A newsletter for members of Rural Electric Cooperative
October 2026
Co-op Comments REC's 87th Annual Meeting set for a Thursday and Saturday REC members are invited to the 87th Annual Meeting. An early registration drive-thru will be held on Thursday, October 1, from 3 to 6:30 p.m. and the in-person meeting will be on Saturday, October 3, starting at 8 a.m. Both the early registration drive-thru and the in-person meeting will be held at REC's Multi Purpose Center on Highway 76 North in Lindsay. During the early drive-thru registration on Thursday, members will stay in their vehicles and enter the circle driveway of the Multi Purpose Center off of Highway 76 and go through the registration line. For members attending on Saturday, please follow the signs to park and attend in-person. Each present member who registers will automatically receive a onetime $25 bill credit in addition to their registration gift. Members should bring their registration card, prize drawing card and ballot with them to help with the ease in the registration process.
On Saturday, members will be entertained by Cara Belt beginning at 8:45 a.m. Belt was raised in a musical family where she learned the importance of using her voice. Originally from California, Belt has been singing since she was a little girl in church and playing the guitar since her teens. She currently lives in Allen, Oklahoma where she continues to pursue her music and is the Worship Minister in her church. The Lindsay Elks Lodge will be hosting a pancake fundraiser breakfast on Saturday starting at 8 a.m. Registration for the business meeting will end at 10 a.m. for the business meeting to start. Members will hear reports from Board President, Gary Jones, and outgoing CEO, Dusty Ricks, updating members of activities from 2025. Members will also get to meet the new CEO, Darren Townley. Members driving through on Thursday can find these reports on REC's website, www. recok.coop, under the Annual Meeting tab after the in-person meeting on Saturday.
Map for early registration drive-thru on Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Registration gifts for REC's 87th Annual Meeting. REC will give out seventy-five, $75 gift certificates for electricity during the business session and three grand prize drawings of $500 gift certificates for electricity. All members registered on either Thursday or Saturday will be eligible for the seventyfive, $75 gift certificates for electricity. During the in-person meeting on Saturday, three members will win $500 gift certificates for electricity. To be eligible to win the grand prize drawings members must be present on Saturday. Registration gifts include: an REC baseball cap, roll-up tech organizer, bamboo spoon rest, non-woven reusable shopping bag, LED light bulbs, calendar and ink pen. For more information about the 87th Annual Meeting, call 405-756-3104 ext. 238.
CEO’s MESSAGE
Local voices help shape local solutions
When you hear the word cooperative, what comes to mind? As your local electric co-op, we hope you think of Rural Electric. Regardless of the services offered, all cooperatives have one thing in common: they are led by the people they serve – and that simple idea makes a meaningful difference. 125700 Cooperatives come in all shapes and sizes, each created to meet a specific need. Credit unions help members save and borrow money. Producer cooperatives, like Ocean Spray and Land O'Lakes, help farmers bring their products to market. Retail cooperatives, like REI and ACE Hardware, are owned by their shoppers or a membership of store owners, while housing cooperatives give residents a voice in managing their communities. And utility cooperatives - like REC - provide reliable electricity to the communities they serve. Unlike many businesses answering to outside investors or shareholders, cooperatives are built for their members. Their goal is not simply to earn a profit - it is to 2 Co-op Comments
provide value, meet unique local needs and strengthen the communities they call home. This is exactly what makes us different. Our story began in 1938 when neighbors came together to bring electricity to an area when other utilities would not. While a lot has changed since then, our purpose has remained steady. We are still here to provide power and make decisions with our community’s best interests in mind. Being locally owned means we have the flexibility to focus on what matters most to the communities we serve. This is why no two electric cooperatives are exactly alike. Every community has different needs and every cooperative reflects those priorities. For some co-ops, that means expanding programs to help members save energy and money. Others may focus on supporting economic development, investing in new technology or creating new opportunities for local students. You will also find the co-op difference in the little things. It is the lineworkers restoring power after a storm. The employees answering your questions when you call. The team members volunteering at community events. The board members your neighbors - who help guide decisions for the future. We are your neighbor and local energy partner, and we are committed to serving this community for generations to come. This National Co-op Month, we invite you to join us in celebrating the cooperative difference, because this Co-op belongs to you. Whether it is Rural Electric, your local credit union or ACE Hardware, cooperatives prove when people work together, everyone benefits. Your membership is what makes our mission possible - and it is what keeps us focused on serving the people and communities that matter most.
October 2026 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 Darren Townley, CFO 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 Scott Henson, System Superintendent Jason Mays, Operations Superintendent
CO-OP NEWS
REC offers youth programs Rural Electric Cooperative offers youth programs to students within REC's service territory. High School juniors could win an all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. or Steamboat Springs, Colorado, while eighth graders could win a trip to Oakridge Christian Camp and Retreat Center in Anadarko, Oklahoma. Additionally high school seniors could win a scholarship to help with college expenses. A representative from REC will visit the schools to distribute information about these programs in October. Students may pick up the necessary information at their schools, from the Cooperative or may visit www.recok.coop and click on the “Programs and Services” tab, then select the program for details. Energy Camp Energy Camp is available for eighth graders within REC's service area. Eight students will be selected to attend a fourday camp in Anadarko, Oklahoma to gain a better understanding of electric cooperatives, enhance leadership skills and meet new friends. To participate in this contest, students must be attending a school within REC’s
REC's Youth Tour winners: Cache Mooney of Wynnewood, Cheyenne Lamb of Pauls Valley and Gracey Bray of Lindsay.
REC's 2025 Energy Camp winners. Front row (left to right): Tre Childers of Lindsay, Christofer Cayton and Tatum Manning of Maysville and Addileigh Tucker of Lindsay. Back row (left to right): Tyler Shrader and Isabelle Wells from Elmore City-Pernell and Elise Beach from Maysville. service area and write a short essay on a topic provided by REC. Youth Tour Youth Tour in Washington, D.C. is a week-long, all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. for three students to attend the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Tour. These three students will join approximately 70 other Oklahoma high school juniors this summer. To participate, students must be classified as a high school junior and are required to write a speech on a topic provided by the Cooperative. Six finalists will be chosen to present their speeches to determine the winners. The top three scores will win the Washington, D.C. trip, while the three runners-up will earn a week-long, all-expense paid trip to the Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Scholarships In addition to trips, REC offers ten scholarships to area high school seniors. Seniors whose parents are members of REC are eligible to apply for the scholar-
ships. Scholarships will be applied to the students’ freshman year of college starting in the fall semester of 2026. REC will award two $2,000 scholarships and eight $1,500 scholarships. All materials for any of these programs will be available at area schools and on REC’s website at www.recok.coop. Students may also contact REC’s Member Services Department with additional questions at 405-756-3104, extension 238.
REC's CYLC winners: Jay Tate of Lindsay, Rocky Byrd of Alex and Larissa Lopez of Wynnewood. Co-op Comments 3
Classified Advertisement MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE: Portable playpen with carry bag; potty chair booster seat with cover;
Classified Ads
highchair, $225 for all. PH: 405-351-0878. FOR SALE: Z540R John Deere zero turn
lawn mower, call for more information. PH: 580-222-1399.
New bikes given away at Annual Meeting
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.
REC hires new CEO Recently, REC’s CEO, Dusty Ricks announced his retirement. The Board of Trustees has decided to hire REC’s current CFO, Darren Townley, as the next General Manager of REC. Townley lives in Washington, Oklahoma with his wife Elizabeth of 15 years and their two children: Maddix and Tate. Townley had been serving as REC’s CFO for approximately a year before accepting the CEO position. Prior to REC, he worked for Chesapeake Energy for 3 years and Devon Energy for 11 years.
Energy Efficiency Tip of the Month Don't let phantom energy haunt your electric bill this October. Many electronics continue using electricity even when they are turned off. TVs, gaming systems, coffee makers and phone chargers can quietly draw power around the clock. While each device uses only a small amount, the energy waste can add up over time. Before heading out for Halloween fun, unplug devices you do not use regularly or plug them into a smart power strip that automatically cuts power when equipment is off. It is a simple trick to help keep phantom energy waste in check.
Two children who are in attendance at REC's 87th meeting will win a new bike. Entertainment for children ages four to 12 will be provided during the Business Meeting.
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.
Learn more at www.energy.gov
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