January 2019 Light Reading

Inland Power is my cooperative!

January 2019

LightReading inlandpower.com

g e ti n touch

10110 W Hallett Rd. Spokane, WA 99224 MAIN OFFICE

(509) 747-7151 TOLL FREE

(800) 747-7151 BILLING QUESTIONS

(509) 789-4277 PAYMENT SERVICES

(855) 386-9903 ENERGY CONSERVATION AND REBATES

(509) 789-1801 EMAIL

inlandpower@inlandpower.com

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SOCIAL Inland Power is now on social media!

Inland gives back O

ne of the most joyous experiences during the holiday season is seeing the excitement on young faces as they see what Santa has left for them.

However, for some children, due to family financial struggles, often their Christmas tree is left bare. The folks at Inland Power are working to change that.

Each year Inland Power partners with 2nd Harvest, an organization that focuses on solving hunger issues by bringing communities together. This project began with Inland matching employee contributions totaling $12,000 per year in donations. 2nd Harvest uses that donation to give food to students at Snowdon Elementary who wouldn’t have food over the weekend.

The program is called “Bite2Go.” It is fully anonymous to protect the identity of those in need and each sponsored student has a teacher that sneaks their Bite2Go bag into their backpack during recess.

“Every student who gets a bag of food shares with their family,” said Chris

Sloan, donor relations manager at 2nd Harvest. “They do not only think of themselves but also other siblings who are too young or too old to get Bite2Go.” Inland Power wanted to do more to help these young people. We worked with Snowdon Elementary to create a giving tree program where Inland employees take tags containing Christmas wish lists from students in need at the school.

Employees purchase the items on the list and wrap them for the students to open on Christmas morning. Just like the Bite2Go program, the program is completely anonymous to protect the students receiving the donations.

For Inland Power, powering our community is more than keeping lights on and heaters running. For us, it’s making our communities stronger and more united. It is important for us as a cooperative to be fully invested in the communities we serve. We are extremely pleased to be part of this program to help make our young people’s lives a little brighter.

Inland Power rolls out FlexPay program

COMMUNITY Inland gives back to its youngest members GIVING & CARING Employees reflect on why it’s important to take care of our community

The power of managing residential energy use is in your hands

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needed in order to maintain a positive account status.

Our new FlexPay program is designed with you in mind. It is a great example of responding to the changing needs of those we serve. Residential members can now monitor and manage their energy use with no monthly billing statement and no fees.

You decide when and how often to make payments—and in what amounts. This option offers you freedom, convenience, and a way to keep an eye on your energy use 24/7. You’ll never again have to wonder how much you might owe on your next electric bill. Inland FlexPay puts the power of managing your residential energy use in your hands!

t Inland Power, our members are in control of the cooperative. Why not be in control of your bill as well?

Think of it like the fuel gauge on your car, or like a prepaid card for your cell phone service. After an initial $25 minimum payment to open your Inland FlexPay account, you’ll have the ability to track your daily usage and account balance— online or by phone—adding funds as

We are finding today’s Inland Power members are highly motivated to seek out options that offer greater control, financial flexibility and a way to monitor energy use. Any time of the day or night, Inland FlexPay participants have instant

access to real-time account balance information (calculated daily), including kWh usage, charges and payments via the SmartHub app and web portal.

Inland FlexPay offers a simple way to stay on top of your payment schedule. Once your account balance reaches less than the $25 credit level, you’ll be notified via the method of your choice—either text or email—of the need to make a payment.

Daily notifications will be provided from that point until a payment is received.

It is important to note that in order to enroll in FlexPay, members must have access to a phone and/or computer and should allow for emails and/or texts.

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WE ARE A

member-owned ENERGY COOPERATIVE COMMITTED TO safe, reliable service AT COMPETITIVE RATES.

Why we care

Continued from front When viewing your account online or by phone, Inland FlexPay allows you to review your account in a variety of convenient ways. Once the system collects your data usage trends, you can view each day’s usage and predictions for the future. You can also see how and why a bill might be higher due to your time of day energy usage.

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he holiday season and caring go hand in hand. It is a safe assumption that for many of us the act of caring comes rather naturally, and we rarely look at the act itself as something extraordinary. But in a world that can be harsh and ugly at times, recognition, not for the sake of recognition, but rather as inspiration is needed to maintain a semblance of balance.

Please note that an Inland FlexPay account is subject to immediate disconnection at any time the credit balance falls to zero or below— including weekends, holidays and during extreme weather conditions.

Failure to receive either email or text notifications will not release members from payment obligations or prevent automatic disconnection. Inland’s system processes daily to evaluate for disconnects.

Your FlexPay account can be viewed on your SmartHub app. Check information like your credit balance and daily usage summaries.

may review their account balances online, through the SmartHub app or through our automated phone system.

Acceptable payment methods include credit, debit or eCheck.

Inland FlexPay members are subject to the same rates and charges as other residential members. Monthly service availability charges are prorated and charged on a daily basis. Although you will not receive a monthly billing statement, FlexPay participants

Inland FlexPay members may notify Inland Power to cancel their participation at any time. Conversion to a traditional post-pay account will likely require payment of all applicable fees, charges and a security deposit.

Inland Power has a responsibility to support our members as you work to manage your electrical use and maximize your energy efficiency efforts.

We promise to be here for you, every step of the way.

If you’re interested in participating in Inland’s FlexPay program, contact our member services department at (509) 789-4277 and they will be happy to help.

Your Co-op Connection | Get to know who works for you

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eannie Bigsmoke has been with Inland Power since 2003. Prior to Inland Power she spent four years working for Washington Water Power as a student intern in various departments. She also worked at the American Indian Community Center as a social worker and at a bridal shop selling bridal gowns.

“I love the cooperative model and the fact that we are owned by those we serve, each employee wears many different hats, and is encouraged to learn and take on new responsibilities,” Jeannie said. “No two days are ever the same. Lastly, I love that Inland promotes growth from within.”

Jeannie Bigsmoke

– M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

Outside of work, Jeannie enjoys spending time with family, boating, camping, basketball and powwows.

Lead Operations Assistant & Dispatch

My work family is made up of some of the most caring and generous people I know. I reached out to them to share their stories about caring: “Seven years ago, my family adopted a family whose little girl was born with cerebral palsy. They were friends who have become family and sometimes they need a little extra support.

My wife and I provide for the children of the community not for recognition but because it feels good here (covers heart) and it’s painful to know there are kids in our community who do not have enough to eat or warm clothes. We have to take care of each other, my wife is really good at this and has taught me the same over the years.” ~Anonymous “Time has taught me that the butterfly affect is real, but it’s only realized if you slow down (in this fast-paced impersonal digital world) to feel it. Each person is endowed with a precious gift that they can share, and we should work to enhance our lives and others with our gifts.

I have been lucky enough to learn my gift is understanding energy flow and transference.

A member called us after losing her husband to a long illness. They had been using wood and electricity to heat their home for many years. The member was worried she would not be able to collect and carry the wood or afford the

electric bills if she became dependent upon it as a sole heat source. The home was an amazing thing to behold: it was built entirely of scrap lumber materials or other deconstructed farm structures.

Built on a hillside, there was not a square corner anywhere. Our member was somewhat conscious of her late husband’s creative construction of the home and concerned it would not be a sustainable dwelling. Quite the contrary, I found this beautifully decorated home was a testament to ingenuity and unabashed derring-do.

Together we surveyed the home for all the elements needed to upgrade the heating system to a ductless heat pump that would provide most of the heating at a lower cost and gave some relief from the summer’s heat. We connected her with a contractor and rebate that made the job affordable. This member has sent messages of gratitude over the years and it truly reminds us how we can lessen each other’s burdens with a little caring and sharing of our gifts.” ~Todd Daily lives are busy, and it is easy to lose focus and forget to show care and compassion. The holiday season is a great time to reflect on our many blessings, to be generous with friends, family and strangers; to appreciate the community in which we live. I encourage each of us to continue to be inspired to care for each other every day, all year.

After all, that is the cooperative way!

Cheers to a happy, healthy and caring 2019!

Written by Lindsey Hobbs Energy Services Coordinator Inland Power

Are you a social butterfly?

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ike just about anything else, the point of social media lies in the eye of the beholder.

Social media is a term used to collectively describe a set of tools that foster interaction, discussion and community, allowing people to build relationships and share information.

At Inland Power, we are looking for more ways to reach our members. From energy saving tips and safety information to large outage updates, Inland is officially actively part of the enormous world of social media.

By liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter, you’ll see the latest saving and safety tips as well as receive up-todate information regarding large outages.

We have launched the Facebook and Twitter accounts and plan to launch a YouTube page in the near future.

Stay connected with Inland Power.

Like and follow us today!

facebook.com/inlandpower

@inlandpower