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Ruralite Celebrates 70
I don’t know about you, but I am itching to get outside and get my hands dirty. As soon as the soil in my flower beds stops feeling like overly thickened pudding, I’m ready to purge the winter blahs—and the weeds that have sprouted.
I have a few new flower beds that will get my attention first. One area is a clean slate just waiting for inspiration and the right plants to transform it.
I’m a lazy gardener, favoring native perennials that require little care while providing vibrant color year after year. Over time, I want to fill in the open spaces with low-creeping plants that reduce the need for weeding. I’m not there yet, but this month’s gardening story gave me great ideas on ways to reach my goals while saving money. I haven’t grown plants indoors from seeds since my days in elementary school, but I’m excited to give it a try again.
When the weather is too cold to work my flower beds, my family loves to play board games. We have an overflowing game closet. I was pretty excited when I ran across a company in Pahrump, Nevada, which helps game developers take their ideas to the finish line. You can read about it on Page 10. Maybe one of you will design the next must-have board game.
As we continue celebrating Ruralite’s 70th year, please look at the Before You Go story on Page 30. From time to time this year, we will share nuggets from some of the first issues of Ruralite magazine. This month, we feature new product descriptions and household tips that ran in December 1954.
Sincerely,
Mike Teegarden Editorial Director
Advance to Pahrump, Collect on Creativity
Innovator leads the way to a successful board game design business Up Close, Page 10
Women in Energy
Women increasingly power electric utilities and each other
A generation ago, if a young woman expressed an interest in working in the energy industry, it’s possible her friends, family and even prospective supervisors would have steered her away. Keeping the lights on was traditionally seen as men’s work—aside from customer service or clerical roles, that is.
Yet today, women represent an increasing share of the electric cooperative workforce, and not just in traditional roles of the past. As you look around your public power utilities, you’ll find women in many roles—from lineworkers to engineers to
“When I came to work for Lassen in 2003, there were very few women in managerial or leadership roles in the industry,” says Theresa Phillips, public relations manager at Lassen Municipal Utility District. “We seemed to be working behind the scenes, with little recognition for our contributions.
“Fast forward to 2024, and the industry has embraced women in public power in every aspect.”
International Women’s Day is March 8. It’s a great opportunity to celebrate accomplishments of the many women transforming public power utilities and serving their local communities.
It’s hard to imagine a better career field for today’s young women who are interested in making their communities better places to live, work and play.
“The competition for talent and skill shortages has highlighted the need to expand recruitment strategies to get a more diverse range of candidates,” says Desiree Dunham, Workforce Programs manager for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. “The diverse experiences and perspectives of women contribute to more creative and effective problem-solving, which can be especially beneficial in navigating complex challenges and finding innovative solutions that cater to a broad range of consumer needs.”
NRECA reports that nearly 90 electric co-ops are headed by female CEOs. The association says the strengths women often bring to leadership—such as teamwork, problem-solving and communication—are important to the industry’s future.
Public power utilites across America are working to build
awareness among young women about the opportunities available to them. Some even host day camps for teens in which they get a behind-the-scenes look at what’s involved with delivering power.
Beyond the highly visible roles such as linework, participants learn how people in areas as diverse as information technology, finance and environmental compliance are vital to utility operations.
Students aren’t the only target of such efforts. Desiree points to the priority the industry places on supporting career development for women. Mentorship programs and networking opportunities create platforms through which women can connect and share their experiences.
“These positive shifts need to be continuously reinforced with targeted outreach efforts, career awareness campaigns and support systems to enhance the entry points and career progression for women,” Desiree says.
Theresa sees a strong impact in the annual Women in Public Power Conference, a learning conference that provides developmental opportunities for women in five critical areas of success: knowing yourself, creating connections, managing communications, building confidence and strengthening resilience. It’s a room full of women supporting other women—from customer service representatives to general managers.
Theresa encourages others in the industry to attend as it’s a chance to network among other women.
Conferences are just one place to feel this camaraderie. NRECA’s Women in Power mentoring program for the electric co-op community provides support and resources to guide and empower women in their careers.
“Thanks to their Women in Power mentoring program, I have been able to network with several women across the country involved in the energy industry,” Duncan Valley Electric Cooperative CEO Kassi Mortenson says.
“(Through) the Women in Power mentoring program, I was matched with Charise Swanson, CEO of the New Mexico statewide organization, NMREC,” Kassi says. “Call it fate, but it could not have worked out more perfect. We were able to meet in person as DVEC is an associate member of the New Mexico group, and (we) have since developed a very beneficial mentor/mentee relationship.”
Nearly 20% of the nation’s co-op workforce is nearing retirement age during the next five years, which opens new opportunities in leadership roles at electric utilities across the country. Public power utilities pride themselves on offering stable jobs with opportunities for growth.
“Cooperatives are often recognized as ‘best place to work’ employers in their communities, offering competitive benefits, caring cultures and support for families,” Desiree says.
Strengthening inclusion and diversity is a commitment of public power utilites. Within this, women often advocate for fostering an environment where skills and expertise are valued among individuals.
“More and more women are becoming involved in the energy industry as utility leadership, boards of directors, lineworkers, engineers, etc.,” Kassi says. “Now it’s just a matter of everyone else getting used to it. Women in the energy industry are here to stay.” n
Jessica Johnson is a community and member relations administrator at Poudre Valley REA in Fort Colling, Colorado. PHOTO BY GARRETT HUBBARD
OPPOSITE: Genevie Boarman was the first female lineworker and volunteer for a National Rural Electric Cooperative Association International trip. She works at Northern Neck Electric Co-op in Warsaw, Virginia.
PHOTO BY LAURA EMERY, COOPERATIVE LIVING
Advance collect to pahrump on creativity
Innovator leads the way to a successful board game design business
Story and photos
by Chiara Profenna
Michael Spahitz’s Pahrump, Nevada, warehouse bursts with creative energy. The Board Game Design and Manufacturing headquarters sees plenty of imaginative and unique games within its walls.
Each year, novice and expert game designers bring their innovative ideas to Michael, where he pieces together the puzzle to produce a finished game.
Michael displays colorful custom board games on the headquarters’ showroom walls, highlighting only a fraction of the games he has helped create. Cardboard boxes house a diverse array of games, from trivia challenges to strategic games, stylized Monopoly boards and myriad other inventive concepts.
The game that started it all sits on the center shelf: Dogopoly (The Original Game of High Steaks & Bones).
Inspiration Strikes
Michael and his brother, Rob, grew up playing board games on rainy days in New York. One day, while the boys were playing Monopoly, their dog walked across the board.
“Normally, we were very particular about our games,” Rob says. “It’s like, ‘Don’t bother us while we’re playing.’ But we loved our dog so much … We just went over and hugged him, and somewhere right about then is when we got this inspiration of, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if all of the Monopoly properties were named after dogs?’”
Not long after, Rob and Michael created the first iteration of Dogopoly by taping together sheets of paper and referencing a picture dictionary for dog breed names.
Their passion for board games followed them as they grew older, but they never forgot their first venture into game design.
“As we got older, we started creating our own games,” Michael says. “I
learned how to become a graphic artist and merged the two into offering a service for people online to come to me whether they need design services or just manufacturing services.”
Michael eventually established the design business on his own.
Turning Concepts Into Classics
“What we offer is a service for others,” Michael says. “You have a game concept, and we take the concept and bring it to fruition, from the rough concept to a finished product, where we have it manufactured, and it can be sold in stores.”
Since 1997, the business has grown from offering only manufacturing services to including graphic design and selling game components on a separate website.
Michael has created hundreds of tabletop games, serving individuals and larger corporations from his warehouse in Pahrump. For about 15 years, the business
has operated out of this small town an hour outside of Las Vegas.
“When I moved to Pahrump, one of the pluses for us was the overhead,” Michael says. “We could actually have a building where we could do warehousing and order fulfillment.”
Looking through the rows of games Michael has helped create, it is apparent no two designs look alike. Vintage games are washed in sepia with old photographs on display while contemporary designs use eyecatching graphics and vibrant cartoon characters. According to Michael, he aims to keep singularity and longevity in mind when designing a game.
The Finished Product
“One of the pluses of me being a game inventor and a graphic artist is that I’ve been through this,” Michael says. “When it comes to helping my customers, I can make a lot of suggestions and advise them on things they might want to consider.”
The global tabletop games market was estimated at $24.91 billion in 2022 and is projected to grow to $48.69 billion by 2028, according to market research company Arizton. Among the thousands of new games released yearly, Board Game Design and Manufacturing has contributed hundreds since its inception.
With hopes of eventually opening his own large-scale manufacturing building, Michael envisions expanding the company’s reach and impact. His business is a haven for emerging inventors.
As the CEO, owner, art director and webmaster, Michael prides himself on being able to offer services for anyone with a thoughtout concept. He advises aspiring game makers to play and test their games with as many people as possible and to choose a professional designer to create packaging that gives a great first impression.
“I enjoy doing this,” he says. “It’s a very rewarding job because one of the things that we’re doing is helping people to make their dreams come true.” n
Visit www.boardgamedesigns.com for more information on how to turn an idea into a board game.
ABOVE: Michael Spahitz has been running his business in some capacity since 1989, beginning with programming and design services in his community. RIGHT: With a focus on high-quality game pieces, Michael’s business offers an assortment of styles and materials.
DIRECT SEED OUTSIDE TO SAVE MONEY
Even cheaper than buying greenhouse transplants on sale or starting seeds inside is direct seeding them outside.
Direct seeding is simply tamping seeds into loosened, moistened garden soil at the right time of year. Similar to how nature does most of its planting, direct seeding can cut a flower budget down to pennies on the dollar. Save your seeds each year instead of buying packets, and you can directly seed the following year at no cost. Seeds saved from heirloom or traditional open-pollinated plants work better than seeds from hybrid varieties, which often produce no or sterile seeds and variable offspring.
Many annual and perennial flowers start readily from seeds planted directly into the ground. Some of the easiest are marigolds, zinnias, cosmos, poppies, alyssum, cornflowers (bachelor’s buttons), larkspur, snapdragons, sweet peas, floss flowers (ageratum), flowering tobacco, gloriosa daisies, hollyhocks, nasturtiums, strawflowers and sunflowers.
Many vegetables also direct seed readily, including peas, lettuce, spinach, kale, beets, carrots, radishes, beans, cucumbers, squash, melons, okra and corn.
Three factors are key to success:
Timing. Some plants are sensitive to cold and shouldn’t be planted until the threat of frost is gone and the soil is sufficiently warm. Seed packets list the dates when it’s safe to plant different varieties.
Loose soil. The soil doesn’t need to be tilled or deeply dug, but seeds sprout much better when lightly tamped into the top quarter- to half-inch of soil loosened 4 to 6 inches deep. Tossing seeds on top of hard, compacted ground usually results in little to no germination.
Damp soil. The soil surface needs to be consistently damp until the seeds sprout. That might mean lightly watering once or twice daily on dry, sunny days.
Once seedlings are growing, the main job is thinning—if needed—and making sure weeds don’t out-compete the new seedlings.
Weeds and excess plants are easy to pull when they’re young. Better yet, snip them with scissors.
Be patient for sprouting to happen. While some seeds sprout in a matter of
Starting new plants from seeds yields way more plants to the dollar than transplants. Vegetables and annual flowers are fairly easy to start from seed inside in winter. Basic workshop lights with fluorescent tubes are sufficient for growing seedlings, which usually need only about six weeks of inside growth before being ready to plant outdoors.
Even less expensive is planting seeds directly in the ground outside, bypassing the need for such things as lights, pots and potting mix. See the sidebar for more on how to direct-seed plants.
A third plant budget-stretcher is mining your own plants for expansion. Most perennial flowers can be dug and divided into fist-sized pieces after several years of growth, giving you free plants to use elsewhere.
Clumps of spring bulbs can also be dug and divided after their foliage browns in spring. Some shrubs yield newbies if their suckers—roots that send up shoots—are dug and transplanted. Virginia sweetspire, summersweet, hydrangea, diervilla, kerria, lilac, bayberry, sweetshrub, sweetbox and forsythia are good sucker-transplant candidates.
Check with friends and neighbors to see if they would like to trade divisions, which can yield free new varieties for your yard. New shrubs, trees, roses and evergreens can be created by snipping 4- to 6-inch pieces off the tips of mother plants and sticking them into a moist potting mix. That induces roots to grow from the buried cut ends, giving you a new “baby” from the plant.
This works for many annual flowers and tropicals, too.
If you are spending too much on annual flowers, save money by converting space to perennials. Limit those $6 annuals to pots, hanging baskets and window boxes. Perennials cost more upfront and don’t bloom as long as annuals, but the payback is usually three years or less.
Some annuals, such as ageratum, celosia and cosmos, are good at self-seeding, meaning they come up on their own each spring from seeds dropped by last year’s flowers. This is a way to fill beds without any new expense and only limited work, e.g., removing seedlings you don’t want or transplanting self-sprouted seedlings where you do want them.
Save on your potted plant budget by starting with fewer plants each season. With patience, pots of fewer premiumpriced potted annuals fill in eventually and cost less than tightly packed ones.
Another pot option is scavenging the yard for perennial flowers you can dig and divide to use in pots. The best are those with colorful foliage that add interest beyond the few weeks they flower, such as coral bells, hostas, golden sedges, variegated liriopes and ferns. Return the perennials to the
Containers are a great way to organize easier for those who have trouble
Beans are easy to start from seeds directly in the garden.
ground in the fall to overwinter and mine again next year.
A third pot money-saver is using double-duty plants. Most so-called houseplants—crotons, palms, snake plants, peace lilies, rubber plants, etc.—are tropical or subtropical species that do perfectly fine outside in northerly summers and inside over winter.
Consider using plants you bought as houseplants in summer pots, dressed up with coordinated annuals. Conversely, instead of discarding tropicals bought for summer pots at the end of the season, convert them into houseplants over winter.
Ways to Save on Gardening Products
The fastest way to save on gardening products is to cut out things you—and your plants—don’t need.
Some possibilities: wound dressings for pruned trees (not necessary and sometimes counter-productive); leaf shine (a soft, damp cloth with diluted soap cleans dusty houseplant leaves); compost activator (a few shovelfuls of finished compost or soil adds decomposition microbes); antitranspirant/antidesiccant sprays (somewhat helpful in transplanting, but research shows little to no cold-weather protection); moisture-holding gels for potted plants (research shows little to no water-saving benefit); landscape fabric (inhibits soil oxygen and traps moisture in poorly drained beds, plus weeds grow on top if you mulch over it), and tree fertilizer spikes (trees usually get the nutrients they need from soil, decomposing mulch and/or fertilizer on the surrounding lawn).
Next is reducing the amounts you use of products such as fertilizer.
Plants take up only the nutrients they need. Adding more doesn’t make them grow bigger or better and is a waste of money, not to mention potentially polluting.
If plants are growing well, there’s usually no need to add anything. If they’re not, a soil test reveals if lack of nutrition is a culprit—along
with exactly which nutrients are needed and in what amounts.
Extension offices and many garden centers offer inexpensive DIY soil-test kits to help you spend fertilizer dollars wisely.
Bug and disease sprays are another potential cost-saver. Some gardeners routinely use pesticides “just in case,” both wasting money and potentially killing beneficial insects that would have controlled pest bugs naturally—and at no charge.
Most bugs and diseases target only specific plants, and much of the damage is temporary or cosmetic anyway. Consider products only when plants are under threat from intolerable or potentially fatal damage—and when there are no better alternatives.
Sometimes, free or less expensive alternatives are available for other garden products. For example, an index finger stuck a few inches into the soil can give an accurate read on soil moisture versus investing in a soil moisture meter.
Expensive potting mix can be stretched by mixing your own from bulk ingredients or by refreshing last year’s saved mix with half-new mix, assuming last year’s mix wasn’t bug- or disease-ridden.
Many municipalities collect leaves in fall and offer the resulting free or low-cost compost to residents the following year, saving on bagged or bulk purchases. Tree companies often are willing to drop loads of chipped tree branches in home driveways, saving themselves hauling/dumping fees.
Even costly hardscaping materials such as bricks, stone, patio furniture, garden ornaments and fencing are sometimes available free or heavily discounted from neighbors advertising them through local social media channels.
Lots of household waste is fair game for repurposing in the garden, including storage tubs that morph into flower containers, cut-off soda bottles that serve as plant protectors, and butter tubs that become seedling pots. See the sidebar on page 13 for 20 household rejects that can serve new life in the garden. n
organize plants and make gardening trouble getting down on the ground.
Children love helping plant seeds, and they are more likely to try new foods if they helped grow them.
A dash of color doesn’t always have to come from the blooms.
READER EXCHANGE
Books/Magazines
Does anyone have an Annie’s Attic booklet called “Chemo Caps & Wraps,” number 871044? Thank you in advance. I am willing to purchase.
Betty Mercado
1820 E. 10th St. The Dalles, OR 97058 bettym@centurylink.net
We are trying to locate my grandfather’s high school yearbook. He graduated in 1930 from The Dalles Oregon High School. If anyone has it and is willing to sell, please contact me. Thank you so much.
Kim Koester
220 Well St. Fairbanks, AK 99701 skmeb08@gmail.com
Crafts/Hobbies
I have started a tablecloth using my odds and ends of number 10 crochet cotton. Sadly, I have reached the end of my colored cotton. I am asking members if they can send me their odds and ends of colored crochet cotton number 10. The brighter the colors, the better. I will pay for postage.
Patty Gassner
39981 Gisler Road Scio, OR 97374
Milestones
My widowed mother turns 100 in March. She has lived in Delaware her whole life but traveled to many places in the United States and abroad—including France, her favorite country and ancestral home. She shared her travel stories with the elementary school students she taught for decades. She says she doesn’t want a birthday reception at her assisted living facility, as her dear friends are long gone. I know she would be surprised and delighted to receive greetings from afar to celebrate her milestone birthday. Send to Julia A. Coxe, 726 Loveville Road, Room A-40, Hockessin, DE 19707.
Donna C. McLean Redmond, Oregon
Submitting Requests Is Free
Thanks
Thank you, readers. Your generosity in sending so many wonderful and lovely buttons has wowed me. I will be at work for months making “button flower” vases as fast as I can to give away. My button table is full, thanks to your kindness.
Shirley Lyons Veneta, Oregon
Thank you, Ruralite, for helping to make my 90th birthday so memorable. I received more than 350 cards from readers—from Alaska to Georgia. I wish I could personally thank each of you for your birthday wishes. It is amazing how many kind people took time to send greetings to a stranger. Thank you for your generosity, and yes, I had (at least one) margarita on my birthday. Thanks again.
Marian Kuchle Florence, Kentucky
A great big “thank you” to everyone who sent me a birthday card. From handmade or otherwise, I so appreciated each and every one of them. Not only did I enjoy reading all the wonderful comments, but I also got a lesson in geography. It truly was a very memorable 82nd birthday.
Ilse Pettey Baker City,
Oregon
I would love to thank each and every one of you kind souls. The overwhelming response to my mother, Josephine’s, milestone was awesome. I helped her open and read each card. The personal messages, jokes and crafty gifts were so nice. My mother sends her love and thanks. She will be donating the cards to St. Jude’s and will keep the personally crafted ones for her scrapbook. I cannot thank you all enough. God bless.
Josephine Formica/Dawn Lund Rachel, Nevada
Have a safe St. Patrick’s Day!
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 on a first-come, first-served basis and as space allows. We cannot honor every request.
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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.
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Family Tree Tales
By Dave LaBelle
Some people are fascinated with architecture or angels; I love trees.
A grand lone oak tree stands—as if on watch—at the side of a road not many miles from where I live. Each time passing it, I wondered its age and who planted it there. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me, and I had to know more.
I learned the man who planted it is gone. So are his
Renowned author,
children and his children’s children, but the old oak tree John Vorwald placed in the earth in 1895, as a marker for the northeast corner of the town that would become New Vienna, Iowa, still stands 128 years later. His great-grandson Kevin Vorwald still lives on the family property.
gifts, and may possess greater memory and intelligence than we imagine. Research has revealed that like people, trees can have elaborate, far-reaching root systems that allow them to talk to each other.
Just like us humans, trees are connected and often members of large families.
Reader Challenge
moments for more than half a century. For more of his writings, visit davidlabelle.com and bridgesandangels.wordpress.com.
Kevin’s great-grandfather was the first mayor of the town when he planted the tree. Though New Vienna was founded in 1843, it wasn’t incorporated until some 50 years later, long after Iowa became a state in 1846. Kevin says his great-great-grandfather married a girl whose father bought the land from the government when James Polk was president. Polk’s name is on the deed.
Trees are living, breathing
I am reminded of the late Shel Silverstein’s powerful book, “The Giving Tree,” about the relationship between a boy and an apple tree. Every tree is a giving tree. Just as I imagine how lacking a world without birds would be, I think how sad our walk on Earth would be without trees. I have often said that next to a good mother, God’s greatest creation is a tree.
Had I not chosen photojournalism, I might have become an arborist. n
Your challenge is to choose a tree that speaks to you—one that you admire and maybe even feel a connection to. Research its species and origin. Was it indigenous or a species brought to your area, transplanted from another state or even another country? Does the tree have a story? And then set out to make a photograph that captures how you feel about the tree. Consider the angle, composition, light and lens, even the time of day or night that best reveals how you see this magnificent creation.
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.
photographer and lecturer Dave LaBelle has captured special
NIKON D800, 34mm lens ISO 100, f/9 at 1/400
This oak stands witness to the evolution of an Iowa community.
PHOTO BY DAVE LABELLE
Choose a homelift, not a stairlift
Stay in the home and neighborhood you love with a Stiltz Homelift.
The Modern Solution
A Stiltz Homelift is a safe, attractive, & affordable alternative to stairlifts. It requires no special machine room, and no supporting walls.
Economical & Flexible
A Stiltz Homelift can t just about anywhere in your house. It has a compact footprint, similar in size to a small armchair. A Stiltz Homelift plugs into a standard home electrical outlet, using less power than boiling a kettle.
Your Forever Home
Avoid the expense and distress of relocating, or the disruption of adapting your home for downstairs living. A Stiltz Homelift helps you live safely and independently in the home you love.
It’s Never Too Soon
Some Stiltz customers need a Homelift immediately. But others want to “future-proof” their homes for when the stairs become a challenge.
Homelift Specialists
Stiltz is a world leading Homelift manufacturer, so you’ll be in good hands. Your elevator will be installed and maintained by Stiltz trained professionals - who truly care about your freedom.
“I can’t imagine what we’d do without it. I wish we had installed our Stiltz Homelift several years ago!”
– Mr. James, Roanoke VA
APRIL
Doors open 4:15 p.m.
Event Begins at 5:00 p.m.
CREATING
Eastern Oregon Trade & Event Center (EOTEC) in Hermiston POWERFUL CONNECTIONS
Delicious dinner, door prizes and a presentation highlighting your cooperative’s milestones in 2023 await you at this year’s Annual Meeting! During the event, we will announce results for the Board of Director elections in Districts 3 and 4 and enjoy entertainment by ROCK DEE HOUSE Dueling Pianos.
Creating Powerful Connections: Advocating for our members
The foundation of Umatilla Electric Cooperative (UEC) was created with legislative policy. The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was created by President Franklin Roosevelt by executive order in 1935 as part of the New Deal, allowing rural communities to build power lines in unserved areas using government loans. Through this opportunity, the founding members of UEC created your local electric cooperative in 1937.
Since inception, UEC has been confidently advocating for issues that positively impact the landscape of our local policies to the benefit of its members. At the helm of this vital mission today stands Alec Shebiel, UEC’s Government Relations Manager, who represents our membership and collaborates with other utility providers to influence policy decisions that resonate far beyond the cooperative’s headquarters.
Behind the scenes, Alec is the architect of UEC’s legislative activities, a driving force committed to creating powerful connections that safeguard the interests of the cooperative’s members. His work extends beyond the routine of policy analysis and strategy; he continues to build a network of influence that spans across local, state, and national levels.
Alec’s role is multifaceted. He regularly engages with lawmakers but also keeps a keen eye on the ever-evolving landscape of energy regulation. His goal is to ensure that UEC’s members are not just consumers of power but
active participants in shaping the policies that govern their cooperative. Alec also actively supports UEC’s participation in rural economic development and job creation through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Economic Development Loan & Grant (REDLG) Program. Through this program, UEC has utilized funding resources to support community projects such as the Funland Park Rebuild in Hermiston and the Mac Hoke Bridge replacement between Echo and Pendleton.
One of the distinctive aspects of Umatilla Electric’s approach is Alec’s collaboration with other cooperatives in the industry. Recognizing the strength that comes from unity, Alec actively builds bridges with cooperatives across the United States through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), creating alliances. At the state level, UEC also works with the Oregon Rural Electric Cooperative Association (ORECA), Oregon People’s Utilities District Association (OPUDA) and Oregon Municipal Electric Utilities Association (OMEU). Together, they amplify their collective voice, influencing policy decisions that not only benefit UEC’s members but contribute to the quality of life for cooperative members in Oregon and across the nation.
ABOVE, LEFT: UEC’S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS MANAGER, ALEC SHEBIEL (FOURTH FROM LEFT) TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON D.C. WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM 13 OTHER OREGON COOPERATIVES TO ATTEND THE NATIONAL RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION (NRECA) LEGISLATIVE CONFERENCE AND TO MEET WITH OREGON CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATORS.
The cooperative spirit is alive and well in Umatilla Electric’s advocacy efforts. Members may not always see the intricate behind-the-scenes work, but they undoubtedly feel its impact. Stable rates, reliable service, and access to innovative technologies are the tangible outcomes of Alec’s dedication to creating powerful connections on behalf of Umatilla Electric.
Through UEC’s advocacy efforts, the following projects have come to fruition:
• Drafted and passed legislation to allow utilities to purchase sub-parcels of exclusive farm use land for substations, reducing liability exposure for landowners.
• Ensured new Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) projects were not on the backs of members through the Energy Supplier Assessment, but rather funded through general funds by adding specific language to several bills.
Sometimes, however, the value of the legislative work is aimed at stopping regulation that could have negative affects to UEC’s members. For example:
• Umatilla Electric is a participant of Voices for Cooperative Power (VCP). VCP is a network of electric co-op members working together to influence elected officials who are making energy policy decisions that impact our co-ops and, by extension, our way of life. Recently, UEC joined in efforts through VCP to communicate to President Biden to abandon the Draft Columbia Basin Restoration Initiative Agreement, a document with efforts to breach the Lower Snake River Dams and risk the reliability of our electricity.
• Protected UEC against policies that could have increased rates.
• Advocated against legislation adding new regulations over cooperatives because we are governed by a democratically elected board of directors.
In an industry where the intricacies of legislative affairs can be daunting, Alec ensures that UEC remains at the forefront of cooperative advocacy. He navigates the complexities of policy discussions with finesse, translating the cooperative’s values into language that resonates with lawmakers. As a result, UEC’s members reap the benefits of an advocate who is not only passionate but also strategically positioned to make a difference.
Alec Shebiel’s work on behalf of the membership stands as a testament to the cooperative principles that have defined rural electrification for decades. Through his efforts, UEC’s members are not just consumers; they are active participants in a movement that values community, collaboration, and the creation of powerful connections that endure for generations.
Offices
750 W. Elm Ave.
Hermiston, OR 97838
400 N.E. Eldrige Drive Boardman, OR 97818
Hours
7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Monday-Thursday 541 567-6414 1 800 452-2273
Report An Outage 1 888 465-5701 day or night
Directors
Bryan Wolfe, President
Jeff Wenholz, Vice President
Steve Platt, Secretary-Treasurer
Lee Docken
Phil Hamm
John Otis
Tom Pitzer
Management
Robert Echenrode, General Manager / CEO
Robert Cromwell, Vice President Power Supply
John Donner, Vice President Finance & Rates
Josh Lankford, Vice President Engineering & Operations
Lisa McMeen, Vice President Administration
Our Mission
Umatilla Electric Cooperative is a member-owned business that sells energy and invests in and supports other services to improve the quality of life in our communities.
www.umatillaelectric.com
OR-8
Charging Ahead: Exploring Electric Mobility
At Umatilla Electric Cooperative, we are powered by innovation and steering towards a more sustainable future. Recently, UEC has added two Ford F-150 Lightnings to our fleet that help signify a pivotal moment in our journey, while also allowing us to highlight the positives and challenges of embracing electric vehicles (EVs) for our members.
We often get asked questions about electric vehicles and receive many inquiries related to the benefits, as well as the challenges of EV adoption here in eastern Oregon. Without a doubt, there are two sides to the discussion, and I hope to provide some education and awareness to each with this month’s column.
On the positive side, EVs help to reduce emissions and preserve the environment. Another positive is the lower operating costs associated with an EV, while some reports indicate the initial investment might be higher, the same reports show the longterm operational savings tend to be lower than the alternative. We will be looking to verify these reports and will look to report back to you. Finally, EVs offer a more energy efficient option than their counterparts. However, challenges still persist. For example, in eastern Oregon, there are still challenges related to the accessibility and availability of charging stations within our region. Another challenge we are faced with is the physical distance these vehicles can reach. Range uncertainty continues to play a role in the adoption of EVs. The range of many EVs still lag behind some of our traditional vehicles, a cause for concern in our rural communities. Depending on your
use and function, driving habits may need to adapt with an electric vehicle. Lastly, initial purchase costs for EVs can be higher. Although, there are incentives and rebate options available for those interested. For example, UEC currently offers a $200 rebate on the purchase of a Level 2 charging station for your home or business.
There have been countless reports and studies done on electric vehicles, and I highly encourage you to do your homework before determining whether or not one is the correct choice for you and your family. To aid in this, please let UEC staff support you in guiding you toward a decision by answering your questions and offering assistance. Visit pages 4 & 5 to hear what our employees are saying about our Ford Lightnings.
If you see one of our Ford Lightnings around town or at a community event, please don’t hesitate to ask the staff member to show you the vehicle and all that it features. If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll even drive you around a bit!
Although the road ahead to determine whether or not an EV is the correct choice for you may seem challenging or time-consuming, we promise it’s worth the drive. Let us help you make the right decision.
