stillwater, Okla. After not holding the summer games for the last two years due to COVID-19, the athletes and co-op volunteers were excited to be “back in action.”
This year there were 2,700 athletes participating. There were 115 co-op volunteers from 21 electric cooperatives across the state. REC sent three employees, Randy McAlister, Jacob Trammell and Dane Wood to help during the three day event.
Randy McAlister (left) and Dane Wood (second to the left) wait to record the time of the athletes racing.
Jacob Trammell (right) passes out time placings to participating athletes.
SMART PAYMENTS SMART MANAGEMENT. SMART LIFE. SMARTHUB. Save time. Avoid service interruptions. Eliminate late fees. With SmartHub you will be notified when your bill is due and can pay securely online or in the app, anytime, anywhere. Sign up for autopayments, set up your secure preferred payment method and let account management go into autopilot. ...All in the palm of your hand and online. www.smarthubapp.com
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Classified Advertisement REAL ESTATE FOR RENT: Two bedroom, one bath house, three miles east of Elmore City, $650. PH:405-331-9024. FOR SALE: Five acres, for more information call. PH: 405-779-8440.
FOR SALE: Approximately 2,500 yards of bulk top soil, buyer loads and hauls, four miles south of Wallville. PH: 405-496-7874. FOR SALE: Adult wheelchair, $280. PH: 405-351-0878.
FOR SALE: 28 foot side by side hauler, can hold three side by sides, 7,000 torflex axles, electric brakes, 16" tires, 10,000 pound jack, $6,000. PH: 405-756-6427. FOR SALE: Reliable maid service. PH: 405-779-8440.
MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE: New brown leather lift chair, $600. PH: 405-320-2001.
Classified Ads
are FREE to REC members to post noncommercial items. Deadline for ads is the 8th of every month. Call the Member Services Dept. at 405-756-3104 ext. 238.
Account number worth $10 bill credit Locate your account number in an article of this issue; it will be good for a $10 credit on your electric bill. To claim the prize, you must locate the account number - if the number is yours, contact REC by the 10th of the month and we will credit your account. Only the member assigned that number is eligible for the prize. If you don’t know your account number, it can be located on your electric bill.
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Did you know the combined use of large appliances like dishwashers, clothes dryers and washing machines account for the largest percentage of electricity use in the average U.S. home? Take small steps to save energy when using these appliances. Only run full loads in the dishwasher, and thoroughly scrape food from dishes before loading. Dry towels and heavier cottons separate from lighter-weight clothing, and clean the lint screen after every use. Wash clothing in cold water to save energy used to heat water. Learn more at Energy Information and Department of Energy.
FREE
Wooden Pallets and Wire Spools Call our Warehouse Department at 405-756-3104 for more information.
Local Co-op Connection Card Deals A-U-Store It, Purcell $5 off first month rent Backroads Boutique, Lindsay 5% off everything excluding special order and sale items Best Western, Chickasha 15% Off Regular Room Rate Blue Moose Outdoor Portable Rentals, Elmore City 5% Off Septic Tank Pumping, Tent Rental and Special Event Toilet Rentals
Chickasha Diesel Services, Chickasha $50 off any big diesel oil change Edwards Canvas, Pauls Valley - 5% Off Jenny’s Pics Photography, Lindsay 10% Off $50 or More Purchase of Pictures Lindsay Tire and Lube, Lindsay $5 Off Any Full Service Oil Change M & M Furniture, Chickasha 10% Off Any Purchase Mazzio’s Italian Eatery, Purcell 10% Off Purchase Photos by Ginger, Pauls Valley 1 Free 8x10 Print With First Order of $25 Pharmacy Discounts Check out the discounts available using your Co-op Connections Card at participating pharmacies throughout our area. For a complete list of pharmacies, visit REC’s website to see if your pharmacy is offering discounts to Co-op Connections Card holders.
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