www.marshallremc.com

CONTACT US

OFFICE: 574-936-3161OUTAGES: 866-936-3161FAX: 574-935-4162EMAIL•General inquires: mail@marshallremc.com•Website issues: webmaster@marshallremc.comOFFICE HOURS 8 a.m–5 p.m., Monday-FridaySTREET ADDRESS 11299 12th Road, Plymouth, IN 46563MAILING ADDRESSP.O. Box 250, Plymouth, IN 46563

BOARD OF DIRECTORSRobert Broeker, CHAIRMAN

Dr. Richard Leeper, VICE CHAIRMAN, INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES DIRECTOR

Jon Rettinger, SECRETARY/TREASURER, WABASH VALLEY POWER DIRECTOR

Andy LemlerMikel LargeSteven RobertsStephen Ringer

OUTAGE INFORMATIONIn case of a power failure:1. Check your fuses or breakers.2. Call your neighbors and ask if they have service.3. Have your location number ready.4. Call 866-936-3161.

SERVICE CHARGESIf it is a problem on your end:•$40 (8 a.m.-3 p.m.)•$100 (after 3 p.m.)•Collection charge: $30•Reconnection charge: $40 (8 a.m.-3 p.m.)•Reconnection charge: $100 (after 3 p.m.)•Insufficient funds check: $30

EPA at it again; we need your help

Like us on Facebookwww.facebook.com/Marshall CountyREMC

Follow us on Twitterwww.twitter.com/MarshallCoREMC

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATIVE

I know you have heard many times over the last few months how important it is that you visit Action.coop. I have been asking mem-bers to join us in urging the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider the regulations it wants to

put on our power plants. Those regulations could cost you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars each year on your electric bill.

This month, I’m asking you to help us again.

Earlier this spring, more than 400 Marshall County REMC members sent comments to the EPA on its regulation dealing with new power plants. I can’t thank you enough if you were one of those members. Lucky (or not) for all of us, we are going to need you again this summer to help us send another message to the EPA telling officials there we can’t afford the approach they are taking.

In June, the EPA published another reg-ulation. This regulation is even more dan-gerous to your electric bill because it deals with our existing power plants. These are the power plants that provide power to our membership. Some of these plants use coal to generate electricity, and those will be hit the hardest by these regulations. Coal is one of our most affordable resources for producing electricity, and these regulations will hurt our ability to invest in an all-of-the-above approach that includes all of our resources in the future.

Marshall County REMC and our power

supplier, Wabash Valley Power Association, remain committed to being good stewards of our environment. We continually look for power sources that are both environ-mentally and economically sound. While most of Indiana’s electricity (about 80 percent) is generated by coal, the Wabash Valley Power Association portfolio is about 50 percent. Still, even though we have worked diligently to balance our portfolio, the current EPA plan is a rush to change that will make dependable, reliable elec-tricity more costly for those who can least afford it, our senior citizens and those on fixed incomes.

You should be asking yourself this question: Didn’t I already do this?

Unless you’ve visited Action.coop in the last four weeks, we need your help again. Please take 45 seconds to visit Action.coop and submit a comment to urge the EPA to reconsider its approach to our power plants. Or fill out the form below and send it to our office. Don’t hesitate to let your neighbors and family know we need them, too.

I want the EPA to work with us on regu-lation, not against us. This EPA approach will lead to higher electricity bills for you and your family while having little impact on climate change. I think that we can do better by working together.

The EPA wants to hear from you. Join me and our co-op in making sure your voice is heard at Action.coop.

MARK BATMAN is CEO of Marshall County REMC.

MARK BATMAN

WE NEED YOUR HELP to urge the EPA to balance energy needs with environmental concerns. You can:k Visit Action.coop to submit your comments;k Complete this form and return to Marshall County REMC via bill, fax or email; ork Call us at 574-936-3161 and we will submit your comments.

Name _____________________________________________

Email ___________________________________________

Phone _________________________________________

Comments _________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

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4 ELECTRIC CONSUMER • AUGUST 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org

NEWS FROM YOUR COOPERATIVE

k Non-payment disconnect day: Aug. 7

k Scheduled meter read date: Aug. 10

k Payment due date: Aug. 15

Important dates in August

ElectricConsumer.org • AUGUST 2014 • ELECTRIC CONSUMER 5

Division I Champion: Thad Pletcher, West TownshipDivision I Reserve Champion: Arden Harris, Center TownshipDivision II Champion: Maclain Middaugh, Bourbon TownshipDivision II Reserve Champion: Connor Tracy, Bourbon TownshipDivision III Champion: Kyle Price, Green TownshipDivision III Reserve Champion: Trenton Barnhart, Bourbon TownshipDivision IV Champion: Cameron Riddle, Center TownshipDivision IV Reserve Champion: NoneDivision V and Above Champion: Samantha Poisel, Green TownshipDivision V and Above Reserve Champion: Luke Kepler, Green TownshipDivision V (Electrics) Champion: Branton Leazenby, Center TownshipDivision V (Electrics) Reserve Champion: NoneDivisions 1-3 Jr. Grand Champion: Thad Pletcher, West TownshipDivision 1-3 Jr. Reserve Grand Champion: Kyle Price, Green TownshipDivisions 4-5 Sr. Grand Champion: Samantha Poisel, Green TownshipDivisions 4-5 Sr. Reserve Champion: Luke Kepler, Green Township

4-H Electric program winners

Four local high school seniors-to-be had the opportunity to visit the nation’s capital on a fun-filled trip sponsored by Marshall County REMC.

The state delegations — 1,600 other students from 43 states — spent the week immersed in the culture and history of the United States. Visits included Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns, as well as trips to museums, monuments and other historic sites.

Marshall County REMC representatives Jacob Marohn, Olivia Neese, Nathan Day and Spencer Southwell pose on The Einstein Memorial.

Four local youth visit nation’s capital

Marshall County REMC News

CONNECTING with savingsW e’re always looking for ways

to provide value to our members and our com-

munity, especially during tough eco-nomic times. Marshall County REMC’s Co-op Connections Card is a money-saving tool we’re proud to offer our membership. The card connects you with discounts on everything from hotel stays to prescription drugs.

Looking for a deal on an oil change? How about a discount for your next family meal? Get $10 off a full service oil change at American Tire & Auto Center or 10 percent off any regular price menu item at Blarney Stone Restaurant by showing your Co-op Connections Card.

A wide variety of merchants throughout our community accept the card, including Coffee Lodge & Bakery, Lifeplex, King’s Jewelry and many more! Be sure to present the card at

the register to receive your discount!We hope local businesses par-

ticipating in the Co-op Connections program benefit from increased traffic from Marshall County REMC mem-bers. Businesses can sign up for the program at no cost. For a complete list of all participating businesses in our area, simply log on to our website, www.marshallremc.com, and follow the Co-op Connections Card link.

The card also gives you access to online savings at more than 95 national retailers like Barnes&Noble.com, Hertz Rental Cars, Best Western hotels and ProFlowers.com. You can check out these great national dis-counts at www.connections.coop.

One of the most valuable features of the Co-op Connections Card is the pharmacy discount. While it is not insurance, the discount can mean sav-ings of up to 85 percent off

prescription drugs. The logo and information on the back of your card is recognized at more than 60,000 national, regional and local pharmacies.

The pharmacy discount has been widely used by members of Touchstone Energy® co-ops across the country, resulting in combined savings of nearly $20 million on prescriptions.

We’re eager to answer any ques-tions you have about the card and how to take advantage of the dis-counts it provides.

Find all deals that are near the Marshall County REMC service area by visiting www.connections.coop/co-ops/marshall-county-remc.

Call us at 574-936-3161 to find out more, or log onto www.marshall-remc.com. …

Forget to bring your Co-op Connections Card with you, but still want to receive discounts? No problem, just whip out your phone.

The new, free, Co-op Connections app is available for Apple and Android devices. Once downloaded, the program prompts you to select your co-op, a choice that becomes locked in place.

“The opening screen will have the card front with the option of going to the co-op’s own Co-op Connections website,” explained Jason McGrade, Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives senior Web development and social media specialist.

“If you select the card, the back of the card will display, showcasing the pharmacy discount information.

That can be presented to a pharmacist who can use that information to give the discount if you don’t have your physical card in hand.”

The app features an alphabetized list of the more than 100 national deals the Co-op Connections Card currently offers. “You can select each one and that, in turn, takes you to the deal,” McGrade said. “If it’s an e-commerce deal you click the link provided, or if it’s a coupon code that information is available.”

You can also click to call merchants, as well as the local co-op employee who handles the Connections Card. Another option allows you to save the deal, archiving it to the device.

Get the Co-op Connections mobile app!

28 ELECTRIC CONSUMER • AUGUST 2014 • ElectricConsumer.org

CONNECTING with savings

Keep food cool as temperatures heat up

Summer months are great for grilling. And that means you don’t have to use electricity to operate the oven or stove — or cool a hot kitchen. It’s a great way to be

energy efficient and save, but don’t stop with energy-efficient cooking methods. Consider how you can conserve and save money while cooling those leftovers after the barbecue. Use these simple tips to keep your food — and your bill — cool this summer:

k Fill the fridge. Full refrigerators and freezers don’t have to work as hard to cool the warm air that enters when you open the door. If you are busy freezing fresh vegetables from the garden for winter use, this should be easy. If not, use jugs of water or ice bags in the freezer to keep your fridge full and cool.

k Do some maintenance. When was the last time you moved your refrigerator away from the wall? Last month? Last year? When the deliveryman put it there? Pull the unit away from the wall and spend a few minutes cleaning the coils. When the coils are clean, the refrigerator cycles on and off less, saving you money.

k Wait to put the leftovers away. If those burgers are still hot from the grill, let them cool off a little before you put them in the fridge. Of course, health and safety come first, and you should never consume food that has been sitting out too long, but waiting just a few minutes to put hot food away will mean your fridge isn’t working as hard to cool it down.

k Check your settings. You probably don’t need to keep

your refrigerator and freezer on the coldest settings. Your refrigerator can be set between 36 and 38 F, while your freezer can be set anywhere from 0 to 5 F.

k Shut the door. The more you open the door of your refrigerator and freezer, the more cold air escapes and warm air gets in. Of course you have to open the door to get food in and out, but an organized fridge means less time spent star-ing at mysterious containers and moving pizza boxes around to dig for that much-coveted piece of lemon meringue pie.

Other tips to help you save: k Consider getting rid of that extra fridge or freezer in the

garage. If you aren’t really using it, that old fridge is costing you a few dollars every month to cool a few cans of soda. That adds up throughout the year. Is it worth it?

k If you do decide to get rid of the refrigerator in your garage, or if it’s time to replace the one in your home, don’t just leave it at the dump. Marshall County REMC members who recycle their fridge through JACO can receive a $35 credit. To schedule an appointment for pick up just call 877-395-5535. See the ad below for more information.

k Visit energystar.gov before making a purchase. The refrigerator retirement savings calculator (http://www.ener-gystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=refrig.calculator&) can be a big help, and their advice can help you determine the best, most efficient appliance for you. …

APRIL LOLLAR is a communications specialist at Coast Electric Power Association in Mississippi.

BY APRIL LOLLAR

ElectricConsumer.org • AUGUST 2014 • ELECTRIC CONSUMER 29