Ruralite, Benton REA, December 2025

Ruralite BENTON REA

DECEMBER 2025

Creating a Healing Space for Teens Benton REA partners with Cork’s Place to build a dedicated room for teens Page 4 Benton REA Member Services Manager Shannon Olsen, center, meets Cork’s Place’s Nicole Marshall, left, and Alane Wilkerson during a Benton REA staff tour of the organization’s facility.

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11/17/2025 11:17:12 AM

FROM THE PIONEER TEAM

Ruralite Finding Home December 2025 • Volume 72, No. 12

CEO Michael Shepard SENIOR VP OF CONTENT Leon Espinoza EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Chasity Anderson, CCC DEPUTY EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Noble Sprayberry SENIOR EDITOR Jennifer Paton, CCC ASSISTANT EDITORS Victoria Hampton, CCC; David Herder, CCC; Sable Riley, CCC; Nina Todea, CCC ASSOCIATE EDITOR Valeri Saldanha Rosa PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER Elizabeth Beatty SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR Alyssa McDougle

Ruralite (USPS 397-460) is published monthly for members for $5.73 per year, plus postage,

by Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124—a not-for-profit Oregon cooperative corporation—to serve the communication needs of 46 consumer-owned electric utilities in Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Nevada and California. Preferred periodical postage paid at Hillsboro, Oregon, 97123 and additional mailing offices. © 2025 Pioneer Utility Resources. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Ruralite, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124-6454 HOW TO CONTACT RURALITE Subscription services: Nonmember subscriptions $15 (U.S.) per year; $25 per year (foreign). Prepayment required.

Allow 4-8 weeks for first issue. Be sure to identify which local edition you want to receive.

Address Changes: Utility members, contact your local utility.

Subscribers, call us at 503-357-2105, option 3, or email mailingdept@pioneer.coop.

Back issues: Back issues and extra copies are $3.

Prepayment required. Supply is limited. Be sure to identify edition, month and year.

Call first if ordering back issues to check availability.

Some places shape us long before we understand their significance.

This month, the stories we’re sharing explore what it means to truly belong somewhere—not just physically but in the deeper sense of having roots that anchor us through life’s storms.

The Upper Olalla schoolhouse stands as a testament to this truth. When Barbara Carlson and Alex Freadman walked 3½ miles to that oneroom building each day, they weren’t just getting an education. They were learning what it means to be part of a community where “everybody looked out for each other.” Seventy-five years after the school closed, that 790-square-foot building still serves as a gathering place, still grounds a community and reminds people what home really means.

Our foster care feature reveals what happens when children lose that sense of home and what it takes to help them find it again. Billy Cordero bounced between homelessness and separation from his siblings before his aunt and uncle became his refuge. The difference wasn’t just stability—it was being somewhere he fundamentally belonged, with people who knew his history and could imagine his future.

“I just thought, ‘This is life,’ ” Billy says of his early chaos. But kinship care showed him what it feels like to have a home base, to wake up in the same place day after day and to be known.

Organizations like Every Child Oregon and Amara are revolutionizing foster care by prioritizing kinship placements. When children can stay with relatives, “they know the new house, they know the pets, they know the cooking and the neighbors, and often they get to stay in their same school,” Marcia Jacobs, a former foster child, says. They get to keep their sense of home, even when everything else is falling apart.

These stories challenge our modern obsession with mobility and independence. We celebrate people who can work from anywhere, live anywhere and start over anywhere. But these stories remind us being rooted matters. Knowing where you belong, who your people are and what ground you stand on isn’t limiting—it’s liberating.

As we gather with loved ones this holiday season, I’m thinking about what creates that sense of home for each of us. Is it a place we return to year after year? Is it people who know our whole story? Do traditions ground us in something larger than ourselves? Maybe it’s all of these things woven together—the schoolhouse that still opens its doors, the relatives who make room for one more child and the recipes that taste like memories.

Where do you find home? Perhaps more importantly, who might need you to help them find theirs?

Until next time, Chasity Anderson Editorial Director

Room for All Up Close, Page 10

To contact Ruralite: Ruralite magazine is published by Pioneer Utility Resources, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133-1306; 503-357-2105; email: info@pioneer.coop. For more information, visit pioneer.coop.

The Foster Care Revolution

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Spotlight, Page 12

Appetizer Classics For supplemental and interactive content, search @Ruralite on your favorite social media sites.

Reader Exchange 18 Picture Hunt Adventure Awaits 19 Before You Go Utility Pages: 4-8, 25, 28-29, 32

22 30

Celebrate With Nostalgic Favorites In the Kitchen, Page 16 DECEMBER 2025

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Benton REA Member Services Manager Shannon Olsen, center, meets Cork’s Place’s Nicole Marshall, left, and Alane Wilkerson during a Benton REA staff tour of the organization’s facility.

Creating a Healing Space for Teens Benton REA partners with Cork’s Place to build a dedicated room for teens

By Stacey Azure At Benton REA, supporting the wellbeing of the communities we serve is at the heart of our mission. This year, that commitment led us to Cork’s Place—an 4

organization providing vital support to children, teens and families navigating the loss of a loved one.

Cork’s Place is the only grief-support facility in the Tri-Cities created specifically for young people and their caregivers.

Through five-week programs, it offers a safe and welcoming environment where participants can explore their grief through hands-on activities, art, music, group discussion and more. The goal is simple yet powerful: to help kids and their grownups process their grief in healthy ways so they can move forward with confidence and hope.

When Benton REA made a donation

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BENTON REA

Get Involved

Cork’s Place welcomes donations, volunteers and community partners.

People can visit tccbestlife.org to learn more about its programs, sponsor grief kits, support events or sign up to volunteer. Every contribution, big or small, helps Cork’s Place show up for grieving kids and teens across our community.

to Cork’s Place earlier this year, the organization immediately put the funds toward building a dedicated teen room.

The space plays an important role in their programming, allowing teens to feel comfortable opening up, connecting with their peers and expressing themselves.

The impact has been remarkable. Since the renovation, Cork’s Place has seen the number of teens participating in their programs double.

“Receiving the funding for our new teen room means the world to Cork’s Place,” says Cork’s Place Bereavement Supervisor Nicole Marshall. “Our teens deserve a space that feels safe, validating and truly their own. A place where they can show up exactly as they are and know they’re not alone in their grief.

“Community partners like Benton REA make this possible. Their support doesn’t just help us build a room; it helps us build connection, healing and hope for young people who are navigating some of the hardest moments of their lives. Cork’s Place exists because our community believes in this work, and we are so grateful for partners who stand with us in making sure no child or teen has to grieve alone.”

Benton REA staff saw the transformation during a facility tour. In addition to the refreshed teen room, Cork’s Place walked staff through several of its specialized therapeutic spaces, including a paint-splatter room where kids can express big emotions creatively, a “volcano” room designed for safe physical release and other intentionally curated areas that help children process grief in ways that feel natural and supportive.

The partnership carries special meaning

ABOVE: Cork’s Place gives kids and grown-ups a place to explore their grief.

BELOW: Benton REA made a donation to Cork’s Place earlier this year, helping the organization build a room specifically for teens.

for Benton REA Member Services Manager Shannon Olsen.

“Cork’s Place holds a special place in my heart,” Shannon says. “Some close family friends have benefitted from their programs, so I’ve seen firsthand how impactful their work is. Supporting Cork’s Place aligns perfectly with our cooperative principle of Concern for Community, and we’re proud to help them continue

providing a safe space for local kids and families.”

Organizations like Cork’s Place make a difference in the emotional health of our local families. Benton REA is proud to support nonprofits that strengthen our communities and provide meaningful resources to those who need them most. n For more information, visit tccbestlife.org.

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11/20/2025 12:07:30 PM

BENTON REA

SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTO BY S_PHOTO

You Have the Power to Care

Benton REA’s member-funded Power to Care program keeps the lights on for our community The holiday season has a special way of bringing our community together. Laughter, warm meals and the glow of festive lights remind us how important it is to care for one another. At Benton REA, that spirit of community extends far beyond the holidays.

Power to Care, created in 2020 and funded by member donations, helps keep the lights on for Benton REA members experiencing financial difficulties. It’s a simple and meaningful way to support your fellow cooperative members when they need it most.

Since the program began, Benton REA has distributed $159,639 in assistance to local families and vulnerable individuals.

How to Donate Giving is easy.

• On your monthly bill, you’ll find an option to contribute to Power to Care.

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•

Enroll through the Bill & Pay section of your SmartHub app or online payment portal.

• Drop off a donation at any Benton REA office.

You may choose to “round up” your bill or donate a set amount—whatever works best for your budget.

How to Apply Eligible members may receive up to $250 in Power to Care assistance once per year, based on household size and income.

Approved funds are applied directly to the member’s account to help reduce past-due balances and prevent disconnection.

Applications are available at bentonrea.org/payments-services.

This holiday season, we invite our members to help spread joy throughout our community. Every contribution, big or small, makes a meaningful difference for those who need it most.

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BENTON REA

2026 Ruralite Calendars Are Here Pick up your copy at a Benton REA office The 2026 Ruralite wall calendar features 13 wildlife and landscape photos by public power consumers. Members may pick up a free calendar at either of Benton REA’s offices in West Richland or Prosser, while supplies last.

Call 509-786-2913 or email memberservices@bentonrea.org to request one be mailed to you.

Benton REA Honors Conor Ames as Employee of the Year The employee of the year award was presented to General Foreman Lineworker Conor Ames, who has been with Benton REA for 13 years.

Conor is known for regularly going the extra mile, working late to ensure jobs are done correctly, addressing issues before they escalate and stepping in to support co-workers without being asked.

His professionalism, leadership and positive attitude have made a clear, positive impact on performance and morale across all Benton REA teams.

Conor Ames, left, accepts the employee of the year award from Benton REA CEO Ryan Redmond at the employee appreciation breakfast Nov. 12.

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BENTON REA

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY IRACOSMA

Ownership Credits to be Disbursed This Month

The Benton REA Board of Trustees recently approved the return of $383,131 to the cooperative’s members. Ownership credits will be returned in early December to eligible members who bought power from the cooperative.

membership was established - or later updated. Members can choose to receive a bill credit, have a check mailed (if over $5), or donate the credit to Benton REA’s education fund which supports scholarships, youth programs and community services.

What are ownership credits?

Benton REA is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by our members. Unlike investor-owned utilities that generate profits on behalf of shareholders, not-for-profit electric cooperatives return any profits, or margins, to their members in the form of ownership credits. Members earn an allocation of ownership credits based on how much power is purchased, much like equity in a home. Each year, after all expenses have been paid, any remaining margins may be paid back to members.

I am no longer a Benton REA member. Do I forfeit ownership credits?

No, ownership credits stay with you even if you are no longer an active member. It is important to update your address with Benton REA until all ownership credits have been distributed.

How often will I receive an ownership credit check and how much will it be?

Each year the board of trustees decides if ownership credits will be returned by evaluating Benton REA’s prior years’ margins and future capital needs. The board has chosen to return ownership credits to the members for more than 40 years.

The amount of ownership credits returned to each member depends on the amount of your total allocation built up. The more allocation or “equity” you have, the more your payout will be since it’s based on a percentage.

Credits will be paid out as you designated at the time 8

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Can I receive my ownership credits in a lump sum after I leave the co-op?

If you are a former member of Benton REA, who no longer receives electric service from the cooperative and you are age 65 or older, you are eligible to choose an early payout of your ownership credits at a discounted rate. If you are interested in finding out more about early payout, call Benton REA at 509-786-2913.

I found an old ownership credit check. Is it too late to cash it?

Please call the Benton REA office with the check number so we may verify if the check can be cashed.

For more details on ownership credits, contact Benton REA at 509-786-2913 or visit www.bentonrea.org/ownership-credits.

Benton REA

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Room for All Story and photos by Dave LaBelle

One-room schoolhouses once dotted the United States landscape.

Before electric lights, cellphones and artificial intelligence, one teacher taught multiple subjects to all grade levels.

In 1869, there were 22 one-room schoolhouses in Washington, according to abandonedwashingtonstate.com. By 1889, that number exceeded 1,000. In neighboring Oregon, as many as 600 one-room schoolhouses marked the landscape, including a small building near Winston called Upper Olalla School.

The Olalla schoolhouse served students in grades one through eight, with anywhere from three to 29 children packed into the 790-square-foot structure. A single instructor taught students ages 5 to 17.

Active from 1884-1950, the original schoolhouse was abandoned and used as a barn. The second schoolhouse—built in 1913 on land donated by the Nellie Ware family—provided education for area students until it closed in 1950.

“Kids were sent over 10 miles (to school) then,” says Sue Wood, president of Upper Olalla Ladies Apron Club, which cares for the 112-year-old schoolhouse. “The highway down there didn’t exist when the school was running. This was the main road, and it was a logging road with all the traffic.”

Fond Memories Barbara Carlson has a sharp memory of when she and her lifelong friend, Alex Freadman, walked the 31/2 miles to the school.

“Alex and I were in first grade together,” Barbara says. “I think there were eight of us in the first grade. We each lived in a log cabin without electricity, and we would meet at what we called the flats. My mom was the substitute teacher there for a while when the teacher had to take maternity. When I was in the fourth grade, my little brother, Dave, was in the first grade.”

She also recalls when she and Alex got caught in a rainstorm.

“Alex’s lunch was always in a lard bucket, that was his lunch pail,” she says. “I didn’t have one, so we got caught in this terrible rainstorm, and all I had was a paper sack. So, when I got to school, all I had was half a banana and soggy half a sandwich.”

“We hung our coats, boots and lunches as you come in the door,” says Alex, who attended the school from 1946-50. “We had a place

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for our own hand soap, and I remember pumping water. We sat by the window on dark days. And on a cold day, we huddled around the furnace grate. There was a furnace underneath the school. The teachers had to put wood in it and had to have it going ahead of time. We did get electricity the last year or two.

“It wasn’t the best education,” he says with a laugh. “You got a few kids causing trouble, you got a few kids that needed more help. It was kind of like herding cats—one teacher trying to teach all eight grades.”

The Schoolhouse Today The historic schoolhouse retains its original blackboards, walls and floor. The sash windows are in the original frames, and many of the panes are original. Pictures of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln hang in their original places alongside prints of Daniel in the lion’s den and Washington crossing the Delaware River. A few textbooks remain.

Today, the schoolhouse is more than a container for memories. It’s a monthly meeting place for Upper Olalla Ladies Apron Club and offers educational glimpses into the past.

“We have homeschooled children come, and we set the wooden benches up like the way it would have been originally,” Sue says.

Upper Olalla Ladies Apron Club Milestone Upper Olalla Ladies Apron Club members are celebrating the organization’s 75th anniversary. The group started after the Olalla school closed, despite opposition from the community.

“It brought the community together,” says Colene Freadman, Alex’s wife and former club president for 16 years. “Then the women said, ‘This is great getting to know everybody,’ so they started the club in 1950 when the school was closed.”

The club has 12 members, and Sue is concerned for its future and the care of the historic schoolhouse.

“My greatest fear is that we will run out of people involved in the club, and it will have to be dissolved, and then I don’t know what will happen to the schoolhouse,” she says. “We’ve lost a lot to cancer. But thank God for good husbands. Truthfully, without our husbands and volunteers, we wouldn’t be able to do this.”

The club hosts two fundraisers a year—a spring chili supper and an ice cream social in September.

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UP CLOSE

Sue Wo Upper Ola od, president of ll Club, leav a Ladies Apron es the on e-room schoolhou s group me e where the ets month ly.

“On a really good year, it [the chili supper] raises $600, and it’s by donation only,” Sue says. “We have had as little as $250 if the weather is bad.”

The community has stepped up to help when the schoolhouse needed big-ticket repairs.

“When we put the roof on, we borrowed money from a private party to go ahead and pay for the roof, and then we sent out a plea to the neighborhood, and people donated $10, $15, $20,” Sue says. “The neighborhood just kind of takes us under their wing a lot of times.”

She praises a grant from Ford, free tree work from Limb Walker in Roseburg, and other local businesses that donate time and resources.

More Than a Container for Memories Life was different when Upper Olalla School was open, Barbara says. While everyone experienced their share of hardship, people pitched in to help one another.

“It was not like life was easy—it was right after World War II,” she says. “It was a good time, we learned great values. We actually put on little pageants and everything. And too bad there isn’t more of that kind of atmosphere in our schools and our education systems now.

“The main thing is just the community environment—that’s what keeps us alive or did back then. We don’t have that so much anymore. Everybody looked out for each other.” n

FROM TOP: Students pose in 1935 in front of the schoolhouse. Sue Wood is one of 12 members of the Upper Olalla Ladies Apron Club. Alex Freadman, left, attended the school from 1946-1950.

Colene Freadman was club president for 16 years. Several photos, children’s books and historical records are on display inside the school.

This year’s Christmas Social is 1-4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8, at Upper Olalla School House in Winston, Oregon. For more information, follow the group on Facebook at tinyurl.com/UpperOlallaLadiesApronClub.

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SPOTLIGHT

The Foster Care

Revolution

Lived experience, kinship placement and neighbor networks heal families and reduce trauma

By Ginger Meurer Marcia Jacobs entered foster care when she was 17. For many children, entering the foster care system can pile additional stress on top of existing trauma. However, that wasn’t Marcia’s experience.

“It really was a rescue,” she says. “It wasn’t until a teacher at my high school was brave enough to be a mandatory reporter.

The police came to the school and the whole nine yards. But the six months that I was with my foster family were the six happiest months of my childhood.”

More than 300,000 children were in foster care across the country as of Sept. 30, according to the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System. Nonprofits and government agencies work to find families to care for these children until—if and when—it becomes safe for them to return home.

“When you start talking about the people who love people who are affected, it’s like you drop the stone in the pond, and the ripples from the child welfare system get bigger and bigger,” 12

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Marcia says. “You can pretty much honestly say that—in the United States at least—everybody knows at least one person who was impacted by the child welfare system. Probably they know multiple people, whether they know it or not.”

Breaking the Shame Spiral Like many former foster children, Marcia rarely spoke about her time spent in the system.

“I felt a lot of shame,” she says. “I felt there was something wrong with me for what happened, and I blamed myself. I internalized it, and I always considered myself less than. In fact, I described myself as ‘a dented soup can pushed to the back of the grocery shelf that nobody wanted.’ It’s only been recently that I can talk about it freely, and that’s because I got hired at Amara in 2021.”

Amara is one of many nonprofits in Washington helping guide potential foster parents—or resource families, as they are called today—through the certification process. Once certified, Amara provides resources, mentorship, education and network-building opportunities.

Amara invites people touched by the foster care system to submit photos for its annual Through the Foster Lens showcase— an outreach event where current and former resource parents and foster children share their stories through photography.

“When we first did it, we were not sure,” Marcia says. “Are people going to like this? Are people going to come? Is this going to be what we’re envisioning, which is a warm and welcoming space where people can tell their own stories?”

People came and shared their stories.

“We heard from folks who submitted how validating it was for them and how excited they were to participate and learn that other people were interested in their story,” Marcia says.

Amara CEO Fahren Johnson, who also spent time in foster care as a child, says it takes community to help these families.

“It takes flexibility and the ability to pivot as needed to help families experiencing separation get the support they need and heal at the same time,” she says. “It also takes lived experience that can provide the navigation tips to help system-involved ADOBE STOCK ILLUSTRATION BY JAMES THEW

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SPOTLIGHT

RIGHT: Billy Cordero, photographed with his wife, Cathy, is a foster care success story.

He now helps recruit and retain resource parents in Oregon. LEFT: From left, Billy and his brothers, Chris and Frank, spent time in foster care with a family member.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF BILLY CORDERO

children, youth and families thrive. The best life lessons are taught by the one who has walked the journey already.”

Keeping Families Together Amara is part of a pilot program between the Washington Department of Youth and Families and the University of Washington to streamline foster certification for families taking in relatives. Whether it’s grandparents, aunts, uncles or older siblings, biological relatives can work through a shorter licensing process to care for specific children. Once they’re through, kinship care families get the same benefits and monthly stipends as other resource families.

It makes a difference when a child can stay with someone they already know, love and trust.

“They know the new house, they know the pets, they know the cooking and the neighbors, and often they get to stay in their same school,” Marcia says. “They get to continue with their same activities. That really reduces the trauma involved for everybody.”

Billy Cordero has firsthand experience with kinship placement. Today he’s the Oregon Department of Human Services resource family retention/recruitment program manager. But growing up in San Diego, his parents were involved with drugs and in and out of prison. Billy and his three siblings experienced bouts of homelessness and were often separated from their parents and one another.

“But for me, in that age range, I didn’t know any different,” he says. “I just thought, ‘This is life.’ ” His aunt and uncle eventually took in his younger siblings, but Billy stayed with his mother. The breaking point came when Billy was 15 or 16 and returned from summer camp.

“There was nobody to pick me up,” he says. “My dad was incarcerated, and my mom was off on a drug binge. And there I was—everybody’s family came, got them, picked them up and took them home, and I’m just stranded on the streets of San Diego.”

Billy took a trolley and a bus to track down his mother in a drug house.

“I told her, ‘I can’t do this anymore. And I know you can’t parent me, but I’m going to go into foster care with my other siblings with my aunt and uncle,’ ” he says. “So, that’s what I did.

The next day, I went into foster care and started my junior year in high school, and things really turned around for me in relative family foster care.”

Billy was used to running wild and had to be introduced to rules like curfews.

“There was some push and pull, but they were committed,” Billy says. “They stuck with me and with my siblings. For the first time, living with them, I thought about what happens after high school or even completing high school.”

Kinship care helped Billy’s mother, too. She has been drug free for more than 25 years.

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Every Child Oregon staff and volunteers held a KickOff Summer family event where kids in foster care received shoes donated by the community care.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVERY CHILD OREGON

TOP LEFT: This photo of a birthmother and resource mother—turned adoptive mother—and the child whom they both love was shared as part of Amara’s Through the Foster Lens photo exhibit in 2024.

LEFT: Claudia Miller, a member of the Amara Board of Directors, attended the annual exhibit, which serves as a fundraiser for the organization. PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMARA

Recent changes to federal laws helped streamline Oregon’s kinship care certification process, called the Relative Pathway.

“We would love for the very first placement, the first time a child enters care, to be with a relative,” Billy says. “Sometimes, with that longer home study process, they would have to go to a stranger for a little bit until we could certify their relative. We’re trying to change that landscape, so that if Billy comes into foster care, how does he go with his aunt and uncle on that first night?”

Mobilizing the Community Resource families need support—and not just financially. A big part of that support network in Oregon comes from Every Child Oregon.

“Every Child Oregon has been a significant, incredible collaborative partner,” Billy says. “They are inspired. They have the same vision we do about seeing Oregonians and families healthy and thriving and living their best lives. They have been a game changer for use at ODHS Child Welfare.”

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Every Child Oregon is an arm of The Contingent, a Portland venture nonprofit using the same strategies tapped in election campaigns to meet community needs. Founder Ben Sand spoke about The Contingent’s methods in his April 2024 TEDx Portland talk, “Harnessing Technology to Transform Foster Care.” The idea is to use high-tech data pooling to target messages where the need is great and mobilize the community to help fill gaps.

“That way, resource parents know they can always ask for help no matter what gaps emerge,” Ben says.

Every Child sends out requests to meet those needs to thousands of community members ready to send out supplies.

Chris says this includes groceries, diapers, washers and dryers, “or maybe even a shoulder to cry on.”

Shelly Winterberg, senior director of Every Child Oregon, says ODHS can only be as strong as the community supporting it.

“A government doesn’t really make a great parent,” she says.

“We need the community to step up and roll up their sleeves and say, ‘How can I be a part of the solution?’ As a community partner, we are really relentless about sharing that need and inviting people to step in in whatever way they can.”

While identifying resource parents is the main push, there are many volunteer opportunities to support people who step up to help.

“We recognize that not everybody is in a season of life to become a foster parent, but we believe that everybody can do something,” Shelly says.

The best-known Every Child program is Foster Parents Night Out, when resource parents can drop off their children for a respite night.

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11/20/2025 12:08:19 PM

Who’s Needed Most Filling child welfare needs

“The kids just get to have a night of fun,” Shelly says. “There’s different themes. They bring in special guests. They have dinner, activities, games and crafts, and the community volunteers are all background-checked and trained by Every Child Oregon. They just get to pour out love on these kiddos, and the parents get a much-needed break.”

Another benefit of the night is reuniting siblings who have been separated. Shelly says they’ve heard beautiful stories of kids “literally like a slow-mo running-through-the-daisies moment— looking up and seeing their sibling from across a room and running and embracing.”

Another Every Child program called My Community invites volunteers to adopt local resource families and commit to providing service every week or two for six months up to a year.

“This team can show up on their front porch and say, ‘Hey, we’ve got a lasagna, a salad and dessert all ready to go. Dinner is taken care of. It’s one less thing for you to worry about,’ ” Shelly says.

Shelly recalls a time when a resource family was on the brink of burnout.

“A My Community team showed up on their doorstep with just a vat of homemade chicken noodle soup,” she says. “The resource mom was just crying and later shared that, ‘That act of kindness, that kept us going. That was everything in that moment.’ ” Every Child also administers My NeighbOR, an initiative available throughout the state where resource families’ needs are posted in real time. Neighbors can help by providing things like clothing, diapers, wipes or educational toys.

“Government is stretched so thin,” Shelly says. “Their mandate is to keep kids safe and help families in crisis. And that’s really why Every Child exists. Our mandate is to mobilize community and to invite people to roll up their sleeves and say, ‘What can I do to help?’ And then create those pathways that people can plug into.

“What I’ve experienced, at least in Oregon, is it’s not that people don’t care, or they don’t want to help,” she adds. “It’s often that

All are encouraged to apply to be resource parents—couples, singles, homeowners and renters. Anyone 21 or older, financially stable, who is ready for a home study, a background check and training is welcome.

Resource parents must support the goal of family reunification when safely possible. Specific candidates are in high demand.

Families willing to take in sibling groups top the list.

“Those folks who’ve got some room and a willingness to take two, three children, maybe even of various ages—you’re kind of a unicorn. It’s a real need,” says Billy Cordero, Oregon Department of Human Services Resource family retention/recruitment program manager.

Resource families are also needed for: X Teenagers X Children with diverse gender identities X Children with physical or mental health concerns X Children who have experienced trauma Another goal is to encourage participation by families of diverse cultures and backgrounds that match the diversity of children in the foster system.

For more information, visit childwelfare.gov. they don’t know, and they don’t understand. Foster care can often be this hidden crisis. But when we pull back the curtain, and we share what the need is, people are so excited to help. They just need us to point them in a direction to that pathway or on-ramp, and once we do that, we find that people are willing to step into deeper and deeper levels of engagement.” n Every Child’s mission is expanding, with branches in Arkansas and Tennessee already onboard, and at least 10 other states in the potential pipeline. Visit thecontingent.org/every-child for more information. To find out more about Amara, visit amarafamily.org.

DECEMBER 2025

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11/20/2025 12:08:27 PM

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IN THE KITCHEN

Appetizer Classics CELEBRATE WITH NOSTALGIC FAVORITES Puff Pastry Christmas Tree

5 green olives 1 roll puff pastry, defrosted 5 large cubes hard cheese 1/3 cup whipped cream cheese 10 to 12 thin slices salami or other cold cut

Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway ADOBE STOCK PHOTO

BY KASIA2003

16

Lightly roll out puff pastry and smooth it out. Spread cream cheese evenly over pastry, and top with salami slices. Slice into nine or 10 strips lengthwise.

Fold strips of dough accordion-style. Start with narrow layers and widen as you go, mimicking the shape of a Christmas tree. Insert a long skewer through the center starting at the base, through the top of the tree. Place on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan.

Refrigerate trees for 15 to 20 minutes. While chilling, heat oven to 350 F. Bake appetizers about 15 minutes or until golden. Top each tree with a green olive or cheese cube.

D E C E M B E R 2025

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11/12/2025 2:55:58 PM

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Cocktail Meatballs

32-ounce bag frozen, fully cooked meatballs

12 ounces chili sauce 10 ounces grape jelly

Add frozen meatballs to a slow cooker. Add chili sauce and grape jelly. Cover. Cook for 2 to 3 hours on high or 4 to 6 hours on low, until sauce is hot.

Serve directly from slow cooker with a serving spoon or toothpicks, or transfer to a serving dish.

Cheese Straws

½ cup butter, softened 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon ground red pepper

Heat oven to 400 F. Grease a sheet pan.

In a large bowl, cream butter and cheese together. Stir in flour and salt. Mix well. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to ½-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch strips. Sprinkle with ground red pepper.

Place strips 1½ inches apart on prepared pan.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until crisp.

Sausage Balls

3 cups all-purpose baking mix 1 pound ground hot pork sausage, uncooked

16 ounces cream cheese, softened ¼ cup sour cream 1½ teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 pound thick asparagus spears, ends trimmed 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Cooking spray

1 teaspoon garlic powder 5.75-ounce jar sliced salad green olives with pimentos and juice Pinch of paprika, optional

In a mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to cream together cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and garlic powder until light and fluffy.

Add sliced salad olives with juice. Use hand mixer to incorporate into creamy mixture. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Before serving, remove olive spread from refrigerator and allow to stand 20 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika. Use olive spread to make tea sandwiches or crudites and crackers.

1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto 1 ounce ParmigianoReggiano cheese, plus more for garnish Balsamic glaze

Heat oven to 425 F. Place asparagus on a sheet pan, and drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Lay the prosciutto slices on a cutting board. Slice each in half lengthwise. Sprinkle a thin layer of ParmigianoReggiano on top of prosciutto.

Roll each asparagus spear with cheese and prosciutto.

Arrange in a single layer on sheet pan.

Bake 7 to 10 minutes, until asparagus is still somewhat firm but tender.

Grate more cheese on top. Drizzle with balsamic glaze.

Stuffed Celery

Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly spray two sheet pans with cooking spray.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, pressing mixture together with hands. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on prepared sheet pans.

Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Olive Spread

Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 2 tablespoons sour cream ¼ cup chopped walnuts

20 green olives with pimentos, chopped 1 bunch celery, trimmed and cut into logs

In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in walnuts and chopped olives.

Spread filling onto celery pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Neiman Marcus Dip 6 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 1 cup mayonnaise 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, plus more for garnish 1/2 cup lightly toasted sliced almonds, plus more for garnish 1 teaspoon hot sauce Assorted crackers, for serving

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over mediumhigh heat, flipping often until rendered and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Set aside.

Whisk together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in cheddar, pepper, scallions, almonds, hot sauce and bacon until just combined.

Transfer to a serving bowl. Garnish with additional scallions and almonds. Serve with crackers.

DECEMBER 2025

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11/12/2025 2:56:00 PM

READER EXCHANGE Crafts/Hobbies I have 32 wine bottle corks that I’ve collected over the last two years.

If you are a crafter that can use them, they are yours. Contact me, and I’ll send them to you USPS gratis.

Swonder Wilder 970 Castle Place Tillamook, OR 97141 swondertilly@outlook.com

Looking for someone who can use various sizes and colors of plastic caps for art projects. Cost to mail it is $24.75 in a large flat-rate priority box. I prefer the postage be paid by you, but if necessary I can cover the cost.

Lisa States P.O. Box 71485 Fairbanks, AK 99707

I’m looking for 100% wool sweaters or scarves to felt and use in craft projects. OK if already shrunk. Any colors. Sheep’s wool, cashmere and alpaca all work.

Melanie Butler 15757 Sparks Drive La Pine, OR 97739 Email questions to: G5andjunk@gmail.com

My mother would like to know if anyone has old unwanted jewelry or beads. She makes beautiful suncatchers to give to friends. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you. Send to Susan O’ Ryan, 94100 Horton Road, Blachly, OR 97412.

Sha Rose Eugene, Oregon

Milestones My mom turns 90 in January. She is the “Sunshine” card lady for our local Pahrump Springs Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. It would be great for her to receive as many birthday wishes in return for all the years she has sent birthday, get well, sympathy and Christmas cards to others. Please send to Marcie Edwards, 4831 Quail Run Road, Pahrump, NV, 89060.

Carole A. Cusimano Pahrump, Nevada

My dear aunt, Marie, turns 104 this month. She was the oldest of several siblings and has outlived them all. She is a born-again Christian who goes to church whenever the doors are open and is a congregation favorite. Just last summer, she moved into a retirement facility. Prior to this, she lived on her own for many years. She remembers dates, names, directions and numbers. She can be forgetful but has her wits about her. She has trouble seeing and hearing, but will carry on a conversation and knows who she is speaking with. It would be incredible for her to receive birthday wishes from as many folks who are willing to send a card. We thank you in advance. She can be reached at 500 Ashbrook Drive, Suite 30, Farmington, MO 63640-9235.

Kath Smotherman Roseburg, Oregon

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My mother, Beverly, celebrates her 90th birthday this month. She has lived in Panaca, Nevada, since the day she was born. Her ancestors settled the town in 1864. She loves her hometown and has always been active in her church and community. She reaches out to several of her peers weekly with phone calls and loves to take friends to lunch. For many years, at Christmastime, she delivered homemade bread and jam to widowers in town. All wishes are appreciated. Send to Beverly Lane, P.O. Box 321, Panaca, NV 89042.

Debbie Bradfield Panaca, Nevada

Thanks To the readers who acknowledged my 90th birthday, I send a big thank you. I received more than 350 cards from Alaska, Florida, the Midwest, New Mexico and all states in between. I enjoyed each one of them. The beautiful cards with family biographies and life stories made me feel like a part of your family. The handmade cards were amazing; a lot of talented folks out there, especially my new fifth grade friends from Camas Valley. I received books, seeds, a John Wayne collage, a handmade treasure box full of goodies, a gunslinger, and Ford truck cards and pictures. I grew up in Southern California in the 1950s. Three-window roadsters were highly desirable, hard to get and very expensive, which is why I didn’t own one. Route 66 went right through where I lived. Thank you for making my milestone birthday fun and special. My family has expanded to include all you wonderful readers.

Don Whitehead Redmond, Oregon

Submitting Requests Is Free

Send your request (no attachments) to readerexchange@ruralite.org or mail to Reader Exchange, 5625 NE Elam Young Parkway, Suite 100, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Fill in the subject line with Reader Exchange.

Acceptance, scheduling and editing are at the editor’s discretion. Single requests only, please. No duplicates. If replying to a reader submission, please only send what is requested.

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Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.

D E C E M B E R 2025

pp18 December2025.indd 18

11/19/2025 9:43:04 AM

ADVENTURE AWAITS

Watch climbers scale a cliff face in Central Oregon at

Smith Rock State Park

A Climbing Haven

What Is It? Sheer cliff faces and spires of rock rise more than 500 feet out of the ground in Central Oregon’s Smith Rock State Park.

Visitors to the park have many ways to take in the geologic beauty, whether marveling at the rock formations or climbing up them.

Smith Rock is claimed as the birthplace of sport climbing. In the ’80s, climbers—such as Alan Watts— began drilling bolts into the cliff face along climbing routes, which climbers could connect ropes to, making it safer to scale the rock and allowing climbers to focus on technique.

Today, visitors come from around the world to scale a few of the thousands of climbing routes at Smith Rock.

Stay on Your Feet For those looking to walk around the park, rather than climb it, the 4.3-mile Crooked River Trail has great views of the area and of the climbers making their way up Smith Rock.

It is moderately difficult, with some steep stretches.

The harder, 6.2-mile Misery Ridge and Summit Loop Trail is one of the park’s most popular, giving hikers more than 1,700 feet of elevation gain.

Down the Road If you’re making a trip through Central Oregon, consider heading south from Smith Rock State Park. It is about a half-hour drive to Bend and the Deschutes River.

Those seeking more time on the trails can head a little farther on to the Deschutes National Forest, and skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports can be found just down the road at Mount Bachelor.

ADOBE STOCK PHOTO

BY JASON

More Information Visitors to Smith Rock State Park do need a permit. Oregonians must pay $10 per vehicle to park, and out-of-state residents pay $12.50. To start planning your trip, call 800-551-6949 or visit tinyurl.com/yd5vkmb4.

DECEMBER 2025

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11/20/2025 12:13:34 PM

ADVERTISEMENT

U.S. zip codes turn up silver for residents

Sealed Vault Bags full of state silver bars are actually being handed over to the first U.S. residents who find their zip code listed in today’s publication and call before the 21-day deadline to claim the bags full of pure silver Operators at the National Silver Hotline are struggling to keep up with all the calls.

That’s because Silver Vault Bags loaded with pure .999 State Silver Bars are now being handed over to everyone who beats the order deadline.

“That’s why U.S. residents will be hoarding all the silver bars they can get their hands on before the deadline ends. This comes as no surprise after the standard State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury was dropped for everyone who gets the Silver Vault Bags making them a real steal,” said Mary Ellen Withrow, the emeritus (Ret.) 40th Treasurer of the United States of America.

“As executive advisor to the private Lincoln Treasury, I get paid to deliver breaking news.

And here’s the best part. This is great news for U.S. residents because the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury is a real steal,” said Withrow.

The only thing residents need to do is find the first 2 digits of their zip code on the Distribution List printed in today’s publication. If their zip code is on the list, they just need to call the National Silver Hotline before the deadline ends.

And here’s the good news.

Residents who do are getting the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury of just $390 for each State Silver Vault Bag which is just $39 for each pristine solid silver one quarter ounce

pp20 December2025.indd 4

■ U.S. RESIDENTS CASH IN: Calls are pouring in from state residents who are trying to get their hands on the Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags pictured above before the deadline ends. That’s because residents who find the first 2 digits of their zip code printed in today’s publication are cashing in on the reduced State Minimum price set by the Lincoln Treasury until the 21-day deadline expires. bar as long as they call the National Silver Hotline at 1-866-295-2589 before the deadline ends.

Phone lines open at precisely 8:30 A.M. this morning and are expected to be flooded by U.S. residents looking to cash in on the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury to date. That’s why U.S. residents who find their zip code on the distribution list today are being urged to call.

Since this special advertising announcement can’t stop anyone from buying up all the new 2026 Edition U.S. State Silver Bars they can get their hands on, the Lincoln Treasury has not set a limit of how many Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags residents can get – these

are the bags pictured that contain 100 individual Silver Vault bars each. Everyone who gets these will be glad they did.

“Residents who want to cash in on the reduced State Minimum set by the private Lincoln Treasury better hurry. That’s because after the deadline ends, the State Minimum for these p r i s t i n e q u a r t e r ou n c e U.S. State Silver Bars set by the Lincoln Treasury will go up to $59 per bar no matter how many bars people get,” Withrow said.

“We’re bracing for all the calls and doing the best we can, but with just hours left before the deadline ends, residents who find the first 2 digits of their zip code listed

in today’s publication need to call the National Silver Hotline,” Withrow said.

■ SILVER IS SOARING: It’s good news for state residents who get the Silver Vault Bags each loaded with 10 Fractional Reserve one quarter ounce State Silver Bars.

That’s because residents are getting the State Minimum set by the private Lincoln Treasury as long as they call before the deadline ends.

11/17/2025 11:26:08 AM

ADVERTISEMENT

Who gets the Silver Vault Bags: Listed below are the zip codes that get to claim the Silver Vault Bags. If you find the first two digits of your zip code below immediately call: 1-866-295-2589 DEPT. SQR102 Alabama 35, 36 Alaska 99 Arizona 85, 86 Arkansas 71, 72 California 91 Colorado 80, 81 Connecticut 06

Delaware 19 Florida 32, 33, 34 Georgia 30, 31, 39 Hawaii 96 Idaho 83 Illinois 60, 61 62 Indiana 46, 47

Iowa 50, 51, 52 Kansas 66, 67 Kentucky 40, 41, 42 Louisiana 70, 71 Maine 03, 04 Maryland 20, 21 Massachusetts 01, 02, 05

Michigan 48, 49 Minnesota 55, 56 Mississippi 38, 39 Missouri 63, 64, 65 Montana 59 Nebraska 68, 69 Nevada 88, 89

New Hampshire 03 New Jersey 07, 08 New Mexico 87, 88 New York 00, 10, 11, 12 13, 14 North Carolina 27, 28 North Dakota 58 Ohio 41, 43, 44, 45

Oklahoma 73, 74 Oregon 97 Pennsylvania 15, 16, 17 18, 19 Rhode Island 02 South Carolina 29 South Dakota 57 Tennessee 37, 38

Texas 75, 76, 77 78, 79, 88 Utah 84 Vermont 05 Virginia 20, 22, 23, 24 Washington 98, 99 West Virginia 24, 25, 26 Wyoming 82, 83

I keep calling and can’t get through: Keep trying. Right now everyone’s looking to cash in on the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury. In fact, we won’t be surprised if thousands of residents order up as many Silver Vault Bags as they can get their hands on before the deadline ends. That’s because the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury has been reduced to just $39 for each solid silver one quarter ounce bar for everyone who gets the vault bags. And since each Silver Vault Bag contains 10 pristine State Silver Bars for just $390 we’re guessing state residents will be claiming two or more bags while they’re up for grabs. But all those who really want to cash in are taking the Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bags containing 100 State Silver Bars before the deadline ends and the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury goes up to $590 per Vault Bag. In fact the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury is reduced even further for those getting the Jumbo Bags so just be sure to ask the National Silver Hotline operator for your discount. So if lines are busy keep trying.

How much are the Silver Vault Bags worth: It’s hard to tell how much these Silver Vault Bags could be worth since they are in pristine condition, but those who get in on this now will be glad they did. That’s because the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury goes up to $590 per bag after the deadline ends. So you better believe that at just $390 the Silver Vault bags are a real steal for everyone who beats the 21-day order deadline.

Can I buy one State Silver Bar: Yes. But, the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury of just $39 per bar applies only to residents who purchase a Silver Vault Bag(s). That means only those residents who order a Silver Vault Bag(s) or a Jumbo Silver Ballistic Bag get the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury. All single bar purchases, orders placed after the deadline and all non-state residents must pay the normal state minimum of $59 per silver bar.

Why is the State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury so low now: Thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to get the silver at the reduced State Minimum set by the private Lincoln Treasury. Now all residents who find their zip code on the Distribution List above are getting the Silver Vault Bags for themselves and all the solid .999 pure State Silver Bars found inside. The price for each Silver Vault Bag after the deadline ends is set to the normal state minimum of $590 which is $59 per bar. But residents who beat the deadline only cover the reduced State Minimum set by the Lincoln Treasury of just $390 for each Silver Bar Vault Bag which is just $39 per bar as long as they call the National Silver Hotline before the deadline ends at: 1-866-295-2589 DEPT. SQR102. Hotlines open at 8:30 A.M.

*** All States listed above are available - States not listed are already sold out ***

ALASKA

DATE NUMBERED IN WHICH THE STATE RATIFIED THE CONSTITUTION AND WAS ADMITTED INTO UNION

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ONE QUARTER OUNCE SOLID .999 FINE SILVER

FRONT

BACK

THESE SILVER BARS BECOME A PART OF YOUR FAMILY LEGACY WITH YOUR LAST NAME INSCRIBED ON THESE .999 FINE SILVER BARS

ARIZONA

NEVADA

OFFICIAL STATE ABBREVIATION

OREGON

CERTIFIED SOLID .999 FINE SILVER

FRACTIONAL RESERVE .999 STATE SILVER BAR SERIES PHOTO ENLARGEMENT SHOWS DETAIL OF THE SOLID ONE QUARTER OUNCE PERSONALIZED SOLID SILVER BARS MEASURING TWO INCHES HIGH AND ONE AND A QUARTER INCHES ACROSS

P7480 OF24129R-1

TERMS AND CONDITIONS: PLEASE USE CHECK OR MONEY ORDER WITH NO TRANSACTION FEE. ALL OTHER PAYMENT FORMS HAVE A THREE PERCENT SERVICE FEE. FLUCTUATIONS OF MARKET SUPPLIES MAY RESULT IN EXTENDED SHIPPING DATES BEYOND THE EIGHT-WEEK ORDER FULFILLMENT PROCESS OR REVOCATION OF THE ORDER AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF LINCOLN TREASURY. LINCOLN TREASURY LLC. IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. THE COLLECTIBLE VALUE OF LINCOLN TREASURY PRODUCTS DOES NOT GUARANTEE ANY INCREASE IN FUTURE VALUE. LINCOLN TREASURY OFFERS AN IRON-CLAD MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH YOUR PURCHASE, RETURN THE ENTIRE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND, LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. LINCOLN TREASURY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LOST SHIPMENTS. THE HONORABLE MARY ELLEN WITHROW, ADMIRAL JAMES G. FOGGO, US NAVY (RET.), AND BRIGADIER GENERAL JAMES MOORE, US ARMY (RET.) ARE EXECUTIVE ADVISORS TO LINCOLN TREASURY AND COMPENSATED FOR THEIR COUNSEL AND CONTRIBUTIONS. ©LINCOLN TREASURY 2025.

pp21 December2025.indd 4

11/17/2025 11:27:22 AM

THE GREAT PICTURE HUNT

NIKON D810, 70mm lens ISO 200, f/4 at 1/1250 Rick Dedrick, left, tells his son, Logan, about his grandfather’s death. Xavier Howard, center, was there to support his teammate through the moment.

PHOTO BY DAVE LABELLE

My Christmas Postcard

By Dave LaBelle

A lot of folks, especially those of my generation or earlier, still send out Christmas cards. I usually receive about a dozen annually, sometimes with a letter telling of the family’s accomplishments or the exotic places they have visited in the past year.

Some of my relatives and friends with a sense of humor send creative e-cards with digital scenes and messages. Since the U.S. Postal Service raised it rates again this year, and a first-class card or letter costs nearly a dollar to send, I expect many of us will receive more of these.

Being a print guy, I decided this year to send you, my readers, a picture Christmas card on slick magazine stock.

But not the kind you would expect.

There is no snow falling, no red-suited Santa, reindeer, stained-glass windows or religious reenactments.

Instead, here is my favorite photograph from this year—a real, unscripted, painful, yet beautiful scene of a father, son and best

22

friend together in sorrow.

However, there is more to this picture than meets the eye.

Beyond the pain of losing an important college lacrosse game, which eliminated any hope of the team making the playoffs, sophomore Logan Dedrick also learned his beloved grandfather passed away.

Logan’s father, Rick Dedrick, who traveled several hundred miles to watch his son play, didn’t want to tell Logan his grandfather had died before such an important game. Waiting until after the game as the team walked back to the locker room, Rick asked Logan’s best friend and teammate, Xavier Howard, to join him in breaking the news to his son.

“We didn’t want him to be alone when he learned of his grandfather’s passing,” Rick says.

Though Christmas is celebrated in a variety of ways, there is no substitute for a father’s love.

I hope each of you has a meaningful Christmas. n

Reader Challenge What is your favorite or most meaningful photograph of 2025? Share why you chose the image you did. If you have not made your favorite image yet, you still have a month.

Email your best image—just one—with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to gph@pioneer.coop.

We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.

Internationally renowned author, photographer and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century.

He has shared photo tips and life perspectives with readers since 2009. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.

D E C E M B E R 2025

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11/10/2025 1:24:40 PM

Meet the Beauty in the Beast Discover this spectacular 6½-carat green treasure from Mount St. Helens!

F

or almost a hundred years it lay dormant. Silently building strength. At 10,000 feet high, it was truly a sleeping giant. Until May 18, 1980, when the beast awoke with violent force and revealed its greatest secret. Mount St. Helens erupted, sending up a 80,000-foot column of ash and smoke. From that chaos, something beautiful emerged… our spectacular Helenite Necklace.

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Helenite is produced from the heated volcanic rock of Mount St. Helens and the brilliant green creation has captured the eye of jewelry designers worldwide.

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Impo Was ssible Pric $299 , Nowe

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Make your emeralds jealous. Our Helenite Necklace puts the green stone center stage, with a faceted pearcut set in .925 sterling silver finished in luxurious gold. The explosive origins of the stone are echoed in the flashes of light that radiate as the piece swings gracefully from its 18" luxurious gold-finished sterling silver chain. Today the volcano sits quiet, but this unique piece of American natural history continues to erupt with gorgeous green fire.

Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Bring home the Helenite Necklace and see for yourself. If you are not completely blown away by the rare beauty of this exceptional stone, simply return the necklace within 30 days for a full refund of your purchase price.

JEWELRY SPECS: - 6 ½ ctw Helenite in gold-finished sterling silver setting - 18" gold-finished sterling silver chain

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11/17/2025 11:29:17 AM

I ‘Bearly’ Made It Out Alive A 12-inch stainless steel knife for only $79

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“This knife is beautiful!” — J., La Crescent, MN

I

t was a perfect late autumn day in the northern Rockies. Not a cloud in the sky, and just enough cool in the air to stir up nostalgic memories of my trip into the backwoods. This year, though, was different. I was going it solo. My two buddies, pleading work responsibilities, backed out at the last minute. So, armed with my trusty knife, I set out for adventure.

Well, what I found was a whole lot of trouble. As in 8 feet and 800-pounds of trouble in the form of a grizzly bear. Seems this grumpy fella was out looking for some adventure too. Mr. Grizzly saw me, stood up to his entire 8 feet of ferocity and let out a roar that made my blood turn to ice and my hair stand up. Unsnapping my leather sheath, I felt for my hefty, trusty knife and felt emboldened.

I then showed the massive grizzly over 6 inches of 420 surgical grade stainless steel, raised my hands and yelled, “Whoa bear! Whoa bear!”

I must have made my point, as he gave me an almost admiring grunt before turning tail and heading back into the woods.

Join more than 322,000 sharp people who collect stauer knives I was pretty shaken, but otherwise fine. Once the adrenaline high subsided, I decided I had some work to do back home too. That was more than enough adventure for one day.

Our Grizzly Hunting Knife pays tribute to the call of the wild.

Featuring stick-tang construction, you can feel confident in the strength and durability of this knife. And the hand carved, natural bone handle ensures you won’t lose your grip even in the most dire of circumstances. I also made certain to give it a great price. After all, you should be able to get your point across without getting stuck with a high price.

But we don’t stop there. While supplies last, we’ll include a pair of $99 30x60 power pocket binoculars FREE when you purchase the Grizzly Hunting Knife.

Make sure to act quickly. The Grizzly Hunting Knife has been such a hit that we’re having trouble keeping it in stock. Our first release of more than 1,200 SOLD OUT in TWO DAYS! After months of waiting on our artisans, we've finally gotten some knives back in stock. Only 1,337 are available at this price, and half of them have already sold!

EXCLUSIVE

FREE

Stauer 30x60 HD Pocket Binoculars -a $99 value-

with your purchase of the Grizzly Hunting Knife

Knife Specifications: • Stick tang 420 surgical stainless steel blade; 7 ¼" blade; 12" overall • Hand carved natural brown and yellow bone handle • Brass hand guard, spacers and end cap • FREE genuine tooled leather sheath included (a $49 value!)

The Grizzly Hunting Knife $249 $79* + S&P Save $170 California residents please call 1-800-333-2045 regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product. *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

1-800-333-2045

Your Insider Offer Code: GHK361-04

Stauer, 14091 Southcross Drive W., Dept. GHK361-04, Burnsville, MN 55337 | www.stauer.com

Stauer | A F F O R D T H E E X T R A O R D I N A R Y ®

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®

11/17/2025 11:32:13 AM

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS!

2026 Youth Tour & Scholarships

YOUTH TOUR

Sophomores and juniors! Apply for the 2026 Benton REA Youth Tour. If you’re looking for something fun to do this summer, the Youth Tour may be just the thing for you! This is an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., by Benton REA and the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Seniors! Benton REA will award up to eight academic, line school, and trade and

tech scholarships to graduating seniors. Visit bentonrea.org for eligibility details and information on how to apply.

Applications accepted now through Jan. 12, 2026

Scan for all the details

www.BentonREA.org/youth-programs Eligible students must be children of Benton REA members residing in Benton, Lewis or Yakima counties.

BentonREA.org

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MARKETPLACE Agriculture

4x5 round bales, Meadow foxtail orchard grass. 4x4 timothy, small square.

208-435-4637 or 208-435-4002; nas@cpcinternet.com. 1225 Reinforced custom-sized pond liners (39 cents/sqft). Hay covers, greenhouse covers, any width and length. Truck tarps and more. High-puncture and tear strength.

Best price guaranteed. Celebrating 44 years in business. btlliners.com. 541-447-0712.

Antiques and Collectibles Buying antiques and collectibles: advertising signs, porcelain signs, gas pumps, beer signs, antique toys, cast-iron coin banks, neon signs and more. Jason, tjabaughman@yahoo.com or 503-310-3321. 0326 Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com.

1950s Monarch piano. Good condition, dark finish. Upright, 45x56x24”. Call Becky, 541-676-5342 or evanslive@hotmail.com.

Automotive 1978 GMC Sierra 1500, straight 6, 3-speed manual, 4X4, short bed. Wiring harness and tow ball. One owner, 44.5K miles, very good condition. $7.5K. New battery 2024. Complete maintenance records. Text 208-301-3732.

1969 Mercury Cougar 351 cubic inches.

Automatic. AC, classic auto air. 89.7K miles.

Nice driver. $18.5K, OBO. 435-260-8972. 1225 Books, Magazines, Videos Book restoration. Bibles, cookbooks, cherished family heirlooms. Beautiful work. We give renewed life, more durable than original, to last for generations. 775-537-7066; salacanstudio@gmail.com.

More “Montello Remembered” novels available. I’m also liquidating my NV history collection. Many rare and hard-to-find books now available. pruitt2010@frontier.com; 775-753-3254. 0126 Business Opportunities For sale: quaint hardware store in Maupin, OR. Inventory and interior store recently updated and refreshed. See ad on Bizbuysell.com or email maupincountrystore@gmail.com. $129K.

Quick, Affordable: How to Place an Ad

Ads 25 words or fewer are $35 a month. An extended ad of up to 35 words is $50 a month. Contact information is included in the word count. Phone numbers and emails count as one word.

Longer ads may be placed. Contact 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop for pricing information.

Ads are for customers of member co-ops, public utility districts and municipals only. Subscribers and nonmembers may inquire about pricing at 503-357-2105 or info@pioneer.coop.

Ads must be direct and in first person, and are subject to approval and editing.

Closing deadlines (in our office): February issue—Jan. 2, 2026.

If submitting ad by mail, send appropriate payment with your name, address, email, phone number and the name of the electric utility that provides your magazine to: Marketplace, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133. Make check or money order payable to Ruralite.

We accept credit card payments for ads submitted by email. Send ad to info@pioneer.coop.

Call 503-357-2105 to pay by credit card.

Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not liable for interactions between buyers and sellers.

Community Events

Help Wanted

Art Center East’s Sip N’ Shop Saturdays.

Dec. 6, 13 and 20 in La Grande, OR. Rotating artisan pop-ups each weekend. Learn more at artcentereast.org. 1225

Mature lady seeks caretaking position.

Excellent with animals, plants and gardening.

Many years of experience. Many references will be given on request. Call, 208-835-5425.

Farm Equipment

Hobbies, Gifts, Games

1940s Caterpillar D-2, hydraulic blade up/ down, full canopy, many photos. Was my late father’s. Diesel engine stuck, so asking only $3.5K, OBO. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073.

1225

We ship warm, vintage Santa Letters and nature-inspired artwork from AK for holidays and gift giving. Choose from Santa Letter bundles, watercolor prints, cards, block prints, earrings and more. GV12 saves 10%. pamelasueartanddesigns.com. 1225

Water trailer. Around 400 gallons, Homelite pump, on heavy-duty, ex-military trailer.

Photos, no title. Pump not started since before COVID. Near Dayton, WA. 208-284-5073.

1225 Free Item Free materials. When church/government unite, enforcing Sunday Law, the Mark of the Beast is here. Don’t be deceived, be informed. Leave mailing address only, TBSM, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. 888-211-1715; tbsmads@yahoo.com. 1225AR

Miscellaneous Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: highdesertmemorials.com; Joe, 541-815-8906 or highdesertmemorials@gmail.com. 1225 Crushed rock for sale. John Long quarry on John Long Road at Rice Hill. 541-459-3072.

Tulsa 3-stage gear reduction. Good for building 4-ft. tunnel digger, as track drive for Link Belt or P&H 100-ton crane. Ted, 458-910-3727.

0126

Your ad could be here in February. See instructions above for details.

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D E C E M B E R 2025

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Attention, landowners. Grants available now.

Wildland fire fuel reduction service. Steep ground, remote, rocky, small lot, big acreage, no problem. Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC. bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; bluemountainbrush.com; 509-399-3473. 1126 Real Estate 615 remote acres with views, cabin, fenced, creek, spring. $584K. Duke Warner Realty, 541-987-2363, ddwr@ortelco.net. 1225 320 acres east of Adel, OR. Borders Hart Mountain views, Steens Mountain and Beaty Butte. Landowner tags, very rural. $147K. Quick sale, due to injury. For maps: thejugglingman3@gmail.com; 541-659-1573.

Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourth-generation Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: Deschutes Canyon Mountain views, 118 acres, riverfront. $14.9M. John Gill, 541-480-9161; johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land and Wildlife brokerage. 1225 1996 Redmond single-wide manufactured home in Prairie City, OR. 56x14’. 2 bd., 1 ba.

Needs some TLC. Priced right. $13K. Serious inquiries only. 541-610-4797.

160 acres in Central OR. Year-around creek and undeveloped spring. Borders BLM on two sides. Beautiful spot for RV, very remote on county road. Close to national forest and fishing. $240K. 541-233-8126. 1225 Home for sale. Built in 1880s, 5 bd., 2 stories.

Original stain glass windows, newer metal roof, garage. Granite, OR. $395K. 541-755-5016.

Mobiles to mansions. Cabins to castles.

Brookings, OR area Principal Broker Pat Piper, Century 21 Agate Realty. Helpful, educated, caring. 28 years area experience. patpiperbroker@gmail.com; 541-251-2152.

0526

Services Dawn Till Dusk Masonry. Brick, block, stone and pavers. Small jobs and repairs welcome. dawntillduskconstructionmasonry.com; 541-388-7605; 541-410-6945. License #245760 bonded and insured. La Pine, OR. 0226 Blue Mountain Defensible Space LLC Wildfire Fuel Reduction: clearing brush, thinning trees, animal habitat enhancement. Expert service. Grant money available OR, WA, ID. Bluemountainbrush@gmail.com; 509-399-3473; Bluemountainbrush.com. 1126 Want to Buy Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell.

Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 45 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 1026

Dessert Anyone?

Get more than 400 recipes in a perfect-bound 8½-by-11-inch indexed book for $10, postage included.

BY MAIL: Send payment and number of cookbooks wanted, along with your name and address, to Ruralite Cookbooks, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133.

BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 to pay with Visa, MasterCard, Discover card or American Express.

ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.org.

Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo jewelry, blankets, rugs. CA/AZ baskets and beadwork. Quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com or call 760-409-3117.

Cash paid for old gas station and oil company signs, pumps, globes, metal oil cans. Good condition. Discreet cash settlement. Clifton Jones, collector. 512-413-4459. 1225

Self-Therapy for the Stutterer This 192-page book explains how those who stutter can help themselves. Download free at:

StutteringHelp.org

800-992-9392 STUTTERING FOUNDATION

®

Recreational Rentals Holiday gift idea? Book the summer of your dreams at WaveCatcher. Oceanfront cottage with direct beach access, on the spectacular Central OR Coast. Sleeps 6. All house amenities. Winter closure Nov.-March.

Reservations or information email: relax@wavecatcherbeachrentals.com or text 541-740-2846 or 541-740-9953. 1225

Contact us at: findwwp.org

Follow us on Facebook!

facebook.com/Ruralite ©2013 Wounded Warrior Project, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DECEMBER 2025

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BENTON REA

BE READY FOR WINTER WEATHER

keep cold air from coming in,” says Chad Smith, Benton REA energy With storm season upon us, it’s services specialist. “This is especially helpful if you have single-pane important to plan ahead for severe or older windows. Drafty windows can make it feel really cold in your house.” weather and power outages Window insulation kits are available at local home improvement Cold winter temperatures are just around the corner. We want our members to be ready in case of a severe storm or power outage.

Prepare Your Home If you haven’t had your heating system serviced in the past couple years, it may benefit from a tuneup. Just like we take care of our cars by getting them serviced, we must do the same with our HVAC systems. Having a clean filter and a system that is running efficiently will not only preserve the life of your equipment, but save you money.

Speaking of saving money, the thermostat is your ticket to energy savings. Its setting can be a topic of contention in your house. Although unpopular, it’s important to select the lowest comfortable thermostat setting for your household. You may need to add an extra layer of clothing or snuggle up in a blanket when you’re not moving around the house, but it will significantly lower your energy use, and your wallet will thank you.

Another way to keep your home toasty inside is to make sure drafts around windows and exterior doors are sealed with caulk and weatherstripping. Air leaks and drafts force your heating system to run more than necessary.

“If you have an older home, add plastic around windows to

28

stores and, with careful installation, the plastic is barely visible. If you need help learning how to install the plastic, search YouTube for a variety of instructional videos.

Don’t forget about your crawlspace. When temperatures drop below freezing, it’s important to be sure your crawlspace vents are closed.

“If you have a newer home you may think your home is well insulated so you won’t have any issues, but I have seen frozen pipes as a result of crawlspace vents being left open,” Chad says. “This can lead to water damage and costly repairs.”

Be Ready If a snow or ice storm hits our area, it could leave you without power or other services for an extended time. Prepare a power outage emergency kit now by gathering supplies you will need to stay home for several days without power. Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medication. Here’s a list of items to include: • Water • First aid kit • Nonperishable food • Medications • Flashlight • Multipurpose tool • Battery-powered radio • Personal hygiene items • Extra batteries • Cellphone with chargers • Emergency contacts • Extra cash

D E C E M B E R 2025

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SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE BY RIO2009

It’s possible for power to be out for more than a few hours.

In this case, you should have a plan. Make arrangements with friends or family who live in a different area of town to be your warm house. This gives you a place to go to warm up and recharge phones as needed.

Local community partners also open their facilities as official warming centers. Columbia Center Mall and Mid-Columbia Libraries have been longtime community partners who offer this service. A list of locations and hours is in the graphic to the right of this article.

Report Power Outages and Follow Us on Facebook No matter the weather or time of day, our crews are ready to jump into action if a power outage occurs. Outages should be reported to our 24/7 outage reporting line or by notifying us through your SmartHub account.

In the event of a large or prolonged outage, we also post regular updates on the Benton REA Facebook page. If you aren’t following us on Facebook, now is a good time to start. Besides outage updates, we offer information on energy efficiency, rebates, community events and available services.

24/7 OUTAGE REPORTING If your power goes out, Benton REA is ready to respond. We have staff ready to take your call no matter the time of day.

OUTAGE REPORTING LINE: 509-786-2913

Follow Us on Facebook for Outage Updates If a large power outage occurs, we will post updates on our Facebook page. Like and follow us to stay informed.

Benton REA SHUTTERSTOCK IMAGE BY MICROONE

Columbia Center Mall and Mid-Columbia Libraries are long-time community partners with Benton-Franklin Health District who help keep our communities safe each winter by opening their doors as temporary warming centers.

Temporary warming centers welcome anyone during their hours of operation. Below is a list of locations that may be close to you.

For a more detailed list or help finding additional community services, call 2-1-1 or visit wa211.org.

Columbia Center Mall 1321 N Columbia Center Blvd, Kennewick, WA 99336 M-Sa, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Su, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

509-783-2108 Mid-Columbia Libraries West Richland West Richland Branch 3803 W Van Giesen St, West Richland, WA 99353 M-Tu, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; W-F, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sa-Su, noon-5 p.m.

509-967-3191 Benton City Benton City Branch 810 Horne Dr, Benton City, WA 99320 Tu-W, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Th-F, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sa, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

509-588-6471 Prosser 902 7th St, Prosser, WA 99350 M-W, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Th-F,10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sa, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

509-786-2533

Don’t forget about your pets!

X Bring your pets indoors when

temperatures take a dip. Move other animals or livestock to sheltered areas.

X Be sure animals have access to nonfrozen drinking water.

X Have five days of extra pet food and medications on hand in case it becomes difficult to leave the house.

DECEMBER 2025

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11/19/25 2:42 PM

BEFORE YOU GO

A Moment of Reflection Nature surprises us through sunsets, picturesque landscapes and even by friendly wildlife visits to your backyard.

While on a recent hike, Kelly Ganzer took in the surrounding beauty and the reflections nature made on the water.

To submit your photo, email a JPEG to photos@pioneer.coop.

Include “Before You Go” in the subject line and share a bit about what inspired you to make your photo. n A tree’s reflection shows on the water at Lower Cottonwood Reservoir in Lakeview, Oregon.

PHOTO BY KELLY GANZER

Soup, Stews and Chowders Get more than 220 recipes in a perfect-bound 8½-by-11-inch indexed book for $10, postage included.

100% Guaranteed Protective Sleeves WINDOW & DOOR SAVINGS EVENT Save big on replacement windows and doors!

Buy One, Get One 40% OFF Windows and Doors1 Minimum purchase of 4

PLUS $200 OFF Your Entire Purchase1

BY MAIL: Send payment and number of cookbooks wanted, along with your name and address, to Ruralite Cookbooks, P.O. Box 1306, North Plains, OR 97133.

Minimum purchase of 4

PLUS SPECIAL FINANCING

BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 to pay with Visa, MasterCard, Discover card or American Express.

Offer Ends 1/31/2026 Call for your FREE consultation.

877-591-9026 FINDYOURWINDOW.COM

DETAILS OF OFFER: Offer expires 1/31/2026. Not valid with other offers or prior purchases. Buy one (1) window or entry/patio door, get one (1) window or entry/patio door 40% off when you purchase four (4) or more windows or entry/patio doors between 11/24/2025 and 1/31/2026. 40% off windows and entry/patio doors are less than or equal to lowest cost window or entry/patio door in the order. Additional $200 off your entire purchase, minimum purchase of 4 required, taken after initial discount(s), when you purchase by 1/31/2026. Call for financing details. Available at participating locations and offer applies throughout the service area. See your local Renewal by Andersen location for details. License numbers available at renewalbyandersen.com/license. Some Renewal by Andersen locations are independently owned and operated. “Renewal by Andersen” and all other marks where denoted are trademarks of Andersen Corporation. ©2025 Andersen Corporation. All rights reserved. RBA14201 1

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•Prevents Cuts & Scratches •Durable Soft Leather •Adjustable Air-Flow

a r m c ha p s. c o m 6 5 1- 492-4830

D E C E M B E R 2025

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11/14/2025 11:23:50 AM

“Elegant and beautiful and the type of rich elegance that anyone would be thrilled to own, with never a disappointment!”

— E. B., Stone Mountain, GA

C.

Imp Start ossible Pr ing a i s low ce as

39

Jewelry that says more than words ever could

B.

“Gift of the Year”

A.

Client Rating of

D

When Two Hearts Join

iscover the enchanting allure of our Two Heart Necklace, where love’s symphony unfolds in timeless elegance.

Inspired by that moment, when it all clicks and you realize you have found the one…. and where two become one, this exquisite piece captures the essence of two hearts entwined in a dance of destiny. Crafted with precision and passion and encased in 14k gold, it embodies the essence of your enduring love, echoing the sentiments of Shakespeare’s sonnets and the romances of Jane Austen. Our client’s favorite, it is now priced at its lowest ever even as gold reaches a record high, awarding it a stellar 4.9-star rating in reviews making it the Gift of the Year. Embrace the magic of shared dreams and whispered promises with the Two Heart Necklace, a treasure to cherish for generations to come.

Let this necklace be your own love story, a testament to the beauty of companionship and the joy of finding

4.9 Stars!

your perfect match. Embrace the romance and elegance of a bygone era with our Two Heart Necklace, a treasure to cherish for a lifetime.

Falling in love costs nothing but the value is priceless.

Showing your love with this two hearts set costs next to nothing and the feeling you will get when wearing it or giving it to your love will certainly be priceless.

Two Hearts Collection

A. Bracelet (13 2/5 ctw) $299 $39* + S&P Save $260 B. Necklace (2 ⅛ ctw) $199 $39* + S&P Save $160 C. Earrings (4 ¼ ctw) $229 $39* + S&P Save $190 Necklace, Bracelet & Earrings $727 $79* + S&P Save $648 *Special price only for customers using the offer code.

1-800-333-2045 Your Insider Offer Code: THC269-01

Stauer, 14091 Southcross Drive W., Dept. THC269-01, Burnsville, MN 55337 | www.stauer.com

AFFORD THE EXTRAORDINARY®

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WA-07

Prosser Office

West Richland Office

402 7th St. Prosser, WA 99350 509-786-2913

6095 W. Van Giesen St. West Richland, WA 99353 509-786-2913

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 1150 Prosser, WA 99350

Report an Outage: Contact the Office: Website:

509-786-2913 509-786-2913 www.BentonREA.org

Board of Trustees Scott Fisher, President, District 6 Mike Freepons, Vice President, District 2 Bill Shibley, Secretary/Treasurer, District 8 Dan Plung, District 1 Vacant Position, District 3 Connie Krull, District 4 Tim Grow, District 5 Ted Wallace, District 7 Ronald Hall, District 9 Board Meetings, Agendas & Minutes The board of trustees meet the last Wednesday of each month at 6 p.m. unless otherwise scheduled.

The board agenda for the upcoming meeting is available to members upon request no earlier than six days prior to the board meeting. Minutes of prior board meetings are available to members upon request. To request board agendas or minutes, visit a Benton REA office, call 509-781-6719 or email priorityrequests@bentonrea.org.

Wishing You a Warm Holiday Season As the year quickly comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on all we’ve accomplished together. It has been a productive and meaningful year for Benton REA—one filled with change, progress and the continued building of exceptional teams dedicated to serving you, our members.

We are deeply grateful for the trust you place in us as your electric cooperative. Your loyalty, engagement and positive outlook inspire us as we move into another exciting year of opportunities and innovation.

One of the many benefits of cooperative membership is the return of ownership credits. This month, eligible members receive their portion of the margins from previous years—your share of the cooperative.

As colder temperatures arrive, I want to remind members with fixed or limited incomes that assistance is available. From energy-assistance programs to our levelized billing option, we have tools designed to provide stability and help make winter energy costs more manageable.

On behalf of all of us at Benton REA, I wish you a warm, joyful holiday season filled with comfort, peace and time spent with those you love.

Ryan J. Redmond, CEO

Management Staff Ryan J. Redmond, CEO Troy L. Berglund, Deputy General Manager and VP of Member Relationships Andrew Gould, VP of Engineering/COO Justin Waldron, VP of Support Services/CFO

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Benton REA

11/19/25 9:59 AM