November 2023 Co-op Comments

A newsletter for members of Rural Electric Cooperative

November 2023

Co-op Comments Successful 84th Annual Meeting REC's 84th Annual Meeting brought 741 members to drive through or come inperson to REC's Multi-Purpose Center.

As members drove through the MPC parking lot or stayed in-person on Saturday, each registering member received a $25 bill credit, were entered into the prize drawings, voted and received their registration gift.

Members who attended on Saturday, enjoyed entertainment from Zach Ray and learned more about the Cooperative from the different booths inside. During the business meeting, members heard from Board President, Gary Jones and CEO, Dusty Ricks about the overall wellbeing of the Cooperative and understanding demand and the importance it plays in each member's electric bill. 257300 REC members approved the re-election of three Board of Trustees' during the

registration process. Re-elected for a threeyear term were: Brent Bacon, District One, Office Two; Larry Anderson, District Two, Office Two and Sonny Harrison, District Three, Office Two. Winners for the 75, $75 gift certificates for electricity include: Meghan Mitchell; Jakob Ramming; R. Wayne Leveridge; Sheila Groleau; H. D. Hester; James Hewitt; Thomas Blankenship; Lola Mottinger; Don Manning; Jeff Richmond; Aletha Smith; James McGee; Brandon Shelton; Alissa Miller; Tyson Rogers; Rick Sager; John Branch; Thomas Bunch; Sandra Davis; J. M. Kochert; Ralph Thomas; Joe Rubio; Mike Ethridge; Amanda Bunch; Thelma Ragland; Francis Harkema; Jim Crawford; Glynna Condit; Ivan Couch; Kimberely Gray; Delbert Jones; Aaron Grooms; James Rego; Leschen Nye; Kaleb Richey; Charles Whitis; Vimy Ridge Church; Shirley England; Richard Smith; Thomas Inman; Dalton Gamble;

Anita Vaughn; Louise Hopkins; Nancy Warren; Wesley Arter; Randy McGrew; Shelli Carter; Mark McCaskill; Marilyn Goodban; Floyd Wright; Cecil Henderson; Eugene Boxley; Keith O’Brien; Hildegard Seibold; Rodney Boatwright; Greg Adams; Donald Burton; Shane Chapman; James McElreath; Richard Browne; Philip Robinson; Janet Somers; Bailey Sunday School; Tracy Nelson; Kenneth West; Tamera Wilson; Rickey Billingsley; Ellane Allison; James Holcomb; Carl Austin; Mary Womack; Walter Barnes; Susan Schoon; Terry White; Bruce Dixon. The three grand prize winners of the $500 gift certificates for electricity include: Rocky Keck; Lucille Odell and Ruby Gorden. The electric drill provided by Western Farmers Electric Cooperative went to Bunch Trucking and the 55" television provided by Wesco went to Mike Blough. The two childrens' bikes went to: Gemma Thornton and John Phillips.

CEO’s MESSAGE

Serving up savings

The holiday season is just around the corner and soon, festive music will flood the airwaves, sparkling lights and decorations will adorn homes and businesses, and good tidings will abound.

The holidays also bring a frenzy of decorating, cooking and family gatherings, and amid the hectic hustle and bustle, you may receive higher-than-usual energy bills.

Keeping this in mind, I thought this month would be a good time to remind Rural Electric members of a few programs and efficiency tips to help lower your monthly energy use.

Programs designed to help you save.

Winter months typically bring some of the highest energy bills of the year. Making minor, low-cost improvements, like weatherstripping exterior doors and caulking around old, drafty windows can make a positive impact on energy bills. If you are not sure where to start, contact REC to schedule a free home energy audit.

Be festive without breaking the bank.

LED holiday lights use 88 percent less energy than incandescent holiday lights.

To put that into perspective, the Department of Energy estimates with standard holiday decorations, LED lights typically increase energy bills by about $5 to $7.

But with incandescent lights, energy bills 2 Co-op Comments

will typically increase by $33 or more.

For homes going above and beyond with incandescent holiday lighting (think Clark Griswold), energy bills could increase by as much as $350. Beyond energy savings, LEDs provide additional benefits, such as being shock-resistant, shatterproof and cool to the touch, making them safer for the home.

You can also lower energy use by conveniently managing holiday lighting. Smart light timers can help you save energy by connecting to a smart phone app or voice assistant to program lights to turn on and off at set times. If you do not use smart home technology, you can still save energy by using traditional timers.

Additional easy ways to save during the holiday season include turning off overhead lights and using your Christmas tree to illuminate your home. If you have a fireplace, remember to close the flue when you are not burning a fire to ensure heat does not escape through the chimney.

Cook up energy savings in the kitchen.

If you plan to have family and friends over this holiday season, you can cook up energy savings by using small countertop appliances like microwaves, air fryers and slow cookers when possible, as they use much less energy than the stovetop or oven.

When using the oven, bake multiple dishes at once for maximum efficiency.

Afterall, it takes as much energy to cook one dish as it does to cook several. Turn the oven off a few minutes before the recipe’s end time and allow the residual heat to finish baking the dish. Once the food is done, leave the stove door ajar to allow the residual heat to warm the room.

When using the stove top, match the pan size to the burner to maximize the stove top’s efficiency.

Remember, we are here to answer any questions you have about managing energy use or your monthly bills. With a little planning upfront, you can find efficient ways to save on everything from holiday décor to your favorite soup recipes.

November 2023 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 Mark Finch, District 3 Randy Griswold, District 3 Sonny Harrison, District 3 Lisa Whitman, Attorney 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 Casey Henson, Manager of Safety and Loss Control/Facilities David Crull, System Superintendent Jason Mays, Operations Superintendent

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Classified Advertisement AUTOMOTIVE FOR SALE: 2004 Ford, 3/4 ton truck, $5,000. PH: 405-444-4418.

FARM EQUIPMENT FOR SALE: 4WD tractor with 5' mower, $2,000. PH: 405-444-4418.

MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE: Reese Trail Boss 15k fifthwheel hitch $80. PH: 405-207-0228.

FOR SALE: Bipod stabilizer stand $50.

PH: 405-207-0228.

FOR SALE: 2 large hair salon mirrors $50 each. PH: 405-756-4277.

FOR SALE: Used candle jars, most with lids, $1 per jar. PH: 405-756-4277.

FOR SALE: Parmak 12 volt battery powered fence charger, $50.

PH: 405-207-0228.

FOR SALE: 4 Caterpillar large rear-view mirrors with mounting brackets, $80.

PH: 405-207-0228.

FOR SALE: Skil Saw 7 1/4 electric handsaw, $25. PH: 405-207-0228.

FOR SALE: 3 aluminum carousel horses on poles, $500 each, text for pictures. PH: 580-585-7228.

FOR SALE: Sets of 2 glass electric pole insulators, brown-blue clear, $50 for each set. PH: 580-585-7228.

Classified Ads are FREE to REC members to post non-commercial items. Deadline for ads is the 8th of every month.

Call the Member Services Dept. at 405-756-3104 ext. 238.

Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month The holiday season is upon us, meaning we will be using more energy in the kitchen. When possible, cook with smaller countertop appliances instead of the stovetop or oven.

Smaller appliances like slow cookers, air fryers and Instant Pots consume less energy. When using the oven or stovetop, match the size of the pot to the heating element and place a lid over the pot while cooking. The food will cook faster and you will use less energy.

Learn more at www.energy.gov.

PETS & LIVESTOCK FOR FREE: 2 year old male, border collie, free to a good home. PH: 405-444-4418.

FOR FREE; 2 year old male, blue heeler, free to a good home. PH: 405-444-4418.

RECREATIONAL FOR SALE: 1999 Rockwood Premier pop-up trailer with slide out, fully selfcontained, sleeps six, lots of storage, heat and air, kitchen sink, microwave, refrigera-

tor, hot water heater, toilet, shower, inside or outside three burner stove, new propane tank, new tires, and new spare, ready to go, $3,900 or would considered a trade for dual axle enclosed trailer.

PH: 405-207-0228.

FOR SALE: Polaris Sportsman 550, adult driven/retired farmer owned.

PH: 405-756-0227.

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 Portable and Septic Services, LLC, 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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