Wrea august2017

AUGUST 2017

Reaching Out

VOL. 18 NO. 4

Ag Equipment Manufacturers Contacted About Line Safety

Page 8-9

Manager’s

column

Safety For Our Linemen & Member Owners We have started the summer very warm and especially dry. I feel so badly when I see hayfields that are not even being hayed, and the ones that have, getting hardly any bales. Along with it, the crops and grass are severely damaged. It will be a long 2017 for our ag community. At West River, that has not stopped us. We have Dick Johnson had a very busy summer so CEO/General Manager far with new services and maintenance work. As our employees work, we have to keep safety in mind at ALL times whether it be outside with the line crew or in the offices.

Each year, all of our linemen are required to be certified in what is called “pole top rescue”. We hope they would never, ever have to use it, but if they do, they are well trained to complete the rescue and save the life of their fellow colleague.

They have a certain amount of time to climb the pole, put on a rope sling either over an existing cross arm (or using a screwdriver they pound into the pole), and then lower the 180 pound dummy to the ground.

Mark Patterson, with South Dakota Rural Electric Loss Control Department, does the training for us. As you can see in the picture, it is not an easy task. If you want to see a live video we taped, go to our Facebook page and view it or on our webpage at www.westriver. coop under Marketing and Pole Top Rescue.

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many things that we do for safety training. Later that same day, Mark observed our field crews do line work to see in action what improvements we might make in our safety training.

One of the most interesting things is a tailgate or job briefing. All the linemen on the job get around the truck and discuss what the job is, what tools they might need, and especially what hazards they might encounter that might jeopardize their safety. What is the pole like, what is the weather, what are the materials they are using, is the line hot; I could go on and on. Each person signs the briefing to acknowledge they were part of the briefing. It is quite a process to make sure our employees get home safely every night.

Not only do we stress safety with our employees but we especially want our members to be safe too. Just recently, our service technician was doing an underground locate on a farmstead. He noticed the member had attached an antenna to our pole. We never want anything attached to our poles for our lineman’s safety but especially nowhere near an energized line. However, this antenna was at the top of the pole near the transformer. The antenna was within inches of our 14,400 volt distribution line. It was an extremely dangerous situation. Our service technician waited until our linemen could get there with a bucket truck to safely take down the antenna. Whoever put that up there was inches from serious injuries, or more than likely death. Please do not, under any circumstances, come close to our lines or attach things to our poles. Please look for the article on pages 10 and 11 of this issue of Cooperative Connections for more details and other safety issues we see that could harm our members’ safety. 10862300 Pray for rain, and whatever you do, please STAY SAFE!

Board of Director Biography

Andy Moon - 11 Years I grew up on a farm/ranch in the Montevideo, Minnesota area where I attended school, was a swimmer and did rodeo. In 1987 after graduating from high school I went on to become a Jackrabbit at SDSU where I received a B.S. in Business. It was while I was in college in Brookings that I met my future wife, Lisa.

After graduating from college in December of 1991, I moved to Colorado where I worked at Snow Mass Ski Area in the winter and worked for a guide service in the fall guiding for elk and deer hunts and in the summer we did pack trips and day rides into the back country. After 4 years of that, I was drawn back to the Wall area. In 1995 I began a career at Kjerstad Livestock where I still work doing what I love most, working with cattle.

In April 1996 Lisa and I were married. We have 3 children, Elle, Abby and Quinn who keep us busy. We are busy following the kids in their activities of volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, football, cross country, track, rodeo, FFA, and 4-H, we love every minute of it. In our spare time, we are busy hunting and doing anything that will allow us to spend time outdoors as a family.

I am a Credentialed Cooperative Director, serve as the Board President and am currently working on my Board Leadership Credentials. My family and I are members of St Patrick’s Catholic Church, and I am past treasurer of Eastern Penn Investment Club.

Some of the biggest changes that I have seen with West River Electric over the past 11 years are the regulations being put on the coal mines and power plants across the United States and how our rates are being impacted by this. Keeping up with the Clean Power Plan is a challenge that we will continue to work on to find answers. Thank you for allowing me to be part of the West River Electric Board of Directors. I enjoy serving the membership of West River Electric and the time spent with you the members.

cooperative connections • Aug ust 2017 3

Safety

Tips

Summer Electrical Safety Tips It’s important to remember while enjoying the summer weather, while outside or around the home, that there could be a variety of electrical hazards lingering. While not obvious at first, these issues could cause very serious (and potentially fatal) injury through electric shock.

Below is a list of common outdoor and indoor hazards to be aware of this summer.

Indoor Electrical Safety GFCI Outlets Ensure that you have GFCI’s (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets installed in certain areas of your home – namely rooms with running water (bathroom, kitchen, garage, basement, pool rooms, etc.). These outlets can prevent electrical shock from happening with specially designed safety mechanisms.

Outdoor Electrical Safety Power Line Safety Stay away from power lines with your body, toys, sticks or anything an electrical current could travel down. Power lines transport extremely high voltage electrical energy. Venturing too close to a power line can create an opportunity for the electricity to flow to your body or object resulting in serious injury. If you see a fallen power line, call your local electric cooperative or 911 immediately.

Circuit Breaker Use In an emergency, know where your circuit breakers are and how to turn them off safely. When a panicked situation occurs, it can be easy to become confused and flustered. If you are knowledgeable interacting with your circuit breaker, you will be more confident in the event of an emergency.

Outdoor Electrical Receptacles Ensure all your outdoor electrical receptacles around the exterior of your home or shed are covered, clean and dry. If water or dirt enters the outlet it can result in electrical surges and shocks when the outlet is next used. Receptacle covers can be purchased at most home renovation retail stores.

Water and Outdoor Electrical Devices Keep all power cords, string lights and electrical devices away from ponds, swimming pools, hot tubs or sprinklers.

Summer can lend itself to a lot of splashing and water flying through the air. If water comes into contact with an electrical device, there is a high risk of electrical shock. Do your best to keep electrical devices at a distance from the pool and water fights.

Portable Fan Safety Before plugging in a fan, make sure that it is clean and there are no wires frayed or damaged. Oscillating fans are often stored for most of the year. During storage, power cords can become damaged and electrical wires exposed. Exposed wires leave you vulnerable to electrical shock when the fan is plugged in again.

Air Conditioning Unit Safety Be sure to have any portable air conditioning units securely positioned and electrical cords tucked away. These are tripping hazards that can lead to either electrical shock or a heavy unit falling down. It’s also important to follow the manufacturers instructions on maintaining and servicing the unit to prevent damage to the home’s electrical system and personal injury.

It is important to be aware of potential electrical hazards in order to identify and avoid them.

Source: www.expertelectric.ca

Kids’ Corner Safety Poster “Don’t fly kites near power lines.”

Sara Bertram, 8 years old

Sara is the daughter of Erin and Kari Bertram, Corsica, S.D. They are members of Douglas Electric Cooperative, Armour, S.D.

Kids, send your drawing with an electrical safety tip to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3). If your poster is published, you’ll receive a prize.

All entries must include your name, age, mailing address and the names of your parents. Colored drawings are encouraged.

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Reader

Recipes

Succulent Salads Greek Pasta Salad with Cucumber Yogurt Dressing

Peach Jello Salad 1-1/2 cups crushed Ritz crackers 1/2 cup margarine, melted 3/4 cup plus 4 T. sugar, divided 2 (3 oz.) boxes peach jello Juice from peaches plus water to equal 3 cups total

1 (29 oz.) can sliced peaches 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened 1 T. milk 3/4 cup whipped topping

Mix cracker crumbs, margarine and 4 T. sugar together; press into a 9x13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F. for 10 minutes. Cool. Boil juice from peaches and water. Stir in jello to dissolve. Chill until slightly congealed. Cream together cream cheese, remaining sugar and milk. Fold in whipped topping. Spread on cooled crust. Lay peaches on top. Pour congealed jello over peaches. Chill until set.

Debbie Hinman, Carter

Coleslaw 6 to 7 cups chopped cabbage, carrots, red or green pepper, celery or onion

1/2 cup water 1/2 cup white wine vinegar 1 cup sugar

Place chopped vegetables in bowl. Boil water, vinegar and sugar; pour hot mixture over all. Refrigerate. Keeps up to 1 month in refrigerator.

Jan Nelson, Belle Fourche

Mom’s Cranberry Salad 1 quart cranberries, grind when frozen 2 cups sugar 1 pkg. orange jello

1 cup hot water 1 cup ground celery 2 cups ground apples

Combine cranberries and sugar; let stand overnight.

Dissolve jello in hot water; chill until thickened. Stir in cranberries, celery and apples. May substitute lemon jello.

Verna Nelson, Wakonda

Blueberry Salad 1 (21 oz.) can blueberry pie filling 1 can crushed pineapple, drained 1 can mandarin oranges, drained

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk 1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip

1/2 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced 1/2 cup plain Greek nonfat yogurt 2 T. light mayonnaise 1 tsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 tsp. dill weed 1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. Sicilian sea salt 8 oz. pasta, such as cellentani or gemelli 2 cups broccoli florets 1 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes, quartered 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion 1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, quartered 2 T. crumbled feta cheese

For dressing, place cucumber, yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic powder, dill, oregano and sea salt in blender container; cover. Blend on high speed until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. For salad, cook pasta as directed on package, adding broccoli during the last 1 minute of cooking. Rinse under cold water; drain well. Place cooked pasta, broccoli, tomatoes and onions in large bowl. Add dressing; toss gently to coat. Top with olives and feta cheese.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 servings Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories 151, Total Fat 3g, Sodium 274mg, Cholesterol 2mg, Carbohydrates 25g, Dietary Fiber 2g, Protein 6g Pictured, Cooperative Connections

Shoestring Potato Salad 1 cup salad dressing 1/2 tsp. vinegar Salt and pepper to taste 2 cups cooked, diced chicken 1 cup grated carrots

1 cup diced celery 1/2 diced green pepper 3 oz. slivered almonds Shoestring potatoes

Mix together salad dressing, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Add next 5 ingredients; refrigerate overnight. Just before serving, add shoestring potatoes.

Doris Miller, Brandon

Chicken Salad 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tsp. paprika 1 tsp. seasoned salt 1-1/2 cups dried cranberries 1 cup chopped celery

2 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup minced green pepper 1 cup chopped pecans 4 cups cubed, cooked chicken Ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients; refrigerate.

In a medium bowl, mix together mayonnaise with paprika and seasoned salt. Blend in dried cranberries, celery, onion, bell pepper and pecans. Add chopped chicken; mix well. Season with black pepper to taste. Chill 1 hour.

Alberta Olson, Piedmont

Cortney Reedy, Tea

Please send your favorite garden produce , pasta or slow cooker recipes to your local electric cooperative (address found on Page 3).

Each recipe printed will be entered into a drawing for a prize in December 2017. All entries must include your name, mailing address, telephone number and cooperative name.

COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • August 2017 5

Youth

news

What is Happening in Washington D.C.

Youth Tour Reporting In Dear Coop, First of all, I would like to thank the West River Electric Coop members for the Washington D.C. experience. I had a great time seeing everything and getting to meet with our senators.

The evening before I left on the Youth Tour to Washington D.C. I was sorting cows and crowding them up the alley onto a cattle pot on our western South Dakota ranch. Forty eight hours later our Youth Tour leader Brenda Kleinjan was herding me onto the metro in Washington D.C. What a sharp contrast the hustle and bustle of eastern city life was to my peaceful surroundings back in Quinn, SD. The eye opening city experience was one that I will never forget. I am very proud to be an American and was glad to see it’s history preserved in the museums,memorials and monuments. I was especially impressed to see the Declaration of Independence. The buildings there were obviously not designed by a South Dakota rancher because there was not a pole barn in sight. Almost all of the buildings had some incredible architecture.

I am thankful our local Cooperative provides this opportunity for students in our area.

Sincerely, Mason Sandal

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Dear West River Electric Association and its Co-op Members: Thank you for the amazing opportunity you gave me to go on the National Youth Tour trip to Washington D.C. I met many new people from across South Dakota and still keep in touch with them.

We were also privileged to meet people from around the nation. I made tons of friends in D.C. and had a blast touring all the monuments, architecture, memorials, and museums they have in place there! I’d have to say that my favorite thing to see was the White House. It was awesome yet strange to actually see it in person rather than in pictures.

Plus, it’s much larger than I’d imagined it to be. If anyone has the desire to go to our nation’s capital and explore new opportunities to meet potential friends and all-around friendly and cool teens, then this is an amazing opportunity to do so. I cannot stress enough the importance for everyone to take the opportunity and apply. The National Youth Tour trip is one of a kind and will always hold a very special place in my heart. 2106000 Thank you!

Tyler Matt

Coop

news

What’s New At West River Electric

Come Out & Join the Fun Come and join us at our 4th Annual Tailgate Party. We will be tailgating at New Underwood when they take on the Wall Eagles on August 18th from 5:30 p.m.-7:00 p.m. Come out and cheer for your favorite football team. We will have employees and directors on hand to serve you hamburgers and hot dogs, and answer all your questions.

We encourage all of our members to visit Enning or Rapid City for our Appreciation Day Events. We will have employees on hand to answer questions and visit with you about the different programs that we offer at these two locations.

Appreciation Day in Enning is September 7, 2017 from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. We will have Katchup the Clown on hand to entertain the kids. Operation Round-up funds will be presented to the 2017 recipients. Dick Johnson, our CEO will be on hand to give an update on what is going on with your coop and answer questions.

We will be serving hamburgers and hot dogs, so come out and enjoy an evening of fellowship with your coop directors and employees.

Member Appreciation Day in the Rapid City office will be September 22, 2017 from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. We will be serving hamburgers and hot dogs. We will have United Blood Services, RV Volunteer Fire Department, a heat pump representative, Basin Electric and bucket truck rides. Katchup the Clown will be here entertaining kids young and old. We are adding something new this year where you can bring 2 bags of paperwork to be shredded by A-Z Shredding. We will have employees on hand to answer questions.

WREA will be demonstrating safe electricity with the High Voltage Demonstration and the Neon Leon Display. We will be presenting Operation Round-Up checks to the recipients of the funds for 2017.

Come out and meet the Board of Directors and employees who are here to respond to your service needs.

cooperative connections • Aug ust 2017 7

Reaching Out Cooperative Resolution Seeks to Capture Attention of Equipment Manufacturers

I

Brenda Kleinjan

n recent years, the board of directors at Charles Mix Electric Association in Lake Andes, S.D., had noticed an alarming and growing trend.

As agricultural equipment grew in size as new models were developed, it was getting dangerously close to power lines.

“In our case, at a board meeting, we were discussing a situation where an implement wound up in the line in our territory,” said Russell Gall, general manager for the cooperative in south central South Dakota. “It was obviously a very large piece of equipment that got tangled up in the neutral.”

The operator called the co-op immediately and stayed in the implement until the equipment could

8 August 2017 • COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS

be safely removed from the line.

As the board discussed the incident and the dangerous situation caused because of the equipment’s size, they talked about what could be done. Co-ops were already engaged in providing safety reminders about using caution around electric lines.

But the board wanted to take it a step further.

They wanted to deliver their concerns to the companies that were designing and creating the behemoths of machinery.

“The board agreed to develop a resolution that would instruct NRECA to start conversations with national equipment manufacturers to raise awareness of line heights and the scale of the equipment,”

said Gall.

By June 1, 2016, the board had drawn up a resolution and submitted it to the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association so it could be considered at the organization’s regional meetings held each fall. At the regional meetings, the nation’s 900 electric cooperatives gather to approve KNOW WHAT TO DO IF YOU HIT A POWER LINE resolutions that guide NRECA’s work on behalf of the cooperatives.

“I was surprised during the discussion in the resolutions committee, almost everyone on the committee had a story at their local cooperative where they could point to an incident and If your equipment contacts a say, ‘yes, this is a problem,’” said Gall. power line, stay inside. DO NOT The resolution eventually wound its way through all 10 of the NRECA’s EXIT. Call 911. regional meetings.

“The resolutions process is a cornerstone of NRECA’s governance, and member resolutions provide key direction to NRECA,” said Kirk Johnson, NRECA’s Senior Vice President of Government Relations. “The demoIf you must exit due to a fire, cratic nature of the resolutions process jump from the equipment so gives every member a voice and helps that no part of your body touches ensure that NRECA adheres to the the equipment and ground at the wishes of the membership. As resolusame time. Hop or shuffle with tions get adopted, NRECA staff work your feet together at least 40 feet to respond appropriately.” away.

As the Charles Mix proposal made its way through the resolutions process, it became apparent this was not simply a rural South Dakota issue.

“From what I heard at the different regional meetings, there were conWhen you are clear of the area, cerns that this might be too big of an call for help and keep others away. issue to take on, but that it was really DO NOT approach your vehicle important,” Gall said. again until utility crews and Cooperatives aren’t known to shy away from difficult situations. emergency responders tell you Next, it headed to the association’s it is safe. annual meeting where all the cooperatives gather to review and debate the resolutions. the members’ concerns about the increasing height In February, delegates in San Diego approved the of equipment and the safety dangers associated with resolution. that additional height,” said Johnson.

“In the case of the resolution related to agriculIt’s the start that the CME board envisioned. ture equipment, NRECA will be reaching out to a “We hope with this resolution that it brings number of manufacturers this summer to express these safety concerns with the size of equipment to

PoweringYourSafety.com STAY PUT

JUMP CLEAR

STAY AWAY

Among the resolutions considered by delegates to the NRECA annual meeting was one that originated in South Dakota regarding ag equipment and overhead power lines.

the manufacturers so they keep it in the forefront of their minds when designing this large equipment,” Gall said.

COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • August 2017 9

Cause for Concern Over the

Monthly Outage Reports W

hen reviewing the monthly outage

a few cause codes really make me nervous. They are: cable dig ins, farm equipment accidents, public accidents, and public tree trimming. The reason I am most concerned about these causes is because for this outage to occur someone was incredibly close to a serious injury or even death. Let’s take a look at why they happen and what you can do to avoid them: Cable dig ins are one of our most common public caused outages. The hazard with digging into a cable is that most every tool used for digging is conductive. It doesn’t matter if it is a shovel or a backhoe, the current can travel through the tool and thru the person using it, causing incredible damage and even death. It is easy to avoid being involved in this type of accident, simply call 811 before you dig. You may not only save someone from serious injury or death, but you could also save thousands of dollars in costly repairs.

Farm equipment continues to get bigger every year. New equipment may not fit under that line when you pull into the field like you have for the reports

Editor’s Note Your Safety is Our #1 Concern. We want to see you go home to your family safely each night.

By Mike Letcher

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last 20 years. Farm machinery equipped with GPS may make your operation more efficient, but does it know that there is a powerline pole in the middle of your field? Moving augers and irrigation pipe is another hazard. Make sure new employees are aware of the dangers and always remember to look up before moving anything tall. If you do stick something in the line or knock down a pole, remember to stay in/on your equipment until help arrives and they

tell you it is OK to get out.

Vehicles are typically a car or pickup that has gone off the road for one reason or another and hit either a pole or underground enclosure. The same advice applies to this situation as farm equipment, if you hit something stay in the vehicle until help arrives and they tell you it is OK to get out. The line may or may not be sparking so there is no way to tell if it is energized.

Public tree cutting or trimming is another task that is incredibly dangerous. Even if you are an aspiring Paul Bunyan do not cut trees that are near the power line. A small miscalculation can cause the tree to fall through the line, putting you in danger of making contact with the powerline. Once the weight of the tree hits the line, it can break the wire, rip service wires off buildings or even break poles. The damage is not only a threat to your safety, but the repairs are expensive and you will be responsible for all costs.

Public accidents are anything not covered in the above causes. It can be people contacting the line while working on a roof, climbing a tree, moving a tall piece of equipment or material, attempting to attach equipment to our poles, or trying to open an enclosure. All these actions can expose you to high voltage. We have had several cases of people attaching antennas or TV dishes to our poles. These people have been incredibly lucky. One of them had to be within eighteen inches of 14,400 volts, the slightest slip or movement

could have resulted in a life changing injury or death. Don’t put yourself in the position to be the person doing something stupid when your luck runs out. We want you to go home to your family safely each night!

Since I am on the topic of putting things on poles, I would like to take a moment to ask your assistance in keeping our crews safe. Please do not attach anything to a pole, signs, decorations, birdhouses, etc. all pose a threat to our linemen. We do not always have a bucket truck available so our linemen still climb poles. Objects on the pole are not only a hassle to climb around but nails, staples, straps can cause a lineman’s gaff to not stick in the pole as it should which could lead to a fall. We also need room to work around underground enclosures. If you have a “green box” in your yard please keep fences, bushes, trees, buildings, etc well away from them. If we need to do switching in these enclosures, we need room to move an 8’ hot stick around. Items in close proximity to this equipment put our linemen to close to energized parts and extend outage times. 4148800 With a little common sense and some planning, it is easy to avoid the hazards of working around powerlines. It will also help eliminate these cause codes from my reports. If you would like more info on powerline safety just give us a call or stop in and talk to Mike Letcher in the Rapid office, Wayne Shull in the Wall office and Lane Butler at the Enning shop.

Photo from the mock Freshman Impact demonstration that WREA linemen assisted with.

cooperative connections • Aug ust 2017 11

Right On Target 4-H Youth Excel at Shooting, Archery Sports

S

teady clicks, snaps, thumps and bangs were

Jocelyn Romey

heard as 4-H kids lined up, aimed and fired. They traveled from across the nation to compete in the National 4-H Shooting Sports Championships in Grand Island, Neb., and the Daisy BB Gun National Championships in Rogers, Ark. Hundreds of kids competed for their team and for their state. It was stiff competition, yet South Dakota has a winning reputation.

“The toughest competition we find in the nation is right here in South Dakota,” said Sean Kruger, one of Pierre Junior Shooters’ coaches.

Kruger, along with Jonathan Hays, coach a 4-Hbased youth shooting club in Pierre, S.D., known as the Pierre Junior Shooters. Organized in the mid1970s, this club is one of many across the nation and state that attracts shooting competitors ages 8 to 18 who are involved in 4-H. It also draws more than 50

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kids each year to the Isaak Walton Youth Conservation Center in Pierre to practice shooting and receive safety instruction.

“Our first and No. 1 focus is firearm safety,” Kruger said. “Before they ever handle a gun, they go through safety training and have to pass a safety test each year.”

The club combines 4-H principles and education with a competitive structure, allowing the kids to compete in multiple area competitions along with the 4-H state and national events and the Daisy BB Gun National Championships.

On July 3, the Pierre Junior Shooters won the championship title and trophy during the 2017 Daisy BB Gun National Championships. Nine kids from the Pierre/Ft. Pierre area competed in this event – Jayce Beastrom, Jasmine Hays, Jessica Hays, Jenna Kruger, Austin Lesmann, Justin Merriman, Natalie Mohr, Alee

PHOTOS COURTESY PIERRE JUNIOR SHOOTERS

Left: A shooter takes aim during practice. Opposite Page: The Pierre Junior Shooters recently captured their eighth title at the Daisy BB Gun National Championships. Pictured are Natalie Mohr, Austin Lesmann, Jayce Beastrom, Rylie Stoeser, Justin Merriman, Jasmine Hays, Jessica Hays, Alee Smith and Jenna Kruger. Bottom: The Walton County, Georgia, team sent a congratulations note. Sportsmanship is one of the skills learned. Below: The Pierre Junior Shooters will be adding “2017” to their listing of National Champions.

Smith and Rylie Stoeser. Seven kids competed in the team that brought home the trophy and two competed in Daisy’s Match of Champions. These two were Jessica Hays and Alee Smith who competed in last year’s Daisy national tournament. The kids chosen to represent the club in this competition must earn it by scoring the highest in BB gun shooting during the competitive season – March and April. Other club members are eligible to compete at the national 4-H shooting competition if they score high enough at the state level in air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, .22 pistol, archery, shotgun and muzzleloading.

Since 2004, the Pierre Junior Shooters club has won eight Daisy championships. This year, they competed against 70 teams nationwide, including three other South Dakota teams – Humboldt Sharpshooters from Hartford, Lake County 4-H Aces Gun Club from Madison and Marshall County 4-H Sharpshooters from Britton. According to Hays, this year’s Daisy competition was the largest, with more teams participating than ever before.

Hays said the purpose behind the Pierre Junior Shooters club is to provide safe and correct shooting instruction to the kids. It’s a controlled and safe environment to learn how to shoot as well as compete in local events and national competitions.

“They learn how to compete and be good sportsmen,” Hays said. “It teaches them to be committed…and to have integrity.”

After stating the benefits a club participant can receive, Hays said, “I want to make it understood that kids and guns do go together if they are taught properly. One hundred seventy-five competitors come into a school gym with guns and no one gets hurt.

We are teaching them how to shoot and be safe. It has nothing to do with what is going on in the rest of the country right now.”

Coach Rose Kraft of the Marshall County 4-H Sharpshooters which won the Daisy national competition in 2009, emphasized the importance of safety while teaching kids how to shoot. Then, she pointed out values that the kids gain by staying active in a shooting club.

“They learn how to self-advocate, talk to other groups, prepare themselves and focus,” Kraft said. “We’ve had many people go through the program and they come back with top-notch communication and leadership skills. Overall, this prepares the kids for community leadership positions as adults.”

Darby Knoll is one young leader who competed in the 2017 National 4-H Shooting Sports Championships event held June 25-30, a few days before the Daisy national competition. Knoll represented Charles Mix Electric in Lake Andes, S.D., on the 2016 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Knoll said, “I was honored to represent South Dakota this past week at the national shooting sports competition in Grand Island, Neb., in .22 pistol! It was an amazing trip with amazing people creating great memories!”

About 30 kids represented South Dakota during the national 4-H shooting competition.

They competed in compound archery, recurve archery, air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, .22 pistol and shotgun.

Memories were made and good shots were taken at both competitions this year. After getting home from the 2017 Daisy competition, Kruger said, “We had a great group of kids. They considered each other teammates and family…they really supported each other.”

Kruger also said that the competitions throughout the year taught the kids valuable lessons. He said they learn “important concepts that carry over into life…being able to recover from adverse situations and a bad shot.”

They learn how to compete and be good sportsmen.

It teaches them to be committed and to have integrity.

COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS • August 2017 13

Co-op news

Nominations Petitions

Deadline August 28, 2017

West River Electric members interested in running for the board of directors may pick-up a petition at any of our offices.

Petitions must be filed no later than 5:00 p.m. August 28, 2017.

In accordance with the bylaws of West River Electric a

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nominating committee met in Rapid City on May 30, 2017 to nominate candidates for three district director seats which are open this year.

The following candidates were nominated, one for each District #1 and #3, and 2 nominations were made for District #2. They are as follows: District #1, Jerry Hammerquist District #2, Marsha Simmons & Chuck Sloan District #3, Larry Eisenbraun Members who would like to run for a director position must submit a petition signed by no less than 15 members by 5:00 p.m. August 28, 2017. Petitions must be turned in no later than 40 days prior to the Annual Meeting, which is scheduled for October 7, 2017 this year. The petition may be requested from and returned to any of the offices including Wall, Rapid City, or Enning. Members elected as directors will serve a three-year term on the board. The directors you elect are responsible for establishing direction and policies, assuring member needs and concerns are given fair and timely treatment, and for overseeing the overall financial stability of the cooperative. 817200 Voting will take place October 7, 2017, at the Wall Community Center in Wall, SD. In order to vote, members must be present at the Annual Membership meeting. The notice will be mailed to members prior to the meeting.

Sign Up Fill out and send to: West River Electric Assoc.

Cooperative Connections, PO Box 3486, Rapid City, SD 57709 or drop it in with your payment.

Sign up for:

operation Roundup Budget Billing Pay By Bank Automatic Credit Card Payment I am interested in more information on: Marathon Water Heater Radiant Cove Heat Generlink Special Electric Heat Rate Geothermal & Air-to-Air Heat Pumps Rebates Radiant Floor Heating Demand Response Unit Be sure to include your name and address if you mail this coupon or E mail: veronica. kusser@westriver.coop

west river electric office hours rapid city office 3250 e. hwy 44, rapid city, sd monday-friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm 605-393-1500 wall office 1200 w. 4th ave, wall, sd monday-friday 7:00 am to 5:00 pm 605-279-2135

enerGY tip Setting your thermostat to a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.

Source: U.S Department of Energy

RAM Utilities Will Be Out Testing Poles West River Electric has a contract with RAM Utilities to perform a pole ground line testing and inspection program.

This year WREA will have pole testing in the Wall, Quinn, Interior, Scenic and Wasta areas.

The exact time or date that the crews will be at a particular address cannot be determined. All the vehicles that you see working around or near our poles should be marked with either a WREA Sign or the RAM Utilities vehicles will have a sign on them saying they are contracted by WREA. This will help members identify who is working in the area. 432304 If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact Wayne Shull or Sanden Simons at the Wall office at 279-2135.

A night depository is available at both offices for your convenience.

Service & Billing Questions: Contact 605-279-2135 or 605393-1500 during office hours. You can e-mail us at info@westriver.coop on questions concerning your account.

After Hours Power Restoration: Contact 605-279-2135 in the Wall or Enning areas and 605-393-1500 in the Rapid City area.

Locate Your Account Number

If you locate your account number anywhere in this issue of the Cooperative Connections you will be a winner. There will be five account numbers placed randomly throughout the Connections.

If you spot your account number and notify our office before the 10th of next month, you will receive a $10.00 credit on your next bill.

(USPS No. 675-840)

Our Mission

To inform you about your cooperative and its efforts to serve your energy needs; about how to use electricity safely and efficiently; and about the people who define and enhance the quality of life in communities served by electric co-ops.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer

President Andy Moon, Creighton, S.D. Vice President Stan Anders, Union Center, S.D. Secretary Jamie Lewis, Rapid City, S.D. Treasurer Larry Eisenbraun, Wall, S.D. Directors Howard Knuppe, New Underwood, S.D. Chuck Sloan, Piedmont, S.D. Marcia Arneson, Rapid City, S.D. Jerry Hammerquist, Caputa, S.D. Terry Peters, Wall, S.D. CEO/General Manager Dick Johnson Editor Veronica Kusser WEST RIVER ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CONNECTIONS is the monthly publication for the members of West River Electric Association. Members subscribe to Cooperative Connections as part of their electric cooperative membership for $6.00 a year. West River Electric Cooperative Connections purpose is to provide reliable, helpful information to electric cooperative members on matters pertaining to rural electrification and better living. Nonmember subscriptions are available for $12.00 per year. Periodicals Postageaid at Wall, S.D., and at additional mailing offices. PoStMAStER: Send address changes to West River Electric Cooperative Connections, Po Box 412, Wall, SD 57790-0412. other correspondence to: West River Electric Cooperative Connections, Po Box 3486, Rapid City, SD 57709; telephone (605)393-1500, Exts. 6519, 6517, 6531 or 6522; fax (605)393-0275; e-mail veronica.kusser@westriver. coop.

Call before you dig: All underground cable location requests for the entire state of South Dakota are made through the South Dakota One-Call System. The number is toll free, 1-800-781-7474 (dial 811 instate). You are required to provide this one-call center with information regarding the location where you will be digging, along with a description of the type of work you will be doing. You are required to give at least a 48-hour notice before you dig. The one-call center will then notify all utilities with underground facilities in the area where you will be digging.

cooperative connections • Aug ust 2017 15

Regional Dateline

July 1-October 28 Black Hills Farmers Market Saturdays 8 a.m.-2 p.m., 145 E Omaha St, Rapid City, SD blackhillsfarmersmarket.org July 11-September 19 Black Hills Farmers Market Tuesdays 2 to 6:30 p.m., 145 E Omaha St, Rapid City, SD blackhillsfarmersmarket.org July 13-September 21 Black Hills Farmers Market Thursdays 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

145 E Omaha St Rapid City, SD blackhillsfarmersmarket.org July 22 Black Hills Gem and Mineral Show, Rushmore Hall Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Rapid City, SD, 605-394-4111 July 23 Family Fun Movie Night “Boss Baby” 6 to 10 p.m., Main Street Square, Rapid City, SD 605-716-7979 July 25 Life Inc Summer Speaker Series, Nicole Burdick Community Resources Bethel Assembly of God Rapid City, SD, 605-718-5683 July 27 Damien Gunn Band

Events of Special Note August 11-13 27th Annual Old Fashioned Threshing Show, Humboldt, SD 605-526-3459 or 605-251-9974

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOUTHEASTERN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

July 1-August 25 Story Time at 9 a.m. Friday mornings, for preschool and early school aged children Wall Community Library Wall, SD

September 4 West River Electric will be closed for Labor Day In case of an outage call 605-393-1500 or 605-279-2135

To have your event listed on this page, send complete information, including date, event, place and contact to your local electric cooperative.

Include your name, address and daytime telephone number. Information must be submitted at least eight weeks prior to your event.

Please call ahead to confirm date, time and location of event.

6 to 9 p.m., Main Street Square, Rapid City, SD 605-716-7979 July 28-29 Meade County 4-H Fair, Fair Building across from Sturgis Brown High School, Sturgis, SD 605-347-2436 July 31 Family Fun Movie Night “The LEGO Batman Movie” 6 to 10 p.m., Main Street Square, Rapid City, SD 605-716-7979 August 1 Life Inc Summer Speaker Series, Dr. Mike Keegan Community Resources Bethel Assembly of God Rapid City, SD, 605-718-5683 August 3 Gary West, 6 to 9 p.m., Main Street Square, Rapid City, SD 605-716-7979

August 7 1st Annual Wall Crawl Event Show & Shine Wall Car Care Center, Poker Run Registration Badlands Harley Davidson 35th & Taylor Live Wall Rodeo Grounds, Wall, SD 605-279-2658 August 8 Life Inc Summer Speaker Series, Gayle Thom Community Resources Bethel Assembly of God Rapid City, SD, 605-718-5683 August 10 Little Texas, 6 to 9 p.m., Main Street Square, Rapid City, SD 605-716-7979 August 15 Life Inc Summer Speaker Series, Roy Roberts Community Resources Bethel Assembly of God Rapid City, SD, 605-718-5683

August 17 Randy McAllister, 6 to 9 p.m.

Main Street Square Rapid City, SD, 605-716-7979 August 18 WREA will be tailgating at the New Underwood/Wall football game, 5:30-7 p.m.

New Underwood, SD 605-393-1500 August 18-20 Black Hills Steam and Gas Threshing Bee, east of Sturgis Airport on Alkali Road Sturgis, SD, 605-721-6967 September 7 WREA Appreciation Day at the Enning Shop, 5 to 7 p.m.

Enning, SD, 605-393-1500 September 10 35th Annual Car/Truck/Parts Swap Meet and Car Corral Central States Fairgrounds Rapid City, SD, 605-348-7373