Ruralite
Con Miller, the original Santa Claus in North Pole, founded the Santa Claus House in 1952. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SANTA CLAUS HOUSE
Ruralite
December 2024
• 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
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Valeri Pearon, Nina Todea
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCTION SR. MANAGER
Elizabeth Beatty
SENIOR PUBLICATIONS COORDINATOR
Alyssa McDougle
Ruralite (USPS 397-460) is published monthly for members for $5.43 per year, plus postage, by Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., 5625 NE Elam Young Pkwy. Ste. 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. © 2024 Pioneer Utility Resources. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
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Here’s to New Beginnings
With this issue, I step into the position of editorial director. I am incredibly grateful to Mike Teegarden for his help in preparing for this role and support during our transition.
I take the reins deeply mindful of the incredible leaders who came before me. They set the foundation with stories that challenged, enlightened and resonated deeply— stories that became touchstones for our readers and industry. I am humbled to follow in their footsteps and carry forward the legacy.
A recent note from reader Abigail Cowart brought me great joy. She thanks everyone who donated yarn to her project of making hats and scarves for the homeless. She’s made and distributed 100 hats and scarves so far. Want to find ways you can help fellow readers? Learn more on Page 18.
For supplemental and interactive content, search @Ruralite on your favorite social media sites.
Storytelling has always been more than just words on a page to me. It is an art, a powerful way of connecting across space and time. A wellcrafted story can shift perspectives, stir empathy and ignite dialogue that lingers long after the page is turned. Over the years, I have come to see how stories provide comfort, provoke thought, and, most importantly, help us understand ourselves and the world around us. I am committed to preserving that legacy.
I want to foster a space where storytelling continues to thrive and where writers are encouraged to take risks, dig deep and capture the essence of our communities and the stories they hold.
At the same time, beginning this role signifies a new beginning, a chance to explore fresh
directions and uncharted themes. I look forward to bringing my voice and vision to this new chapter, working alongside our talented team to keep the magazine relevant, thought-provoking and vibrant. Together, we will honor the past while pushing forward, blending tradition with innovation to craft stories that inspire and resonate for years to come.
What about you? Do you have ideas for stories we haven’t yet told? I’d love to learn more. Reach me at editor@pioneer.coop. Here’s to new beginnings, rich storytelling and the road ahead.
Chasity Anderson Editorial Director
Taking Stock
Breeding program preserves heritage livestock Up Close, Page 10
All in the Family
Cooperative Family Fund helps children after tragic loss Spotlight, Page 12
In The Kitchen, Page 16
Save Like Santa
Learn a thing or two about energy efficiency from jolly ol’ Saint Nick
When it comes to saving energy, every little bit counts. Use Santa’s efficiency tips to make small changes and you’ll see a lower electric bill in the future.
BY
PHOTO
GRACE WILSON
The holiday season is in full swing, and Santa has been busy preparing for his biggest night of the year. Rumor has it, Santa is an expert in running an efficient workshop…how else could he make all those toys in time for Christmas Eve?
During the holidays, let’s take a page from Santa’s book and remember to save energy when possible. These tips will have you well on your way to savings—and hopefully getting on Santa’s “nice” list! n
PHOTO BY JUPITERIMAGES
GVEA Member Spotlight Celebrating 73 Years of Christmas Spirit in North Pole
By Kris Capps
Christmas elves really do work year-round at Santa Claus House in North Pole.
As the happy business enters its 73rd year in 2025, it is working on opening a 5-acre park, next to the Santa Claus House, called Silver Bell Square. The centerpiece is a 60-foot-tall Christmas pole that will become the focal point to a variety of events year-round, including new summer dining options.
“We’re always trying to freshen things up,” says Paul Brown, operations manager for the past 24 years. “This is a very fun business to run. It’s fun to work at, regardless of the time of year.”
There’s a reason for that. Visitors who come from all over the world are generally pretty happy people.
“They are visiting Santa Claus in North Pole. I have said it for a long time and it sounds kind of cliche, but we are the guardians of Christmas. We are the Santa Claus House in North Pole,” Paul says.
“When people come, they expect to have that Christmas year-round feel,” he adds. “We do what we can to present that Christmas magic all year-round.”
PHOTO BY ASHLEY HOLAN/SANTA CLAUS HOUSE
Paul Brown is the operations manager at Santa Claus House.
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA CLAUS HOUSE
Santa Claus House began in 1952 and has grown from its original size of about 1,000 square feet to its current 18,000 square feet. It began as a local general store. Now, it is a global tourist attraction.
While it continues to focus on the local community, it also serves a much larger audience, often behind the scenes.
“One of the mixed blessings of the visitor industry is that it allows us to expand beyond the local customer base,” Paul says. “We are very much a big business trapped in a small business body, especially with Letters from Santa.”
Santa Claus House provides Letters from Santa and sends thousands of those all over the world. Meanwhile, the U.S. Postal Service delivers letters to Santa Claus, which also come from all over the world. Local volunteers help answer those letters to hopeful children.
The Santa Claus House has a huge online presence and probably handles more mail order than anybody else in Alaska, Paul says, “shipping to just about every country in the world.”
Sales online match in-person sales, Paul notes, from phone orders to website orders.
“We are very much exporting Alaska all over the world,” he says.
Yet Santa Claus House remains focused on the local community and continues to expand its local offerings.
During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Santa Claus House launched Merry Halloween. Families were invited to dress up for Halloween and come to Santa Claus House the Saturday before the actual holiday. Even Santa dressed up in a Halloween costume.
“That has continued every year and just gets bigger and bigger,” Paul says.
Hoppy Holiday was added for Easter.
With the construction of Silver Bell Square, more seasonal activities will be planned, from harvest festivals to concerts.
“We have an amazing staff who offer their own suggestions,” Paul says, commending the 50 Santa Claus House employees.
The innovation also helps address a changing customer base.
“The visitor demographic has changed dramatically,” Paul says. “For the longest time, the visitor industry was made up of retired seniors with time and money to visit Alaska.”
That all changed post-COVID, when flexible work schedules and remote work became commonplace. Now, families with children make up a big chunk of visitors.
This family-owned business is now in its fourth generation. It started when Con and Nellie Miller, the original Mr. and Mrs. Claus, moved to Alaska in 1949 for “just five years.” They settled down in what would become North Pole in 1950 and built the original Santa Claus House, a 1,000-square-foot local trading post.
Con found a Santa suit one year and he wore it, while doing business traveling to local villages.
“Then, one day while he was actually working on building the trading post, some local children dropped by and called out “Hello Santa Claus! Are you building a house?” Paul recalls.
Santa Claus House was born and can still be found today at 101 St. Nicholas Drive in North Pole. n
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA CLAUS HOUSE
PHOTO COURTESY OF SANTA CLAUS HOUSE
•
• Submissions are posted on our Facebook page and the three entries with the most likes by 5 p.m. on Dec. 27, win
• Visit gvea.com/newsroom for more information.
First place ‐ $300 GVEA electric
Second place ‐ $200 GVEA electric credit. Third place ‐ $100 GVEA electric credit.
Taking Stock
Breeding program preserves heritage livestock
By Les O’Dell
Denise Hanna’s herd of cattle looks different from others seen near her Etna, California, ranch. That’s because they are different. That distinction is what first attracted her to belted Galloway cattle, and that’s why they draw so much attention.
Belted Galloways—informally known as “belties”—are best known for their appearance: usually black (although sometimes red or roan) with a wide, white belt running vertically between the shoulder and hind legs, leading some to refer to the breed as “Oreo cows.” Looks aside, the breed is known for its efficiency on rough forage, being good mothers and producing high-quality beef.
The cows are among a wide variety of heirloom breeds of agricultural livestock— animals once common across the United States but now considered endangered.
Known as heritage breeds, they are a throwback to a time before industrial agriculture became a mainstream practice.
According to The Livestock Conservancy, a North Carolina-based not-for-profit organization working to promote and protect these animals, heirlooms are breeds that were carefully selected and bred over time to develop traits that made them welladapted to the local environment. The breeds thrived under farming practices and cultural conditions that are very different
from some found in modern agriculture. Because of unique characteristics such as slower rates of weight gain, these breeds fell out of favor with commercial producers, pushing some of the old breeds to the brink of extinction.
Today, The Livestock Conservancy lists more than 180 agricultural breeds across 11 species—ranging from rabbits, ducks and geese to cattle, horses and pigs—on its Conservation Priority List, an annual report ranking the danger of disappearance of each breed. The classifications are critical, threatened, watch, recovery and study. Based on these rankings, conservationists work to preserve these breeds.
Denise shares the organization’s mission when she speaks to those who ask about her Belted Galloways.
“I talk about how they are a heritage breed, and there are not as many of them,” she says, explaining the uniqueness of the breed and quality of the beef she sells online. “I’ve been very pleased with the taste of the beef. I find that they don’t need as much marbling to be tender and taste great.”
Across the country, more than 4,000 volunteer breeders and 150-plus breed associations work to ensure endangered breeds like belted Galloways—ranked under the “watch” category on the conservation list—don’t disappear. Homesteaders and farmers choose heritage breeds for a variety of reasons. Some,
including Rex Studyvin of Jerome, Idaho, are attracted to the uncommon breeds.
Rex’s farm includes milking Devon cattle (listed as critical), Jacob-American sheep (threatened) and mule-foot hogs (critical). He says many of the characteristics of heritage breed animals— such as resistance to some parasites and diseases or ability to pasture in less-thanideal settings—may prove to be valuable over the long term.
“They have genetics that we don’t want to lose because if those genetics are gone and we need them, we will have problems,” he says.
Denise Frye of Addy, Washington, calls it “maintaining genetic diversity for the future.” She got into raising a variety of chickens, turkeys, ducks and geese through an interest in permaculture.
“Permaculture is basically a lifestyle that incorporates sustainability into all of its principles, and heritage livestock certainly fills the bill in that regard,” Denise says.
Denise has been recognized for her work in conservation breeding of the cotton patch goose, which moved from critical to threatened on the 2023 list. She established the Cotton Patch Goose Society to further promote and protect the breed a dozen years ago.
The protection of biodiversity and genetic resources are other important reasons for protecting these breeds, says Alison Martin, program director for The Livestock Conservancy. Many producers
choose heritage animals because they want to make a difference.
“None of us has a crystal ball to see what the future of agriculture is going to look like. This is about keeping these breeds around as a genetic reservoir,” she says, adding these animals are key to food security. “If we didn’t have this diversity, eventually, we would narrow our food system down to where it wasn’t sustainable. There would be no backup.”
That’s not lost on Denise.
“I do honestly, 100% believe that the cotton patch goose would have gone extinct if not for some of this work,” she says.
Efforts seem to be paying off. Since first establishing the Conservation Priority List 37 years ago, The Livestock Conservancy has yet to lose a breed to extinction. In fact, in the last dozen years, 12 breeds have graduated from the list, meaning those animal populations no longer need continual monitoring.
In 2024, two breeds—Southdown sheep and Hereford pigs— graduated from the list, and 15 breeds were reclassified within the list’s four tiers, most in a positive direction.
For farmers, educators and conservationists, the work of raising and promoting heritage breeds and their products is a labor of love. n
More information about these animals and the Conservation Priority List can be found at www. livestockconservancy.org.
FROM TOP: Denise Hanna’s herd of belted Galloway cattle are part of a program designed to preserve heritage breeds. Rex Studyvin raises several heritage breeds, including milking Devon cattle. Denise Frye has a flock of cotton patch geese. PHOTOS COURTESY OF DENISE HANNA, REX STUDYVIN AND DENISE FRYE
All in the Family Cooperative Family Fund helps children after a tragic loss
By Drew Woolley
Trent and Betsey Smith never actually danced together at the country two-step event where they met. But he saw her from across the room and decided to strike up a conversation once the music faded.
“He came up to me after the dance, and we talked,” Betsey says. “We ended up dating but never actually danced with each other until after we were engaged.”
The two were married just five months later and had five kids over the course of their 28-year marriage. Then, on Feb. 6, 2023, just more than a month into a new job as a delivery driver with Fall River Propane—a subsidiary of Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative, in Ashton, Idaho—Trent died on the job from a medical emergency. He was 51.
Several months later, Fall River reached out to Betsey about a new program called Cooperative Family Fund, which provides financial support for children 17 and younger of cooperative employees who have died. While the program had only been in place for a few months, Betsey’s youngest son, Coleman, was eligible for a $10,000 trust.
Fall River has carried on Trent’s legacy by helping Betsey and Coleman with one of his favorite traditions: raising 50
Trent and Betsey Smith, center, with their five children. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SMITH FAMILY
Tony Anderson and Anne Harvey serve on the board of the Cooperative Family Fund, which brings comfort to families of co-op workers who have died. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANNE HARVEY
American flags along the side of the road each Memorial Day and Independence Day. With the cooperative’s help, they plan to keep Trent’s flags flying for years to come.
“I feel like I’m very blessed that he worked for them,” Betsey
says. “They didn’t have to be as good to us as they were, considering he had worked there for barely 30 days. The fact that they would put my son into this fund, that they would be willing to do that for him, meant a great deal to me.”
A Gift for the Future
For Cooperative Family Fund Board President Tony Anderson, providing support for each member of the cooperative family—no matter how long they have been part of it—is what Cooperative Family Fund is all about. The idea for the fund first came to Tony after a series of funerals for lineworkers across the country. He realized cooperative support often ends after the funerals.
“We’re really good at funerals in our business, but we don’t
If we care about our employees while they’re here at work, I don’t think that care evaporates when there is an untimely death.
— Bryan Case, Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative General Manager
do anything after,” he says. “We always talk about being a family in the co-op world, and I believe we’ve proven that over the years. But I felt this would make us a stronger family. And member services, engineers, accountants, managers—we’re all part of that family.”
Tony discussed the idea with other cooperative leaders and proposed it to the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corp. in January 2022. While there are no statistics on how many electric co-op employees are lost annually, the goal is to
Trent started a tradition of flying flags for Memorial Day and Independence Day, which Fall River Electric Cooperative will continue. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SMITH FAMILY
Trent died after being on the job at Fall River Propane for only a month. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE SMITH FAMILY
ABOVE and OPPOSITE PAGE: Pages from a memory book created for Luke Hackman’s family after he died in 2022.
continually raise funds so any child younger than 18 who loses a parent employed by an electric co-op would receive a $10,000 trust. That trust accrues interest until the first day of the month after the child’s 18th birthday. At that point, recipients can put the money toward whatever they choose.
“Every child is going to take a different path or has different needs,” says Anne Harvey, one of the CFF founding board members. “If college education is something for them, rather than saying this is for books, maybe they need help with housing. The skilled trades are so needed at distribution co-ops, so maybe they want to go that route, or this could give them a gap year. Each child is going to have a different need, and we just can’t wait to see how they use the fund.”
In addition to encouraging cooperative staff to remain engaged with each family, Cooperative Family Fund also helps the cooperative put together a memory book of its time with the employee to give to family members. The books are an important inclusion for Tony, who was 2 when his father died. Tony has only a single photo of the two of them together.
“I have very few stories of him, less than five probably,” he says. “The memory book was important to me because I knew the kids would appreciate it over time. When you lose somebody, the biggest thing you’re worried about is people forgetting them. And when you give that family a memory book, they feel like their loved one is not forgotten because the memories are captured in that book.”
Healing Together
For cooperatives mourning the loss of one of their own, offering meaningful support to families has been just as important as the money. Hollee McCormick, general manager of AllamakeeClayton Electric Cooperative based in Postville, Iowa, recalls her team putting together a memory book for Luke Hackman. A member of the co-op’s broadband department, Luke died in a car accident the same month the Cooperative Family Fund
was announced. His two children were the first to receive trusts through the program.
“We were all grieving the loss of Luke, and putting that book together kind of had a healing effect for all of us,” Hollee says. “I always tell Tony there was so little we could do for that family. Being able to talk to his wife and tell her that the nation of co-ops had put this program together and we would be able to help a little bit more was meaningful.”
Brad Janorschke, general manager of Homer Electric Association based in Homer, Alaska, was supportive of Cooperative Family Fund when it officially launched in December 2022. What he did not expect was that his utility would need to make use of the fund just days later, when lineworker Sam Clyde was killed in a car accident, leaving behind five children.
“He was pretty much loved by everybody,” Brad says. “His picture is still in the hallway out of the office he worked at. His dad was a retired lineman for our utility, as well. It was fantastic that the fund was there. It really helped out the family, and now the cooperative contributes to it annually.”
While many participating co-ops donate through the board or give employees the chance to contribute from their paychecks, others have found ways to involve their communities. Flathead Electric Cooperative in Kalispell, Montana, held a cookie bake-off contest, and Beltrami Electric Cooperative in Bemidji, Minnesota, had a rummage sale. Proceeds from both events went to the fund.
Care That Continues
The fund has raised $1.2 million in its first two years and provided 78 trusts for the children of 37 employees across 20 states. Those numbers serve as a reminder of just how much the fund was needed, even to early supporters like Fall River Rural Electric Cooperative General Manager Bryan Case.
Oftentimes, co-ops are conscientious of the dangers of the job, Bryan says.
“But I don’t think we really understood the magnitude of workers who die for other reasons,” he says. “Maybe it’s cancer or a car wreck, and they leave children behind who are starting high school or elementary school. The need for that support is greater than I ever envisioned or anticipated.”
Cooperative Family Fund is looking for more ways to get co-op volunteers involved as the program grows. That might be enlisting more help putting together memory books or simply building a better network to alert fund leaders to families eligible for support.
“If we care about our employees while they’re here at work, I don’t think that care evaporates when there is an untimely death,” Bryan says. “This fund gives those underage children a little bit of a boost to get them on that next step, especially when there’s just one person at home now taking care of the whole family.”
That boost has been keenly felt by the Smith family, for whom money was tight even before Trent’s death. Whatever challenges they may face, it gives Betsey peace of mind to know Coleman will have a special gift from the cooperative family waiting for him on his 18th birthday.
“We didn’t really have college funds for our kids,” she says. “With five kids, we were just trying to keep the lights on most of the time. Setting aside extra money for things like that just didn’t happen. It’s very special and important to us that they’ve done that for us.” n
Luke Hackman died in a car accident and the Cooperative Family Fund provided trust money for his children. PHOTO COURTESY ALLAMAKEE-CLAYTON ELECTRIC
HOLIDAY BREAKFAST Make Ahead
Spiced Gingerbread Loaf With Orange Icing
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
11/2 teaspoons ground ginger
11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
2/3 cup dark molasses
Recipes by Gertrude Treadaway
3/4 cup hot water (about 100 F)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 extra-large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
2 to 3 tablespoons orange juice
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, salt and pepper. Set aside. In a separate bowl or dish, whisk together the molasses and hot water.
In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar. Beat on high speed for 1 minute until creamed together fairly well.
On medium-high speed, beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the hot water/molasses and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing. The batter will be thin. Whisk out any big lumps.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the loaf is baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean with only a few moist crumbs, it is done. Set the pan on a wire rack, allowing the bread to cool completely before removing it from the pan.
To make the icing, whisk together the powdered sugar and orange juice. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.
ADOBE STOCK PHOTO BY ZI3000
Overnight Breakfast Casserole
1 pound mild breakfast sausage
1 can crescent rolls
6 extra-large eggs, beaten
Heat oven to 350 F.
1 block cream cheese, cut into small cubes
2 cups shredded extra-sharp cheese
Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Brown sausage in skillet. Drain excess grease. Unroll crescent roll dough and press to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Top with sausage, then pour eggs over sausage. Spread cream cheese cubes evenly. Top with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
You can prepare the casserole the night before. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to bake.
Spinach and Gruyère Breakfast Strata
8 to 10 1/2-inch-thick slices
French or Italian bread
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided 2 large shallots, minced 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper, to taste
1/2 cup white wine
11/2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese
6 extra-large eggs
13/4 cups half-and-half
Heat oven to 225 F. Arrange bread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, flipping slices halfway through baking. When cooled, spread one side of slices with 2 tablespoons butter. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots. Cook until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add spinach, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Set aside.
Add wine to the skillet. Increase heat to mediumhigh, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
Grease an 8-inch square baking dish with the remaining butter. Arrange half of the bread slices, buttered side up, in a single layer in the dish. Sprinkle half of the spinach mixture and 1/2 cup Gruyère evenly over bread slices. Repeat layering with remaining bread slices, remaining spinach mixture and 1/2 cup Gruyère. Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until combined. Whisk in half-and-half, reduced wine and salt. Season with pepper. Pour mixture over bread layers. Wrap dish tightly in plastic wrap, pressing plastic flush to surface of strata. Weigh down strata with three 16-ounce cans to submerge ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
Heat oven to 325 F. Remove dish from refrigerator, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Remove weights and plastic. Sprinkle remaining cheese over top of strata. Bake until edges and center are barely puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, about 50 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 5 minutes before serving.
Cinnamon Muffins
Paper muffin liners or cooking spray
1 cup packed light brown sugar, divided
4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 cup whole milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup canola oil
2 extra-large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Heat oven to 375 F. Line a standard 12-well muffin pan with paper liners, or coat the wells with cooking spray.
Place 1/4 packed cup of light brown sugar and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir to combine, breaking up any lumps.
Place flour, baking powder, the remaining 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Place milk, the remaining 3/4 packed cup light brown sugar, canola oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a medium bowl. Whisk until well combined and no lumps of sugar remain.
Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Stir until just incorporated and no dry spots remain.
Divide half the batter among the muffin wells, about 2 tablespoons of batter per well. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar evenly over each muffin. Divide the remaining batter among the muffin wells. Sprinkle each muffin with the remaining cinnamon sugar, about 1 teaspoon per muffin.
Bake until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.
Nutella Swirl Banana Bread
Cooking spray
8 tablespoons salted butter
3 medium bananas, very ripe
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup Nutella, divided
Heat oven to 350 F. Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, so it hangs off two sides to form a sling. Coat the pan and parchment with cooking spray.
Place 8 tablespoons butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power in 10-second increments until melted. Mash bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Add the butter, sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Add flour, baking soda and salt. Stir with a rubber spatula until no dry spots remain.
Transfer half the batter to the prepared pan. Using a spoon, dollop 1/3 cup of Nutella onto the batter. Swirl Nutella into the batter with a table knife. Top with the remaining batter. Dollop the remaining 1/3 cup Nutella onto the batter. Swirl with a knife.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached, 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan, then flip the bread out of the pan onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing.
READER EXCHANGE
Books/Magazines
I am looking for “The Time of the End” by James Hayward. I am searching for copies anyone may have that they would be willing to send to me. I will pay postage and a small fee if necessary. Thank you in advance.
Donald Maddy 43 Mill Drive Wahkiacus, WA 98670
Crafts/Hobbies
Please support our daughter’s hobby. She loves to bake and cook for her family and friends. She is always trying a cookie recipe for her dad, muffins and brownies for her friends, cake for her grandmother and biscuits from scratch for me. Well, it’s her turn to have a recipe of her own (or two or three) for her birthday that she can add to her baking, slow cooker and stovetop collection. Please send a favorite recipe to Madison Heagney: 190 SE Lakamas Lane, McMinnville, OR 97128-6899.
Tami Heagney McMinnville, Oregon
I am looking for 6- to 10-inch taper candle molds. Antique metal or silicone. Thank you in advance.
Pamela Frazier
P.O. Box 707 Clatskanie, OR 97016 pfrazier0407@gmail.com
Milestones
My mom just loves to putter in her flower gardens. She turns 80 years young this month. Let’s make a winter birthday like a summer holiday for my mom, Sue Monihan. Please send your well wishes to Susan Monihan, c/o Kristi Snyder, P.O. Box 86, Trout Lake, WA 98650.
Kristi Snyder Trout Lake, Washington
Odds
Looking for 1960-70s Christmas ornaments: pine cone Santas, pipe cleaner angels and gnomes to replace my daughter’s childhood collection. Damaged or faded are OK; I can repair. Thank you.
Dawn Forbes P.O. Box 1574 Bandon, OR 97411
Thanks
There was an unbelievable and heartwarming reader response to my request for birthday greetings for my friend in Colorado Springs. I want to thank each of you for making Louise Tunkel’s 102nd birthday a joyful and memorable occasion. The flood of cards brought her so much happiness. She was amazed with the 400-plus cards and the variety of postage stamps. Your response and kindness is deeply appreciated and made this birthday unforgettable. Thank you.
Charlotte Shaffer-Gaumer Brookings, Oregon
My dad, Jim Padden, would like to thank all the Ruralite readers that participated in this 90th birthday surprise. He received more than 250 cards and gifts throughout August and September. He was absolutely shocked and exclaimed this was “better than Christmas!” Our Ruralite community of all ages went above and beyond expectations sending many homemade cards and drawings; nonfiction books, some from the authors with a personal message; letters; postcards, including vacationers in Europe; gifts; and an entire researched and subsequently printed booklet of the “Paternal Ancestry of Jim Padden.”
Liz Kennedy Banks, Oregon
I would like to thank the Ruralite readers who took the time to write and send me cards for my 100th birthday. I’ve received 175 cards so far, and they are so wonderful to read. Thank you very much.
Louise Taggart Tillamook, Oregon
Submitting Requests Is Free
Send your request—no attachments, please—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.
Submissions are handled first-come, first-served as space allows. We cannot honor every request.
Please affirm you have authorization from all appropriate parties before submitting. By submitting, you indemnify Reader Exchange, Pioneer Utility Resources Inc., its officers, directors, employees, utility clients and insurers from all legal liability incurred by the publication of information.
We no longer accept pen pal requests. You may submit a pen pal request as a Marketplace ad. Marketplace pricing applies.
When submitting a milestone request, please send it at least two months before the milestone.
Phone numbers are not published. Email addresses are published if part of the ad, but you must include a postal address. Requests must include the name and address of the electric utility that provides your magazine.
NORTH AMERICA’S
#1 Selling Walk-In
The best walk-in tub just got better with breakthrough technology! Presenting the all new Safe Step Walk-In Tub featuring MicroSoothe. ® An air system so revolutionary, it oxygenates, softens and exfoliates skin, turning your bath into a spa-like experience. Constructed and built right here in America for safety and durability from the ground up, and with more standard features than any other tub.
✓ Heated seat providing warmth from beginning to end
✓ Carefully engineered hydro-massage jets strategically placed to target sore muscles and joints
✓ High-quality tub complete with a comprehensive lifetime warranty on the entire tub
✓ Top-of-the-line installation and service, all included at one low, affordable price You’ll agree – there just isn’t a better, more affordable walk-in tub on the market.
See a range of environments and natural beauty in Washington at
Olympic National Park
What Is It?
Sprouting up along the Pacific Coast, Olympic National Park—and all of Washington’s Olympic Peninsula along the state’s west edge—offers grand natural beauty, with rivers and beaches, deep rain forests and soaring mountains. The region got its name in the late 1700s when an explorer saw the mountains and thought they, like the Greek Mount Olympus, were majestic enough to be home to gods.
One Peninsula, Many Ecosystems
Olympic National Park has 73 miles of coastline, with Ruby and Realto beaches being popular oceanfront stops. Further ashore, the Hoh Rain Forest has plenty of hiking trails and is home to One Square Inch of Silence, one of the quietest places in the country. Towering above it all are the Olympic Mountains, including the 7,980-foot-tall Mount Olympus.
Rise and Grind
The Olympic Mountains are relatively young, by geological standards. They are roughly 34 million years old, rising as the Juan de Fuca tectonic plate subducts below the North American plate along the Pacific Coast. While this process still occurs, pushing the mountain upward, the mountains are not growing, as environmental factors grind, weather and erode the range.
Casting a Large Rain Shadow
On the west side of the peninsula, closer to the Pacific Ocean where many rain clouds form, the Hoh Rain Forest receives almost 12 feet of precipitation each year, and Mount Olympus receives an average of 50 feet of snowfall annually. However, precipitation has a hard time crossing the range, creating a dark rain shadow. Sequim, a town on the east side of the peninsula, averages just 16.5 inches of rain a year.
More Information
Entering the national park requires a pass. A Standard Entrance Pass costs $30 for a vehicle, and includes entry for up to 15 passengers. To start planning your trip, call 360-565-3130 or go online and visit www.nps.gov/olym.
PHOTO BY BILL BACCUS/ NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
We’ve
Found the Most Beautiful Endangered Species
Theirs sold at auction for $226,000. Ours is JUST $29! Curious? Read on!
To art nouveau jewelers at the turn of the last century, nothing was more beautiful than the dragonfly. In the dragonfly’s long body and outstretched wings, jewelers found the perfect setting for valuable stones. ese jewelers’ dragonfly designs have become timeless statements of style; a dragonfly pendant designed by French jeweler René Lalique recently sold at auction for $226,000. Inspired by his stunning artistry, we’ve crafted our Dragonfly Nouvelle Collection, an elegant jewelry set for JUST $29!
True artisanship in Austrian crystal and yellow gold. is necklace and earring set features gorgeous multicolored enamel paired with Austrian crystals and a yellow gold finish. Ask any jeweler and they’ll tell you it takes true artisanship to properly blend the blues and purples found in this enamel. While art nouveau dragonflies are hard to come by, we’re helping to repopulate their numbers with this artfully stylized depiction of some of nature’s smallest wonders!
Buy the pendant, get the earrings FREE. If Stauer were a normal company, we’d sell the necklace and earrings for $199 each, but because we engage the world’s best artisans and cut out the middlemen to sell directly to you, we’re offering the necklace for JUST $29! Even better: If you buy within the next few days, we’ll throw in the earrings for FREE! at’s a nearly $400 value for JUST $29!
Act fast! e first time we ran this jewelry in our catalog, it sold out in a matter of days. Get this collection now before this offer goes extinct!
Jewelry Speci cations:
• Enamel with Austrian crystal. Yellow gold finish
• Pendant: 1 ½" W x 1 ¼" H.
Chain: 18" + 2", lobster clasp. Earrings: 1 ¼" L, french wire
Nouvelle Collection
A. Necklace $199 $29* + S&P Save $170
B. Earrings $199 FREE with purchase of Dragonfly Nouvelle Necklace *Special price only for customers using the offer code.
Joy To THE World
By Dave LaBelle
Every year, I create a folder on my computer desktop titled “Best Of,” where I place copies of my favorite images from the year. If it has been a good year, sometimes I end up with as many as 25 images in the folder, but usually there are 10 to 12. This process allows me to do a quick scan of pictures published or those I might want to do more with.
Recently, while looking through one of these folders from 2023, I was thinking about what I wanted to share this Christmas season— something joyful—and came across a photograph I made during a St. Patrick’s Day parade of a young man named Jake Wagner.
You might remember the name from a column I wrote about Special Olympics and giving of one’s time. Jake has Down syndrome. My heart leapt and my eyes watered as I revisited the first time I met this happy man.
Of the thousands I have photographed, few, if any, cause my heart to smile more than Jake.
Intelligent, loving and
caring, he embodies the pure, unpretentious joy I hunger to document and, more importantly, imitate. He is the greatest gift, the living Christmas card that brings me joy beyond description.
His mother, Betty, shared, “He is such a breath of fresh air. He is such a blessing. He has been making this world a better place since 1984.”
Holding his son’s hand, Jake’s father, Nick, agreed.
“He’s a very loving son,” he said. “He knows when you need a hug, too. He’s the best boy a father could have.”
When Jesus said, “Suffer the little children to come to me, for such is the Kingdom of God,” I am confident he had Jake in mind. n
NIKON D810, 180mm lens ISO 400, f/4.5 at 1/500
Reader Challenge
This Christmas season, see if you can capture a picture that brings you joy. It can be of happy children or grandchildren squealing with delight as they unwrap presents or somebody whose presence just makes you smile. Email your best image (just one, please) with caption information, including an explanation of how it affects you, to GPH@pur.coop. We may share submissions on our website and social media channels.
Renowned author, photographer and lecturer
Dave LaBelle has captured special moments for more than half a century. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.
Jake Wagner makes the world a better place thanks to his unrestrained love and joy. PHOTO
BY DAVE LABELLE
What Stauer Clients Are Saying About Our Knives
“Outstanding knife of high quality and a great price. I now have a number of your great cutlery in my growing collection!”
— Robert F.,
WeSee the Forest Through the Trees
Richardson, TX
know you. You’re not interested in everyday, run-ofthe-mill, common cutlery. You want something with a story, a unique feature that you can brag about. We’ve got just the thing for you. Our Mighty Conifer Knife is a unique tool with a Damascus steel blade and a handle crafted from an enhanced and stabilized natural pinecone. While our competitors are charging hundreds for similar knives, we’re offering the Mighty Conifer for JUST $99! at’s what we call our Stauer Impossible Price.
Each pinecone — and therefore, each knife — has its own unique characteristics. And the back of the handle features hand tooling, a further demonstration of each piece’s individual nature.
e blade is nothing to scoff at either. Constructed of Damascus steel, a modern reworking of the legendary steel forged by ancient swordsmiths, this nearly 5-inch blade features 256 layers of steel that have been folded on top of each other to increase its durability. Our competitors are charging hundreds for boring, run-of-the-mill knives with no features worth bragging about. We’re asking JUST $99 for a knife unlike any you’ve seen before!
With its full-tang construction and high-quality genuine leather sheath, the Mighty Conifer Knife is the perfect blade for the
person who wants to stand out. CALL NOW! If you’re one of the first 700 587 callers for this ad, we’ll throw in a pair of Stauer 8x21 Compact Binoculars — a $99 value — ABSOLUTELY FREE! Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back!
EXCLUSIVE FREE Stauer 8x21 Compact Binoculars a $99 value with your purchase
Knife Speci cations:
• 9 ½" overall length. Full-tang construction
• Damascus steel blade and natural pinecone handle
• Genuine leather sheath
Mighty Conifer Knife
$299 $99* + S&P Save $200
*You must use Insider Offer Code: MCK233-01 to get this price. California residents please call regarding Proposition 65 regulations before purchasing this product.
1-800-333-2045
Your Insider Offer Code: MCK233-01
PHOTO BY NERUDOL
Comfort Foods Comfort Foods Cookbook
ADOBE STOCK
By Rachael Kvapil
Mack Wiehl:
Creating Safe, Functional and Comfortable Work Environments for Fellow Employees
Mack Wiehl, GVEA facility maintenance foreman, works on utility infrastructure few members think about. When employees place a fix-it ticket with Mack’s department, it’s to repair something involving the building in which they work. While a leak or temperamental toilet is indirectly related to power generation, when a building functions properly, employees have an easier time getting work done.
Mack and his team service the main campus buildings and buildings on Bidwill Avenue in Fairbanks, plus buildings in Delta and Nenana. Together, they manage all aspects of building maintenance, inside and out. If something is broken, they receive a fix-it ticket. If an office needs remodeling, that’s another fix-it ticket. Cutting grass and snow removal, that, too, falls to facility maintenance.
“Projects pop up all the time in addition to our regular day-to-day work,” Mack says. “When we get a ticket, we send someone out as soon as possible to fix the problem.”
the number of projects is larger than their daily capacity. However, he says his team is dedicated and does everything they can to address the needs of GVEA employees.
Mack started working for GVEA in April 2012 as a facility maintenance tech. He had previously worked in the construction industry as a carpenter but decided to pursue a position with GVEA when he wanted a more flexible schedule. When his previous supervisor retired three years ago, he was asked to fill his current position as facility maintenance foreman. Mack says working with a small maintenance crew can sometimes be a challenge when
“When we’re going in four different directions every day, patience and flexibility are important,” Mack says. “I also trust that my crew is doing their part of the work.”
He adds that communication and planning can also prevent confusion and misunderstandings. He says this can be as simple as replying to fix-it tickets or communicating with a contractor or engineer who is coming to assist with the problem.
“We do our best to assure people that their fix-it ticket is on our ongoing project list,” Mack says. “That way, people don’t think we’ve forgotten about them just because we don’t get to their issue right way.”
In addition to the ongoing work, facility maintenance has a few larger projects scheduled for next year. One major priority is the installation of a new HVAC system in operations. The existing HVAC system is almost 30 years old, and an updated system is needed to keep the data and dispatch equipment cool. Mack and his team will oversee the contractor completing the work.
Mack was born and raised in Rampart, a village located on the south bank of the Yukon River. He moved to Fairbanks mainly for work but is still connected to home and family. During the summer, he likes to hit the road in his RV and spend time fishing. n
PHOTO BY GRACE WILSON
MARKETPLACE
Agriculture
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 43 years in business. www.btlliners.com. 541-447-0712. 0425
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. 0325
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo blankets and rugs, baskets, beadwork, etc. Also, quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0225
Three minature wood dollhouses. Multiple accessories and furnishings. $1.2K for all. 541-584-2710. Elkton, OR. 1224
25-piece Forest Service china collection. Plates, cups, bowls, serving platters, covered sugar bowl. $2.5K. 208-305-2868. 1224
Automotive
1985 Cadillac Eldorado. 110K miles. Like new. $20K. 530-233-5051. 1224
For sale: Subaru Impreza 1994. 132K miles, always kept in garage, bright red, very good condition. One owner, never an accident, $1.5K. 541-752-0522, Bill@Randallclan.net. Corvallis, OR. 1224
Books, Magazines and Videos
Holiday shopping? Idaho author Tova R. Cladouhos sells children’s books on Amazon or by email at tovarae@gmail.com. These books are perfect for elementaryaged children with factual stories based on friendship, affection, protection and farm animal adventures. Tova loves barns, pastures, dogs, cats, sheep and ponds. Her books include, “The Nine Lives of Milo the Cat,” “Saving Lily,” “Little Molly” and “Little Molly’s Secret.” 0125
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. 1224AR
Business Opportunities
Tremendous opportunity to own restaurant, bar, liquor store with pull tabs and lotto sales near Fairbanks, AK. Located near university, airport and musk ox farm. Ivory Jacks since 1975. Dick: 907-455-6666; cell 907-888-6668; dickells74@gmail.com. Website: ivoryjacksrestaurant.com. 1224
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—Dec. 30, 2024.
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.
Advertisements are accepted in good faith. Pioneer Utility Resources is not
interactions between buyers and sellers.
For sale: quaint hardware store in Maupin, OR. Inventory and interior store updated and refreshed. See ad on Bizbuysell.com or email Maupincountrystore@gmail.com. $239,999.
Turnkey cafe, pizza, bakery in the picturesque town of Cedarville, CA. Newly renovated, fully equipped commercial kitchen, cozy dining and bar room, potential mini brewpub. Priced for quick sale, $225K. Shelia, 530-569-0529. 1224
Community Events
“The Big” Annual Open Exhibit Dec. 6-Feb. 1 at Art Center East in La Grande, OR. Local and regional artists. artcentereast.org. 1224
Free Items
Free materials—church, government uniting, suppressing “religious liberty,” enforcing National Sunday Law. Be informed. Need mailing address only. TBS, P.O. Box 374, Ellijay, GA 30540. tbsmads@yahoo.com; 888-211-1715. 1224AR
Help Wanted
The Cape Blanco Heritage Society needs volunteers at the Cape Blanco Lighthouse Greeting Center and Hughes House for 2025. Background checks are required. Free RV hookups are available to volunteers. heritage32@frontier.com; 541-332-0521. 1224
Hobbies, Gifts, Games
Santa letters and cheerful artwork for gift giving and holidays, made in AK. We ship high-quality gifts and custom artwork, including letter bundles, totes, jewelry, prints, cards, relief prints, tiles. GV12 saves 10%. www.PamelaSueArtandDesigns.com. 1224
Miscellaneous
Local commercial fisherman sells summer catch of preserved freshness by blast freezing at sea, gourmet canned tuna on internet. Sept.June. 100% guaranteed the best canned tuna you ever tasted. Original, jalapeno and garlic flavors available. To order: twofisherstuna.com or 206-799-1082. 0225
Granite cemetery markers at affordable prices. Will ship to most places. For more info: Joe, 541-815-8906 or highdesertmemorials@gmail. com; www.highdesertmemorials.com. 1224
Alaskan yellow cedar. Great for planter boxes, herb and flower beds, fencing or decks. Various sizes available. Pete, 541-206-0727. Lisa, 541-747-5025, ext. 21. 1224
Pets and Supplies
Husky, male. 4 years old. Very gentle. Great with children. 541-875-4172. 0125
Border collie/McNab puppies. The best dog you will ever have. Males and females, $450 each. Colton, OR. 503-314-0145. 1224
Real Estate
Let me help you buy or sell ranch, farm and recreation property in OR. Fourthgeneration Oregonian, prior ranch owner. For sale: Sisters, OR. 40 acres. Price reduced. $1.55M. John Gill, 541-480-9161 or johngill@landandwildlife.com. Land And Wildlife brokerage. 1224
Newly constructed, beautifully finished singlelevel home with Strawberry Mountain views. $389.5K. Duke Warner Realty, 541-987-2363; ddwr@ortelco.net. 1224
Ranch, south/east Pahrump, NV. Large home for rent. 2.5 fenced acres for children, pets, horses, gardening/farming, etc. Inexpensive well water. 702-530-3720. 1224
80 acres for sale at 259 Cache Creek Road, Nespelem, WA. Water and electric available. $100K. Contact at allenmckendr@yahoo.com or 509-634-8710. 1224
20 acres located east of Montello, NV. Fully livable. Year-round access. Power and water nearby. Comes with equipment and facilities. $35K. geopup58@gmail.com. 1224
Last chance to get an undeveloped buildable lot (8,000 sqft.) in Sportsman’s Park (Wasco County, Tygh Valley, OR). Sewer to property line, water on property, power available. National forest on backside. 7 miles to Wamic. $86.6K. Eric, 971-370-0220. 1224
Recreational Rentals
Bed and Birds, a guesthouse. Very private. Wet meadows, range, forest, dark sky. Lakeview, OR. Explore or ride? Near ski hill. Reasonable. 541-219-2044. 1224
Bend country cabin. Very clean and fully furnished cabin on private ranch. Close to recreation areas. Very nice. $95/night. bendcountrycabins@gmail.com; 541-382-3050. 0125
Wavecatcher: oceanfront cottage. Central Oregon coast. $175/night (plus cleaning/tax). Open April through Oct. Holds up to 6 (plus children and pets). Reservations: 541-740-2846. Wavecatcherbeachrentals.com. 1224
Getaway at either of our Airbnbs in Lenore, ID. $90 per night. We are on the Clearwater River with great fishing and hiking. Hope to see you. Cindy and Rocky Wines. 208-400-0013. www.bearcountrygetaways.com. 1224
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. 1224
We all want delicious, fresh, nourishing food to feed our families. We’ve got pastured pork, corn/soy/GMO-free. Delivery to your door or drop sites. Order at www.rural-roots-ranch.com or text Christy at 541-589-4674. 1224
Situations Wanted
Northern NV RV site available. Free rent and utilities in exchange for light lawn care. Private farm. Mature trees. Orovada, NV, area. 208-250-2026. 1224
Want to Buy
Gold, silver, coins/currency, buy, sell. Collections wanted. Fair prices paid. 44 years in retail store. Baker City, OR. 800-556-2133; garrymclin@aol.com. 1025
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. 0225
Looking for candle-making molds from 6 to 10 inches. Taper molds, antique metal or silicone. pfrazier0407@gmail.com; 503-880-8863. 1224
Buying American Indian collectibles, Navajo blankets and rugs, baskets, beadwork, etc. Also, quality paintings of the early Southwest and Americas. Call 760-409-3117 or send photos to amer.ind.baskets@gmail.com. 0225
We Need You!
GVEA Board of Director Applicants Needed
Application deadline: 5 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025 Applications must be submitted online.
Nominating committees in GVEA districts 5 and 6 are seeking board of director applicants. If you live in these districts and are interested in serving your electric cooperative, find everything you need at www.gvea.com/elections, including:
• Candidate application
• Policy outlining directors’ qualifications
• Application checklist Directors attend monthly board meetings and frequent committee meetings. Some travel and national certification are required. On average, directors can expect to spend 500 hours a year on GVEA-related business. Board (once seated) members are paid meeting fees, plus standard mileage rates for travel. Health insurance is available n
Applications must be submitted online and can be found at www.gvea.com/elections.
If you have questions, call 907-458-4518 or email pr@gvea.com.
Maps of each district are available at www.gvea.com/elections.
District 5
Includes the area of North Pole; the Richardson Highway from Mile 352 and the east side of Woll Road, Nordale Road, the area north of Chena Slough, Moose Creek, Eielson, and south to the Salcha River.
District 6
Comprises Delta Junction, Fort Greely and all areas south of the Salcha River, including Harding and Birch Lakes.
It’s All Online
Interested in becoming a board candidate or in the nomination process? Our Election Process Handbook contains information on the qualifications for directors as well as the processes to be nominated by committee or by petition and campaigning. Access the handbook at www.gvea.com/elections.
Utility Charge Increase
At their Sept. 24, 2024, meeting, GVEA’s Board of Directors approved a 3% rate increase to the utility and demand charges on members’ bills, which will result in an increase of less than $0.01 per kilowatt-hour. The rate change will become effective Jan. 1, 2025, and will apply to all members. The rate change does not impact the quarterly Fuel and Purchased Power charge.
To learn more, visit www.gvea.com/newsroom.
Understanding the charges on your GVEA bill can help you make sense of your monthly electricity costs. Here’s a breakdown of the key items:
• Customer Charge: A fixed fee that covers expenses associated with maintaining electric service, including meter, billing and customer support costs.
• Utility Charge: Covers the costs of operations, including power plants, substations and infrastructure. It’s based on the number of kilowatt-hours used.
• Fuel & Purchased Power: Calculated quarterly, this reflects the cost of fuel for generating power and electricity purchased from other utilities.
• Regulatory Cost Charge: Set by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, this charge helps fund regulatory oversight for GVEA as a regulated utility.
• Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) Surcharge: Supports the Railbelt Reliability Council, dedicated to improving long-term grid reliability and efficiency.
• Good¢ents: This voluntary program rounds your bill to the nearest dollar, with small contributions pooled to support local community projects. Overseen by a volunteer board, it helps build a stronger Interior Alaska.
To understand more about these charges or to calculate your monthly bill, visit www.gvea.com/member-resources/my-bill-explained. It’s a great resource for diving deeper into each item on your bill.
Holiday Hankies
In Ruralite magazine’s July 2024 Reader Exchange, Kathy Heitkemper asked for Christmas-themed hankies for an art project. The photo at right, made with 35 hankies, is the result of her talent combined with our readers’ generosity.
Seventeen readers sent 53 hankies, though not all were Christmas-themed.
“I have been holding on to these way too long,” wrote a reader from Aguanga, California. “I am sending them in their original boxes ... they were my aunt’s. She lived in St. Paul, Minn.”
A cousin of Kathy’s husband read the request and sent two hankies, adding a special family tie to her tree.
“I just so much appreciate all those who contributed to this long-lasting Christmas project,” Kathy says. n
Help Us Help Your Neighbors
#SleevesUp to donate blood for your community
At Pioneer Utility Resources, the publisher of Ruralite magazine, we are always working to put the right letters together to tell a story. The American Red Cross story can’t be told without three letters: A, B and O. They represent the main blood types. When those important letters are missing from blood bank shelves, lives are at stake.
With the recent hurricanes in Florida adding to the need for blood nationwide, we encourage each of you to consider donating blood by rolling up your sleeves and visiting a local Red Cross donation center before Dec. 25. Your gift of blood can save more than one life.
Visit https://rcblood.org/3zJ1rxU or scan the QR code to the right to sign up to help us reach our goal. Fill in the missing blood types so patients can receive the lifesaving care they need. Make and keep an appointment to give blood to the American Red Cross. n
https://rcblood.org/3zJ1rxU
Soup, Stews and Chowders
Get more than 220 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: with Visa, MasterCard, Discover card or American Express.
Best Breads Cookbook
This 8½-by-11-inch indexed cookbook features yeast breads, quick breads, scones and specialty breads for $10 (includes postage).
TO ORDER BY MAIL: Submit payment with cookbook title, your name, address and number of cookbooks wanted to: Ruralite Cookbooks P.O. Box 1306 North Plains, OR 97133
TO PAY BY PHONE: Call 503-357-2105 for credit card payments with Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
TO ORDER ONLINE: Visit www.ruralite.com. Please allow two to three weeks for delivery.
Owned By Those We Serve
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Tom DeLong, Chair, District 2
Chris Bunch, Vice Chair, District 5
David Messier, Treasurer, District 1
Gary Newman, Secretary, District 4
Fred Sheen, District 6
Rick Solie, District 3
Krista Zappone, District 7
Corporate Headquarters
758 Illinois St. P.O. Box 71249
Fairbanks, AK 99707-1249
907-452-1151
800-770-GVEA (4832) Fax 907-458-6365
Delta Junction Office 1681 Richardson Highway Delta Junction, AK 99737
907-452-1151
800-770-GVEA (4832) Fax 907-895-5472
Report Outages:
907-452-1151
800-770-GVEA (4832)
Select: Option 1, Option 1
View Outage Map: gvea.com/outages
www.gvea.com
AK-37
Headed to College?
Apply for an academic scholarship from Golden Valley Electric Association
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025
Applications are now available for $39,000 worth of scholarships from Golden Valley Electric Association. Eight scholarships are awarded in May 2025.
To be eligible for a GVEA scholarship, the applicant or someone in the applicants’ immediate family must be a member of GVEA.
Applications can now be completed and submitted online. Visit GVEA.com/scholarships to apply.
Scholarships
Academic Degree ($16,000 — one awardee)
This is a four-year scholarship awarded to one student each year. Applicant must be a graduating senior from a high school, correspondence study or distance education program in GVEA’s service area. Applicant must be pursuing a four-year bachelor’s degree at any University of Alaska campus and h08ave a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.5.
Academic ($3,500 — three awardees)
This nonrenewable scholarship is awarded to three students. Applicant must be a graduating senior from a high school, correspondence study or distance education program in GVEA’s service area. Minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0 required. Applicant must be pursuing a four-year bachelor’s degree at an accredited school.
Continuing Education ($3,000 — three awardees)
This nonrenewable scholarship is awarded to three students. Current year graduating high school seniors are not eligible. Applicant must be enrolled or accepted as a part-time (at least six credit hours per semester or four hours per quarter) or full-time student at an accredited school in a program leading toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree. Applicant must have competed 12 or more credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5.
Career & Technical Education ($3,500 — one awardee)
This scholarship is for students considering a career in a health, industrial or technical field, such as cosmetology, dental hygiene, diesel/heavy equipment operation or auto mechanics. This is a nonrenewable scholarship awarded to one student. Applicant must be enrolled or accepted as a part-time (at least six credit hours per semester or four hours per quarter) or full-time student at an accredited school in a program leading toward a recognized license, certificate or an associate degree. Applicant must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the most recent educational institution attended (high school or post-secondary).
Ainsley Sauer, Monroe High School, received a GVEA 2024 Academic Degree Scholarship.