It’s
$4,000+ in prizes Includes cash and bill credit prize drawings Election of Directors Bingo
Old friends, new technology, and your voice
We know you have a busy schedule and try to make the most of your time. So why should you spend part of Thursday, Sept. 26 at the Porter County Fairgrounds? That’s the day of our Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting, and we can think of many great reasons to join us.
First, there’s a chance to catch up and have some fun with your friends, neighbors, and the co-op’s staff. Whether you play cornhole or bingo, enjoy listening to songs you know and love from the KellTones, or just sit down for everyone’s favorite pork chops from our friends at Birky’s (followed by dessert from food trucks), you’re going to have a great time for free! Plus, you will get the chance to win some of the $4,000plus in prizes we’re giving away. It’s an open house-style event, so come and go when convenient.
It’s a family event, so bring your kids and grandkids. We will keep them busy with a full slate of activities that include kid-friendly entertainment, glitter tattoos, and balloon twists!
It’s also an excellent opportunity to learn about what the co-op is doing to make your electric service more reliable and affordable. Members have many questions about energy
— and our staff is happy to share facts and help everyone understand what goes into ensuring your power is there when you need it. We’ll also have an interactive display about the time-of-use rate, which is a rate concept that is designed to help us manage power supply more efficiently and allow you to save money. We will share much more on this at the event, so stick around for the business meeting.
Finally, it’s your chance to play an active role in making important decisions about your co-op. Unlike the huge utilities owned by Wall Street investors, your co-op is a nonprofit owned and operated by you and your neighbors. You will have the opportunity to ask questions about issues that matter to you and vote for members representing you and your interests on our board of directors.
Make sure you don’t miss out! Circle Thursday, Sept. 26, on your calendar, and remember to detach the registration card from the back cover to bring with you to the event.
Scott Sears Chief Executive Officer
THERE IS STILL TIME TO VOTE!
You can vote for the board of directors election online until Sept. 23. After that, you can only vote in person at the Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting event on Sept. 26 at the Porter County Fairgrounds. If you wait to vote in person, you will be provided with a new ballot at the event. Anyone who votes will receive a $5 bill credit.
20-23
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West Lafayette
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Don’t forget to contact your local electric utility provider for rebates and incentives!
visit waterfurnace.com
from the editor
An inspiring lady
One of the things I like most about my job is getting the opportunity to meet new people. I have met some interesting people in my short time at Indiana Connection, and Elaine Smith, profiled in our September feature, is no exception.
Elaine and her husband, Tom, came to our office so we could take photos for our feature story about her career in the FBI. After being a teacher for almost a decade, she switched careers and became one of the first female FBI agents in the Chicago bureau. During a tour of our office, she told Kiley (our photographer for this story) and me some stories about that time in her life. Tom was also an FBI agent, and they said Elaine was the first FBI spouse to join the program after marrying an agent. They joked that some people thought her joining the agency would lead to a divorce, but over 50 years later, these high school sweethearts are going strong.
The Smiths have one daughter, and I thought it was amazing that their daughter was 7 years old when Elaine got a break in her case with Ken Eto and Chicago organized crime. She said that although it was a lot to juggle, she and Tom had help from Tom’s mother to make sure everything was covered at home.
Elaine also mentioned that she had a soft spot for people who work with electricity. Her father worked to bring electricity to parts of Kentucky after the Rural Electrification Act in the 1930s. That experience allowed him to become an electrician in Chicago after WWII. Elaine said she will always be thankful for his electrician career because it enabled him to pay for her and her sister to attend college.
The Smiths are warm and engaging, and Kiley and I enjoyed talking to them. I hope you take the time to read our feature inside and feel as inspired by her story as I do.
Britt Davis Editor bdavis@indianaec.org
On the menu: December: “Leftover revamps” — Submit your favorite recipes that utilize leftovers, deadline Oct. 1. If we publish your recipe on our food pages, we’ll send you a $10 gift card.
Giveaway: Enter to win a signed copy of, “A Gun in My Gucci” by Elaine Smith. Visit indianaconnection.org/talk-to-us/contests or send your contact information to the address below. The deadline to enter is Sept. 30.
Three ways to contact us: To send us recipes, photos, letters and entries for gift drawings, please use the forms on our website indianaconnection.org; email info@indianaconnection.org; or send to Indiana Connection, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032.
VOLUME 74 • NUMBER 3 ISSN 0745-4651 • USPS 262-340
Published monthly by Indiana Electric Cooperatives
Indiana Connection is for and about members of Indiana’s locally-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It helps consumers use electricity safely and efficiently; understand energy issues; connect with their co-op; and celebrate life in Indiana. Over 311,000 residents and businesses receive the magazine as part of their electric co-op membership. The average printed and mailed cost per issue is 54 cents.
CONTACT US: 11805 Pennsylvania Street Carmel, IN 46032 317-487-2220 info@indianaconnection.org
IndianaConnection.org
INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OFFICERS: Steve McMichael President Dr. Richard Leeper Vice President
Jamey Marcum Secretary/Treasurer John Cassady CEO
EDITORIAL STAFF: Britt Davis Editor
Holly Huffman Communication Support Specialist
Lauren Carman Communication Manager
Kiley Lipps Graphic Designer
Ashley Curry Production and Design Coordinator
Amber Knight Creative Manager
Mandy Barth Vice President of Communication
ADVERTISING: American MainStreet Publications
Cheryl Solomon, local ad representative; 512-441-5200; amp.coop Crosshair Media 502-216-8537; crosshairmedia.net
Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.
UNSOLICITED MATERIAL: Indiana Connection does not use unsolicited freelance manuscripts or photographs and assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited material.
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
$12 for individuals not subscribing through participating REMCs/RECs.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS:
If you receive Indiana Connection through your electric co-op membership, report address changes to your local co-op.
POSTAGE:
Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send change of address to: Indiana Connection, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032. Include key number.
No portion of Indiana Connection may be reproduced without permission of the editor.
Pick up a cup of
These
recipes add some sizzle to any time of day
was a trailblazer in the
and took on Chicago’s organized crime
Retreat to beautiful Holtkamp Winery for an experience a decade in the making (NOT IN ALL
Budget-friendly ways to lighten and brighten your home
IN ALL EDITIONS)
Elaine Smith, a former FBI agent, visited the Indiana Connection office in July.
Read more about Smith’s extraordinary career and her involvement with card shark and mob-informant Ken Eto in this month’s cover feature.
kvremc.com
CONTACT US
Toll Free: 800-552-2622
Local: 219-733-2511
OFFICE HOURS
7:30 a.m.– 4 p.m. Central Time
Monday-Friday
STREET ADDRESS
8642 W. U.S. Highway 30 Wanatah, IN 46390
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 157, Wanatah, IN 46390
EMERGENCY POWER OUTAGES
Power outages can be reported by calling 800-552-2622 or through the SmartHub app.
KANKAKEE VALLEY REMC STAFF
Scott Sears, Chief Executive Officer
Alissa Tucker, Executive Assistant
Angie Swanson, Office Manager
Amanda Steeb, Communications and Marketing Director
Dave Howell, Facilities Manager
Scott Hanson, Director of Operations
Bri Travis, Director of Engineering
Like us on Facebook facebook.com/KVREMC
Due to the space limitations of this issue, the quiz corner questions will be available online. To enter, scan the QR code or visit kvremc.com.
Putting you in control OF YOUR POWER BILL
It isn't uncommon for us to get asked questions like, "How can I take more control over what I pay for electricity?" or "Are there any ways I can reduce my electric bill?" We understand the need to find these answers because we all have to pay energy bills, too.
One concept that’s getting a lot of attention in the electric power world is time-of-use pricing. People appreciate it because it allows them to adjust their daily activities to keep their energy bills under control.
Time-of-use pricing is based on the fact that wholesale electricity prices are constantly changing. Prices go way up when demand is high, such as on a scorching latesummer afternoon. When demand is lower, like during the overnight hours, prices plummet. It isn’t that the power companies are greedy or trying to take advantage of consumers — it’s that they must buy or generate extra power to meet the demand. The basic economic law of supply and demand says that when demand increases, so does cost.
So, what does that have to do with a business or homeowner like you? Where time-of-use pricing is offered,
what the consumer pays depends primarily on the current market prices. Put in practical terms, people with time-of-use pricing pay more when energy’s expensive and less when it’s cheaper.
Many changes lie ahead in how Americans use and pay for energy. Time-of-use pricing is an example for home and business owners who value being rewarded for making wiser energy decisions. Electric utilities like KV REMC also favor this approach because it enhances their ability to maintain dependable electricity sources. That’s what some call a win-win.
How does that put you in control? Suppose you need to do several loads of laundry. Your clothes dryer will use a lot of electricity, so if you dry your clothes in the morning, you will pay less because prices are lower than if you dry them in the late afternoon or early evening when everyone’s air conditioners are working hard. Stop by our Member Appreciation Day and Annual Business Meeting on Thursday, Sept. 26, at the Porter County Fairgrounds for an interactive display.
Remember to detach the registration card on the back cover and bring it to the Sept. 26 event to be entered into the prize drawings.
SECRETARY-TREASURER REPORT
Your cooperative has stayed on track by investing in the needed replacements and extensions in the electric plant to ensure safe and reliable electricity, with cost efficiency as a priority. Over $14 million was spent on the utility plant, bringing the three-year total to over $40 million. The member assets held equal over $110 million, with over 90% of those being required for the reliable delivery of your electricity. The cash balance increased in the current year, restoring the downfall from the prior year. To ensure rate pressure is as low as
possible, borrowing is used to spread the burden of the needed improvements for the members over the life of the assets being put in place. Member-owned equity in the cooperative totaled $59 million at the end of the period, and $1.7 million of membership equity was issued in retirements in the current period.
The cooperative collected $42 million in revenue in the current year. This was an increase driven by the cost of power production as well as additional plant investments. Operating
expenses were consistent, with small increases driven primarily by the hiring of additional employees to ensure safe and reliable service. The operating margins of the cooperative remained relatively unchanged from the prior year. Total net margins increased due to higher returns from allocations from our cooperative partners, mainly Wabash Valley Power.
The cooperative continues to invest in the necessary plant and personnel to ensure the delivery of safe and reliable energy while also making sure to do it as costefficiently as possible for each member. The cooperative's financial position remains strong.
SOURCES AND USES OF CASH MARGINS
FOR THE YEAR ENDING DEC. 31, 2023
Kankakee Valley REMC has included in this report the financial statements from the year ended Dec. 31, 2023. These financial statements are reported to the REMC’s lenders, as well as our members. Kankakee Valley REMC also has an annual audit performed by London Witte Group, LLC, Certified Public Accountants, for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2023. The audit reports are on file at the REMC office and available for inspection within 120 days after the audit period ends.
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
2023 OPERATING EXPENSES
Additional trucks added!
Member
Appreciation Day
& ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING
Thursday, Sept. 26
Porter County Fairgrounds | 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso Open-Air Building, Enter using Gate 2
ALL TIMES ARE CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT)
4:306:30 p.m. Registration
All onsite director votes must be cast by 6:45 p.m.
4:306:30 p.m. Free dinner
Catered by Birky's Catering
4:307 p.m. Dessert trucks
Desserts by Juliette cupcakes, Piggies & Cream ice cream, Butter and Grace (funnel cake, deep fried Oreos & dapples) and Kona Ice.
4:305:45 p.m. Cornhole tournament registration
Cash prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place!
5-7 p.m. Bingo
Join us for bingo and win some great prizes!
5-7 p.m. KellTones
Acoustic duo playing songs from the 1950s to today’s hits.
5-8 p.m. Kids' entertainment
5:30 p.m. KidBucks Game Show
6:30 p.m. Sheer Magic show
5-8 p.m. Glitter tattoos and balloon twists
6 p.m. Cornhole tournament begins
7 p.m. Business meeting
Hear exciting updates from your co-op leaders, awarding of scholarships to Junior Board of Directors, board of directors election results and prize drawings.
GRAND PRIZE: $2,000
ADDITIONAL PRIZES: 5 $250 bill credits, 4 $100 bill credits, 12 $50 bill credits
Powering through outages
Electric
co-ops
collaborate to ensure reliable electricity serves the community
A flickering light during a thunderstorm may be the first time people think about their electric service.
Fortunately, that flickering light can be a sign that the energy grid is performing as designed — minimizing service disruption to families and businesses.
Few people think about electricity until an outage occurs. Fortunately, many people at your local electric cooperative and the generation and transmission cooperatives serving them are constantly planning and investing in technology to ensure that electricity flows all day, every day. When there is a mishap or outage, they work quickly to resolve the problem — many times without a service interruption to families and businesses. There are several ways that technology supports continuous service and minimal downtime during outages and emergencies.
Real-time monitoring maximizes response time
Electric cooperatives monitor service in various ways to detect issues
immediately. Generation and transmission cooperatives, which manage high-voltage power lines transporting electricity from power plants, also monitor their lines and substations. They can detect issues when they occur and resolve them quickly.
Technology quickens response while ensuring minimal disruption
New technology seems to be everywhere, and that includes the energy grid. Substations, for instance, frequently have multiple transmission lines serving a site. If something unexpected happens, a changeover switch can detect the issue and switch to the alternate line, ensuring continuous service while the issue can be addressed. This can sometimes be the momentary flickering lights that people may notice.
Mobile substations provide service during outages
Generation and transmission cooperatives can dispatch mobile
substations when unexpected incidents require longer repairs. These arrive on-site and provide the electrical service the substation usually offers while the site is offline for service or repairs. The mobile substations can be invaluable to quickly provide service while an emergency repair or maintenance is completed.
From parents’ morning coffeemakers to children’s nightlights, people expect their electrical devices, appliances, and systems to always work. Fortunately, countless people make it their job to ensure that the energy grid can reliably and safely deliver affordable power. They work to help power you through your day.
by TJ Garner COO/Energy Advisor
Fulton County REMC
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county feature
DeKalb County
Known as “The Home of the Classics,” DeKalb County in northeastern Indiana features four automotive museums honoring the county’s rich classic car heritage.
A CENTURY OF PICKLING
The town of St. Joe has celebrated its Pickle Festival every July since 2000. Featuring a variety of activities like a pickle-eating contest and a volleyball tournament, the festival honors Sechler’s Pickle Factory, founded in 1921. Ralph Sechler leased two pickle-receiving stations for farmers to bring their cucumbers, and he initially shipped brined pickles to processors like the D.M. Sears Company in Fort Wayne. After this company went bankrupt during the Great Depression, Sechler and his wife, Anna, began pickling in their home kitchen. As their business grew, they converted their barn into a factory and established Sechler’s Pickles in 1948. Today, the company remains dedicated to traditional pickling methods and continues offering its original 1920s recipes, like its Genuine Dills and Candied Sweet Orange Strip Pickles.
AUBURN’S TIMELESS TREAT
Martha’s Popcorn Stand has been a downtown Auburn staple since the 1940s. Martha Falka, who worked at Auburn Automobile Company, opened her original popcorn business in a restaurant next to Carbaugh Jewelers, which remains on 7th Street in downtown Auburn. When a local car salesman donated his small office space to Falka, her popcorn stand moved in and has been there for over 70 years. The popcorn stand’s current owner, Jordan Yarde, serves fresh buttery popcorn and homemade caramel corn from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, from May to September.
COUNTY FACTS
FOUNDED: 1835
NAMED FOR: Johann de Kalb, a French military officer in the American Revolutionary War
POPULATION: 43,265
REVVING UP HISTORY
Every Labor Day weekend since 1971, the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival celebrates automotive history with an 800-car cruise-in, live music, food trucks, and a collector car auction. The festival collaborates with the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum. Founded in 1974, the museum is dedicated to preserving cars the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenberg motor companies produced in the early 20th century. It is housed in an Art Deco building that was once the Auburn Automobile Company’s headquarters and showroom. It offers seven galleries across three floors with over 120 classic and antique luxurious cars.
COUNTY SEAT: Auburn
INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 17
Auburn
St. Joe
Nicole Thomas is a freelance writer from Indianapolis.
Photo courtesy of Martha’s Popcorn Stand
Photo courtesy of St. Joe Pickle Festival
Photo courtesy of Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival
DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR THE YOUTH POWER AND HOPE AWARDS
OCT. 4
Indiana Connection and Indiana’s electric cooperatives are proud to sponsor the Youth Power and Hope Awards program. Since 2009, the program has annually honored Indiana youth in grades 5-8 for their community service. Past winners’ community projects have included raising money for Riley Hospital for Children and donating toys for its patients, collecting coats for the less fortunate, and providing police officers with stuffed animals to comfort children in crisis situations. Could a communityminded young person you know be one of our next winners? Encourage him/ her to apply!
Up to five qualified candidates will receive $500 and be featured in an upcoming issue of Indiana Connection, among other recognition.
For more information and to complete an application, visit indianaconnection.org/youthpowerandhope The deadline to apply is Friday, Oct. 4.
MARKETPLACE
Our Marketplace offers maximum exposure for your business or organization at a minimal cost.
Please contact Cheryl Solomon, 847-749-4875 or cheryl@amp.coop , for other small business advertising opportunities in Indiana Connection .
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Indiana eats
A purrfect combination
Pick up a cup of coffee and maybe a new furry friend at one of Indiana’s cat cafés
After the first cat café opened in Taiwan in 1998 and became a global tourist destination, they spread like a fertile field of catnip throughout Japan, England, and Canada. The first in the United States opened its doors in California in 2014, acting as a bridge between shelters and new homes for cats. Since then, more than a dozen cat cafés have sprung up across Indiana, offering food, beverages, and plenty of creative activities.
NINE LIVES CAT CAFÉ
1315 Shelby St. #1 Indianapolis, IN 46203 ninelivescatcafe.com
If you didn’t know that a hug around the neck by a gray feline with penetrating green eyes was exactly what you needed, Nine Lives Cat Café in the Fountain Square neighborhood of Indianapolis is the place to discover that it is. Among his adoptable peers, Weeble is the resident “Love Monster.” Nine Lives, opened by father and daughter Eric and Selena Hubbard in 2016 and purchased by Kelley Niiyama in 2020, is the premier cat café in Indiana.
Nine Lives offers cat-themed merch, brewed, iced, bubbly, or blended drinks, and fresh treats from 4 Birds Bakery. It hosts special events, from comedy shows to “Yoga with Cats.” Through its two cat lounges and connections to three shelters to vet adoptive pet parents, around 2,000 cats and kittens have found forever homes through Nine Lives.
BTOWN MEOW CAT CAFÉ
5015 Hwy 46, Unit O Bloomington, IN 47404
btownmeow.com
Along with steaming or icy beverages and purring lap snugglers, Btown Meow Cat Café in Bloomington offers regular and special events like bingo and Kitty Kids Camp. The café was opened in November 2023 by Amber Moore and her daughter, Karrah.
Visitors can view the cat lounge from the coffee shop side with a sweet treat, reserve a spot to socialize with the whiskered little wonders from Bloomington Animal Shelter, or select a gift, from key chains to hoodies, to reflect their love of cats.
CAT LADY CAFÉ
401 E. Colfax Ave., Suite 104 South Bend, IN 46617
catladycafesouthbend.com
Kim Sult, owner of Cat Lady Café in South Bend, estimates that “rescue math” means that two lives are saved with every cat adoption — the one who has found a loving home and the rescued one who will take its place in the cat lounge.
Through her connection with the Humane Society of St. Joseph County, the Cat Lady Café has helped create more than 120 new cat parents since March 2023.
Human guests can enjoy lemonade blends, flavored lattes and brews from Bendix Coffee Roasters, baked treats from Thistle & Knead Gluten Free Bakery and The Cakery, and regular and special events, from “Crochet with Cats” to bingo, mini golf, and “Cat Chats” with local veterinarians.
Weeble, the resident "Love Monster" at Nine Lives Cat Café
THE REGION CAT CAFÉ
281 W. 80th Place
Merrillville, IN 46410 theregioncatcafe.com
With her close friend, Chef Jason, and foster-based rescue, Second Chance 4 Pets, The Region Cat Café owner Linda Ramos has helped over 400 cats find new homes since December 2021.
Chef Jason freshly makes soups, desserts, and signature sandwiches — like croissant chicken salad and roast beef with caramelized onions — daily. A beverage menu offers specialty hot or iced coffees, cold and warm drinks, and even beer and wine. Events have included painting with cats, a book club, and a free class on safe essential oils for cats.
Veni Fields is a journalist and freelance writer from Virginia Beach.
The lounges within the cat cafés may have age restrictions and fees. Check out their websites and social media accounts for detailed information and photos of prospective adoptees.
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safety
Be safe around electricity when moving farm equipment
As harvest season ramps up in Indiana, farmers and their crews are busy moving equipment to and from the fields. This increased activity, however, raises the risk of accidents, especially involving electricity, cautioned Jon Elkins, vice president of safety, training and compliance at Indiana Electric Cooperatives.
“Combines and grain augers are large pieces of equipment,” said Elkins. “People assume everything
will fit under the power lines, but that isn’t always the case. The biggest cause of electrocutions on farms is equipment accidentally touching power lines.”
To prevent such dangerous incidents, Indiana Electric Cooperatives offers the following safety guidelines:
• Observe your surroundings. Always check above and around before moving or raising equipment. Remember, power lines can sag, especially in hot weather. Maintain a minimum clearance of 10 feet from all power lines and poles.
• Never try to raise power lines to allow tall equipment to pass through. Even non-metallic objects like wood poles or branches can conduct electricity.
• Be cautious around power poles. Striking a pole can cause it to break and drop live wires onto your equipment.
• Lower equipment properly. Ensure that equipment like grain augers and other portable equipment are fully lowered before transporting.
• Use a spotter. When navigating near power lines, having a spotter can enhance safety by providing an extra set of eyes.
• Plan your route. If there's any doubt equipment will clear a power line, opt for an alternative route.
• Stay put in emergencies. If you’re in equipment that touches power lines, stay in the cab and call for help. Tell others to stay away. In the rare case of a fire and an emergency exit is necessary, jump clear without touching the ground and the equipment simultaneously, then shuffle with both feet together for at least 30 feet to avoid electrical shock.
“Working the land has enough hazards in the work itself,” said Elkins. “With care and planning, moving to and from the fields shouldn’t be one of them.”
Knowledge is power
Anyone who operates farm equipment and augers should be educated about safe operating procedures and hazards, including the possibility of coming in contact with electric lines. Be alert when you’re at work!
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Bring home the bacon
Bacon adds some sizzle to any time of day with these dishes
ROASTED POTATO SALAD
Doris Anne Kahlert, Berne, Indiana
4 cups red potatoes
Vegetable oil or cooking spray
2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
6 slices of bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
¼ cup onion, finely chopped
½ to 1 cup of mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 325 F. Scrub the potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces, leaving the skins on. Roast on a lightly oiled baking sheet until tender, about 40 minutes. Cool.
Mix potatoes with eggs, bacon, onion, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper to taste. Chill thoroughly.
SPINACH QUICHE
Patricia Piekarski, Harvey, Illinois
BACON-WRAPPED CHICKEN BITES
Jon Elkins, Martinsville, Indiana
1 store-bought pie sheet, single crust, bake as directed
½ cup onion, chopped
6 slices of bacon, chopped
8 eggs, beaten
½ cup sour cream
½ cup milk
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of pepper
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
2 ⁄ 3 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup Swiss cheese, shredded
In a skillet, cook onion and bacon until crisp, then drain. In a bowl, stir together eggs, sour cream, milk, salt, and pepper. Stir in onion mixture, spinach, and cheese. Pour the egg mixture into the hot baked pie shell. Bake 325 F for 45 to 50 minutes or until firmly set. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
1 lb. thick sliced bacon
4 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 ⁄ 3 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 ⁄ 3 cup Franks hot sauce or to taste
Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix together the brown sugar, chili powder, and hot sauce. Marinate the chicken in the sauce while cutting the bacon strips in half to fit the chicken pieces. Wrap the bacon around the chicken.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.
Elaine Smith’s face holds a thousand secrets, but one would never know it at first glance. Sitting unassumingly on a couch next to her greatest cheerleader and husband, Tom, one would think she’s sailed smoothly into retirement after a relatively docile life.
The Smiths took some time to discuss her life on an early May morning from their home in Carmel, Indiana, before heading to Chicago to consult on a movie based on her life and book, “A Gun in My Gucci.” The book chronicles her early career as one of the FBI’s first female agents and her relationship with the mobster
with whom she ultimately took down organized crime in Chicago.
Smith, one of the most prolific and accomplished women in FBI history, does not prefer the spotlight. She has been a most humble servant of the agency and does not take a single accolade she’s earned for granted.
FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TO THE FBI
In 1979, Smith was an elementary school teacher. She followed Tom, an FBI agent, around the country, picking up teaching jobs each time he was reassigned. When the couple learned the FBI was recruiting female agents, her husband encouraged her to join.
“Tom said women are starting to come into the forces, and I think you would be really good,” Smith remembered.
With the unwavering support of her partner and high school sweetheart, and after over a decade as a teacher, Smith applied to become an agent.
According to Smith, the road to the position that would forever impact her life and country was decidedly tricky.
“When I joined the FBI,” Smith said, “there were so few women. In fact, in Chicago, there were six of us out of maybe 250 men, and they were not [our] friends. Most of them didn’t think that women would make very good agents.”
After earning her stripes at Quantico with only a handful of other women, Smith set out to take on organized crime.
THE RIGHT KIND OF CONFIDANTE
Lacking confidence that she would be effective in her position, her supervisor assigned her an “old dog,” a cold case passed around from agent to agent but never solved. The subject of the case was Ken Eto, a JapaneseAmerican card shark who ran gambling operations all over Chicago.
Smith had made his acquaintance three times, introducing herself and chatting with him as an exercise in “getting out there” to talk to potential
informants. After a botched mob hit where Eto was shot in the head three times and survived, Smith was the only one to whom Eto would talk.
With nothing else to lose, Eto declared he was the property of the FBI and that he would spill everything he knew, but only to Smith. During that time, she came to know Eto, gathering binders full of information that demolished every level of organized crime in Chicago.
During the True Crime Cases podcast with Lanie Hobbs on Aug. 3, 2020, Smith shared she was not afraid to take on such a dangerous position due to her experience as a
schoolteacher in Chicago during the city’s infamous race riots.
She shared that nothing, unfortunately, could have been more disturbing than some of the things she saw in Chicago during such a tumultuous time. She even had her mobile 4thgrade classroom burned to the ground by rioters.
Smith also explained that as a young lady living in Chicago, she narrowly escaped a kidnapping, which she said helped her begin to hone in on and commit details like license plate numbers and car makes and models to memory.
continued on page 22
continued from page 21
Though she found that experience particularly jarring, it helped prepare her for such a unique and demanding career.
However, she said that as an agent, she had been smart enough to avoid physical conflict.
“I hopefully always presented myself as friendly and approachable and not in an antagonistic way. And I think my husband taught me that,” she said. “I thought they would always know that you have the upper hand, you’re the one with the gun, you’re the FBI agent, you have backup. You have no reason to be arrogant or act like a jerk.”
Her relationship with Eto, over time, also took on tender notes.
“I was like his daughter,” she said. “He treated me wonderfully. I felt very beholding to try to take care of him.”
Smith advocated for Eto to receive a benefit to help him survive after his ordeal with the mob, which he was later awarded.
“When he passed away, I was unable to attend his funeral, but I wrote a memorial for him telling his family that they will never really know what he did to provide justice.”
Being handed the previously unsolvable Eto case was fortuitous for Smith.
“When you solved an old dog,” Tom explained, “it’s really kind of a badge you wear. You solved the case.”
Solving that case propelled her to unprecedented success as a female in the agency, leading to multiple awards and eventually to her expert status in financial fraud and money laundering.
“They did recognize her quite a bit,” Tom explained. “She had a supervisor who completely backed her.”
“For some reason, I developed an ability to follow money,” Smith said.
“I became qualified as an expert in money laundering. I had a real interest in banking and flow.”
“Then they wanted her to go to Boston when they were doing the Whitey Bulger investigation,” Tom added. “And she declined because she didn’t want to move around.”
The couple had one daughter, Kim, now 52, and vowed to provide stability for her, so they declined cases that would take them away from home.
A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE 9/11 INVESTIGATION
Smith took on a significant role after Sept. 11, 2001. After the attacks on the Twin Towers, she was tasked with reconstructing the financial histories of the 9/11 terrorists.
She explained that she was supervising a team of 26 during the attacks. She told her team that no one was leaving — they would work night and day until the case was solved. She recalls this period as cooperative but highly stressful.
The case — and the event — took such an enormous emotional toll on her that she did not truly feel it until much later.
Ken Eto walks out of the hospital under federal protection after the murder attempt.
“I didn’t realize actually how traumatic it was for me until a year later,” Smith said. “I was giving a speech, and I was talking about it, and I burst out crying. I think probably the most traumatic experience I ever had was working on that case and trying to solve it.”
Smith shared that at that time there was no training on how to endure some of the more difficult aspects of being an FBI agent.
“Nobody trained us for 9/11,” she said. “Nobody trained you to see a dead body. Nobody trained you for when one of your informants is shot three times, rolled in a rug, thrown in an alley, and set on fire. No one can ever train you for that.”
She credits her husband and her social network for helping her through. In 2022, after 22 years of service to the FBI, 15 of which served concurrently with her husband, Smith retired. Since then, she has been invited to various speaking engagements to discuss her life in the agency, what it was like to be a trailblazer in her field, and to encourage women never to give up on their dreams.
“Women should not be reticent about trying, becoming an FBI agent, or tackling different professional positions. You can always try to work it
Smith said.
A MOVIE DEAL IN THE WORKS
The Smiths have been working with movie producer Donna Gigliotti since 2015 on a movie based on “A Gun in My Gucci.” Gigliotti is known for her work on Silver Linings Playbook (2013), Hidden Figures (2016), 80 for Brady (2023), and Shakespeare in Love (1998), for which she earned an Academy Award, among others.
Smith will continue to provide consultation on the film and help groom actors for their roles. She is hopeful the movie, which will be released commercially, will come to fruition this year.
“I’m very grateful to have the book come to life on the screen,” she said.
When asked if she would make a cameo, Smith noted that she was too shy to appear in the film.
Gigliotti told Ann Marie Shambaugh of Current Publishing in January 2023,
“Elaine’s story is amazing. I was struck by what a pioneer she was within the FBI ranks in the 1980s. Add to that her unlikely alliance with Ken Eto — that these two outsiders managed to bring down some of Chicago’s biggest mobsters — it’s a movie, for sure.”
After a storied career as one of the country’s first — and top — female FBI agents, Smith has shifted her focus to simpler things. She and her husband, both 79, enjoy spending time with their two granddaughters. The oldest is a senior at Indiana University, and the youngest is a freshman in high school.
She shared that the most important lesson she’s learned on this journey was to remain grounded in what is important.
“Your family and dear friends are the most important things in life,” she said. “All the rest of it you can deal with, but they should always be number one on your agenda.”
“A Gun in My Gucci” is available wherever books are sold.
out if you have the right management,”
Smith receives her FBI credentials from her husband, Tom, who was an agent himself.
Smith in one of her classrooms in 1973. She worked as a teacher for over 10 years before joining the FBI.
Doctor urges seniors to carry medical alert device
Seniors snap up new medical alert device that comes with no monthly bills
People don’t always do what their doctor says, but when seasoned veteran emergency room physician, Dr. Philip B. Howren, says every senior should have a medical alert device, you better listen up.
“Seniors are just one fall away from being put in a nursing home,” Dr. Howren said. “With a medical alert device, seniors are never alone. So it keeps them living independently in their own home. That’s why seniors and their family members are snapping up a sleek new medical alert device that comes with no monthly bills ever,” he said.
Many seniors refuse to wear old style help buttons because they make them look old. But even worse, those medical alert systems
come with monthly bills.
To solve these problems Universal Physicians, a U.S. company went to work to develop a new, modern, state-of-the-art medical alert device. It’s called “FastHelp™” and it instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
“This slick new little device is designed to look like the pagers doctors wear every day. Seniors love them because it actually makes them look important, not old,” Dr. Howren said.
FastHelp is expected to hit store shelves later this year. But special newspaper promotional giveaways are slated for seniors in select areas. ■
■ NO MONTHLY BILLS: “My wife had an old style help button that came with hefty bills every month and she was embarrassed to wear it because it made her look old,” said Frank McDonald, Canton, Ohio. “Now, we both have FastHelp™, the sleek new medical alert device that our grandkids say makes us look ‘cool’ not old,” he said. With FastHelp, seniors never have to worry about being alone and the best part is there are no monthly bills ever.
Seniors born before 1956 get new medical alert device with no monthly bills ever
It’s just what seniors have been waiting for; a sleek new medical alert device with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help with just the push of a button for a one-time
The phone lines are ringing off the hook.
That’s because for seniors born before 1956, it’s a deal too good to pass up.
Starting at precisely 8:30am this morning the Pre-Store Release begins for the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp™ One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever.
“It’s not like old style monitored help buttons that make you talk to a call center and only work when you’re at home and come with hefty bills every month. FastHelp comes with state-of-the-art cellular embedded technology. That means it works
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■ FLYING OUT THE DOOR: Trucks
(Continued from previous page)
at home or anywhere, anytime cell service is available whether you’re out watering the garden, driving in a car, at church or even hundreds of miles away on a tour or at a casino. You are never alone. With just a single push of the One-Touch E Button you instantly get connected to free unlimited help nationwide with no monthly bills ever,” said Jack Lawrence, Executive Director of Product Development for U.S. based Universal Physicians.
“We’ve never seen anything like it. Consumers absolutely love the sleek new modern design and most of all, the instant rebate that practically pays for it and no monthly bills ever,” Lawrence said.
FastHelp is the sleek new medical alert device with the best of combinations: a quality, high-tech engineered device that’s also an extremely great value because there are no monthly bills ever.
Better still, it comes with no contracts, no deposits and no monthly bills ever – which makes FastHelp a great choice for seniors, students and professionals because it connects to one of the largest nationwide networks everywhere cell service is available for free.
And here’s the best part. All those who already have an old style monitored medical alert button can immediately eliminate those monthly bills, which is why Universal Physicians is widely advertising this announcement nationwide.
“So if you’ve ever felt a medical alert device was too complicated or expensive, you’ll want to get FastHelp, the sleek new medical alert device with no monthly bills,” said Lawrence.
The medical alert device slugfest was dominated by two main combatants who both offer old style monitored help buttons that come with a hefty bill every month. But now Universal Physicians, the U.S. based heavyweight, just delivered a knockout blow sending the top rated contenders to the mat with the unveiling
of FastHelp. It’s the sleek new cellular embedded medical alert device that cuts out the middleman by instantly connecting you directly to highly trained 911 operators all across the U.S. There’s absolutely nothing to hook-up or install. You don’t need a land line and you don’t need a cell phone. Everything is done for you.
“FastHelp is a state of the art medical alert device
designed to make you look important, not old. Old style monitored help buttons you wear around your neck, or require expensive base station equipment or a landline are the equivalent of a horse and buggy,” Lawrence says. “It’s just outdated.”
Millions of seniors fall every year and spend hours lying on the floor helpless and all alone with no help.
But seniors who fall and get immediate help are
HOW TO GET IT:
IF BORN BEFORE
much more likely to avoid getting sent to a nursing home and get to STAY living in their own home independently. Yet millions of seniors are still risking their safety by not having a medical alert device. That’s because seniors just can’t afford to pay the monthly bills that come with old style medical alert devices.
That’s why seniors born before 1956 are rushing to
cash in the whopping $150 instant rebate before the 21 day deadline ends.
So there’s no need to wait for FastHelp to hit store shelves later this year because seniors born before 1956 can get it now just by using the $150 instant rebate coupon printed in today’s newspaper before the 21 day deadline ends. If lines are busy keep trying, all calls will be answered. ■
IF BORN AFTER 1956: You cannot use the rebate coupon below and must pay $299 Call: 1-800-330-9423 DEPT. HELP8312
THE BOTTOM LINE: You don’t need to shop around. We’ve done all the leg work, this deal is too good to pass up. FastHelp with the instant rebate is a real steal at just $149 and shipping and there are no monthly bills ever.
PROS: It’s the sleek new medical alert device that comes with the exclusive FastHelp One-Touch E 911 Button that instantly connects you to free unlimited nationwide help everywhere cell service is available with no contracts or deposits. It connects you to the vast available network of cellular towers for free and saves seniors a ton of money because there are no monthly bills ever making this deal irresistible. Plus it’s the only medical alert device that makes seniors look important, not old.
CONS: Consumers can’t get FastHelp in stores until later this year. That’s why it’s so important for seniors born before 1956 to call the National Rebate Center Hotline within the next 21 days. For those who miss that deadline, the sleek little medical alert device will set you back over $300 bucks.
PROFESSIONAL PROGRESSION:
FAST TRACK TO ENGINEERING AND LEADERSHIP SUCCESS
When Ryan Stuthers was pursuing an electrical engineering degree at Anderson University, he wasn’t sure what type of electrical engineer he wanted to be. “There are a lot of avenues you can take in that career field,” he said.
Though he was exposed to most avenues, one he had never heard about was electric cooperatives. “I had no idea what an electric co-op was,” the Terre Haute native admitted. But passing through a career fair on campus his junior year, he ran into Ann Mears, careers and youth partnerships director at Indiana Electric Cooperatives.
That day, Mears introduced Stuthers to Indiana’s electric cooperatives. “I thought it was a fascinating concept and couldn’t believe I didn’t know anything about it.”
Their brief conversation led to followup emails and phone calls. Those led to a job shadowing opportunity at WIN Energy REMC and his “a-ha” moment. “They gave me an overview of not just co-op-specific things but all of the concepts that fall within the realm of distribution engineering, all of the technologies and their history and how it’s advancing,” he said. “What piqued my interest the most was connecting theory — the vast array of electrical engineering concepts from various college classes — to real-world application.”
Hardly a month after graduation, Stuthers was hired as Tipmont’s distribution engineer. Today, he’s the distribution system engineering supervisor. Like most jobs at electric
cooperatives, his positions covered many broad areas and have allowed him to pursue his diverse interests in electrical engineering concepts. The positions also gave him responsibility over engineering and advancing technology, which was unique among his college classmates who took other paths.
Stuthers said there’s never a dull moment. “When I first started, I think I can almost quote myself saying something naïve along the lines that I will have this job figured out in a year. I was very wrong. Because there continues to be new things to learn and new challenges.”
With his latest position, he said, “I’ve taken on a leadership role. You have to be able to communicate with lots of different people. Whether that’s people in member services, operations, other personnel in the office, or members. You must interact and engage with those people and be able to explain concepts that are pretty difficult to explain.”
Looking back, he noted that’s one aspect of his liberal arts university education he wasn’t sure he would use. Despite being on an engineering track, his professors emphasized the importance of communication, leadership skills, and empathy. Like all the engineering concepts, those skills serve him well today, too. “It’s crazy I’ve found myself in a position that emphasizes that so much — along with the technical expertise. The co-op is like a fast track to building interpersonal and leadership skills.”
Your home is a good fit for Well-Connect system if: You Have a Well. You heat your home with propane, fuel oil, electricity, or wood.
Your home has ductwork or room to add ductwork.
A winning lottery ticket Trades
career paths available amidst nationwide worker shortage
Before conducting home energy audits as LaGrange County REMC’s Energy Advisor, Jake Taylor was involved in building houses — from breaking ground to handing the keys to the new homeowner. He also taught a trades class to many of the young builders working on them and showed them the potential of a career.
Taylor spent more than a decade teaching at Fremont High School and Impact Institute, which teaches high school students a variety of trades. The lessons included carpentry, framing, heating and cooling,
plumbing, and electrical work. Other trades, including welding, were also part of the program. The lessons involved learning by experience, with students helping to build houses from beginning to end.
“I’ve got several kids in my programs that have gone on to become electricians making six figures right now,” Taylor said. “Same with plumbers and others. They are doing really well.”
The program provided a career pathway for many students interested in the trades, filling a significant need.
The Home Builders Institute (HBI)
reported last year that by 2026, more than 2 million new skilled construction workers will be needed.
“Sometimes students didn’t like to sit and study or read a book, but they could work with their hands in an amazing fashion,” Taylor said. “When those kids get in those circumstances when they can work with their hands and build something, it was something that they took pride in.”
In its spring report, HBI cited data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program showing that half of payroll workers in construction earn more than $58,500, while the top quarter makes at least $76,980. Both are well above the U.S. median wage and the top quartile range.
The construction workforce shortage appeared following the 2008 home mortgage crisis when many people left homebuilding and related trades, said Brian Kerkhoff, president of KA Components and chairperson of workforce development for the Builders Associations of Greater Lafayette. The shortage has grown as high school graduates pursued college or careers outside the construction or trades industries.
“We call it a winning lottery ticket,” Kerkhoff said of a career in the construction industry. “Turn in your ticket, if you will, at one of many companies building our communities with the potential to achieve a successful and gratifying career.”
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF MEMBERS OF THE KANKAKEE
VALLEY RURAL ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION,
INC.
SEPT. 28, 2023
The 2023 Annual Meeting of the membership of the Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation was held at the Porter County Expo Center in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana, on the 28th day of September, 2023. A catered meal was served to the members beginning at 4:30 p.m. CST by REMC employees and Board members. Live music was presented on the indoor stage beginning at 5 p.m. The business meeting was scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. CST, pursuant to notice provided to each member of the Cooperative. The business meeting included the announcement of board members for a new three-year term, and prizes were awarded.
A copy of the proof of mailing of the Notices and the Secretary’s Affidavit is appended as EXHIBIT A at the end of these minutes and was included in the member program distributed to each member who appeared and registered at the meeting.
The business meeting opened, and the first matter of business was the
consideration of the notice of the meeting. The reading of the Notice of the Meeting to Members as provided in Bylaw Art. III Sec. 3, was waived and dispensed with after a motion duly made and seconded carried on a unanimous vote. The next item on the agenda was the reading of the minutes of the 2022 Annual Meeting. On motion duly made and seconded, the membership resolved to waive the reading of the minutes. Then, on motion duly made and seconded, the minutes of the 2022 Annual Meeting were approved as printed in the program, on vote. A count of the members present for the meeting showed that a quorum was reached pursuant to Bylaw Art. IV Sec. 4(d). A total of 695 members appeared in person at the Annual Meeting.
The membership was advised at the Annual Meeting that two directors’ seats were up for election at this Annual Meeting for terms of three years each or until their successor shall be duly elected and qualified. The candidates were selected by obtaining
EXHIBIT A
nominations by petition pursuant to the cooperative's bylaws.
Because there was only one eligible member running for each of the two board seats, in accordance with Bylaw Art. IV, Section IV, no vote was held, and each board candidate was elected by motion made and duly seconded by the members at the Annual Meeting. On motion duly made and seconded, Mike Yankauskas was duly elected to the position of Director of District 4 for the ensuing three years. On motion duly made and seconded, Russell Guse was duly elected to the position of Director At Large for the ensuing three years.
CEO Sears announced prize winners, which included anyone whose registration card was selected regardless of whether or not the member was present at the time of the drawing.
The chairman called for any other business or new business to be brought to the membership's attention; there being none, the meeting was duly adjourned.
Secretary’s Affidavit of Mailing of the Notice of the 2023 Annual Meeting State of Indiana, County of LaPorte
I, Bill Bohling, being first duly sworn, upon his oath deposes and says: That I am the duly elected and qualified Secretary of the Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Corporation, hereinafter called the Cooperative.
That on the 1st day of August 2023, I had mailed to each member-consumer of the Cooperative, to the addresses as they appear on the records of the Cooperative, a notice of the Annual Meeting of the member-consumers to be held on September 28, 2023, by deposing such notice with postage prepaid thereon and addressed as aforesaid in the United States mail. The total number of member-consumers receiving notice of the Annual Meeting on said sate was 17,052.
Secretary, before me this 1st day of August.
Notary Public County of Resident, LaPorte My commission expires February 2030.
OPERATION ROUND UP YEAR IN REVIEW
Returning $78,000 to the community
At Kankakee Valley REMC, community is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that to receive support, we must first give it. Our mission is to provide financial aid to schools, first responders, community service organizations, and many others who share our commitment to enhancing our community's well-being.
As Operation Round Up celebrated its 23rd year, we sincerely thank our members for their generous monthly donations. This program has now contributed over $1.7 million to local nonprofits.
2023
OPERATION ROUND UP GRANT RECIPIENTS
Coalition Against Domestic Abuse
Family House
Hope Restored Recovery Home
Knox Community School Corp.
LaCrosse Volunteer Fire Dept.
LaPorte County Symphony
Morgan Township Volunteer Fire Dept.
Pleasant Township Pool
Porter Township Volunteer Fire Dept.
Porter-Starke Services
Rebuilding Together Hebron
Shults-Lewis Child & Family Services
South County Love Your Neighborhood
St. Thomas Aquinas Conference of St. Vincent DePaul Society
St. Vincent DePaul-St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Conference
The Caring Place
Tri-Township Consolidated School Corporation
FOOD PANTRIES:
Community Services of Starke County
Hebron Country Pantry
North Judson United Methodist Church
Food Pantry
Pulaski County Human Services
SC Weekend Food Program
St. Vincent DePaul-Holy Spirit Church
St. Vincent DePaul Society
Supplemental United Pantry
The Christian Community Pantry
The Church of Jesus Christ
Pleasant Township Pool
LaCrosse Volunteer Fire Dept.
Knox Community School Corp.
EAT INDIANA TURKEY
Every day Your Indiana Turkey Farmers work hard to bring you the best turkey products on the market. Visit IndianaTurkey.com to learn more about turkey production in Indiana and get turkey recipe inspiration for your late Summer grilling and Fall season tailgate parties. Can you find the bolded words in the puzzle?
Turkey is versatile, with a wide range of cuts and products available, such as ground turkey, turkey sausage, and turkey breast, it’s easy to incorporate turkey into any meal.
Turkey is healthy, an outstanding source of protein and B vitamins for your family.
Turkey is tasty, the perfect protein for your favorite spice, sauce or rub.
Indiana ranks fourth nationally in turkey production, raising over 20 million turkeys in the state each year.
Hoosier turkey farmers take great pride in raising healthy birds that eat a diet of corn and soybeans grown right here in Indiana.
commercial turkey farm
Indiana.
the QR Code to see the completed word search puzzle.
DETACH THIS CARD.
THIS IS YOUR OFFICIAL REGISTRATION CARD.
DO NOT THROW IT AWAY!
Please bring this card with you to the Member Appreciation Day/ Annual Business Meeting at the Porter County Fairgrounds, 215 Division Road, Valparaiso, IN, on Thursday, Sept. 26.
This registration card certifies that you are a Kankakee Valley REMC memberconsumer and entitles you to be entered into the prize drawings to be held at the 2024 Member Appreciation Day and Annual Meeting event on Sept. 26 at the Porter County Fairgrounds, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso, IN.
MEMBER SIGNATURE
This card will be used for the prize drawings. The registration table will close at 6:30 p.m. CDT. No registrations will be accepted after that time. Members must register at the event to be eligible for prize drawings. You do not need to be present to win prizes.
THIS IS YOUR OFFICIAL REGISTRATION CARD.
Please bring this card with you to the Member Appreciation Day/ Annual Business Meeting at the Porter County Fairgrounds, 215 Division Road, Valparaiso, IN, on Thursday, Sept. 26.
Do not throw this card away! Tear it off and keep it. It’s your ticket to the Annual Meeting.
Five reasons
to attend the KV REMC ANNUAL MEETING
All who attend will receive a 7 Day Programmable Digital Timer with Dual Outlet. Anyone who votes will receive a $5 bill credit.
Good food
Birky’s Catering is returning to serve mouth-watering chops. Plus, we have added extra dessert trucks! You can enjoy funnel cakes, deepfried apples, and deep-fried Oreos by Butter and Grace, ice cream by Piggies & Cream, Kona Ice, and cupcakes by Desserts by Juliette.
Entertainment
The Kidbucks Game Show at 5:30 p.m. and the Sheer Magic Show at 6:30 p.m. will entertain the kids. The KellTones will perform live from 5 to 7 p.m.
Bingo
Win some great prizes by playing a fun game of bingo with your friends and neighbors.
Updates
Hear updates from your co-op leaders, the results of the board of directors election, and the presentation of scholarships to the Junior Board.
Cash Prizes
Over $4,000 in cash and bill credit prizes will be awarded to member-consumers who attend. There will also be prizes for kids!
