news from your cooperati
www.jayremc.com
Contact us
Local 260-726-7121
toll free 800-835-7362
email
remc@jayremc.com
Office hours
8 a.m.– 4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday
STREET ADDRESS
484 S. 200 W., Portland, IN 47371
MAILING ADDRESS
P.O. Box 904, Portland, IN 47371
Emergency Power Outages
To report a power outage, call 260726-7121 or 800-835-7362, 24
hours a day, 7 days a week.
Be ready to provide the following
information when reporting an
outage:
1. Name under which the electric
service is listed.
2. Map location number.
3. Your phone number in case we
need to call you back.
4. The type of problem you are
experiencing, e.g., flickering lights,
complete power outage, etc.
5. Hang up when all information has
been recorded — other members
may be trying to contact the REMC,
too.
Students learn the importance of safety
F
irst graders at General Shanks and
East elementaries learned valuable lessons about electrical safety
from Jay County REMC personnel during
National Electrical Safety Month in May.
During the school safety programs, REMC
employees stressed the importance of
electrical safety and the dangers associated with electricity.
The school programs touched on the
areas that have become a concern around
the country including:
k Never climb trees near power lines.
k Fly kites in large open areas like a park or a field, safely away from trees and overhead power lines.
k Never climb a utility pole or tower.
k Don’t play on or around pad-
mounted electrical equipment.
staff
Mark Arnold
president/CEO
Dwayne Muhlenkamp
Operations Superintendent
Jeff Myers
assistant operations superintendent
Cindy Denney
Director of marketing and customer services
board of directors
Steven Affolder
Diane Antrim, secretary
Kenneth Denton
Michael Ninde
Richard Paxson
Steven D. Ritchie
Wm. Harold Smith
Ronald Smithson
Thomas L. Zimmerman, chairman
Make sure to enter the prize
drawings located on certain
pages in the magazine!
4 Jay County REMC Lineman Nathan Myers, along
with a little help from son Sam, demonstrates the
personal protective equipment worn by linemen.
Right: Jay County REMC Apprentice Lineman Pete
Byrum, left, and Lineman Ron Fields, behind right,
lift Danielle May, a first grader at East Elementary
and daughter of REMC employee Missy May,
in order for the entire class to see her donned
in personal protective equipment worn by the
linemen.
Electric consumer • july 2013 • ElectricConsumer.org
k Never go in to an electric substation.
k Stay in the car if involved in a car accident where a pole was hit and wires are down.
k Just because a power line is down does not mean that it isn’t energized.
k Call 811 before you dig.
The students also learned:
k Linemen must wear special equip-
ment to work on power lines
k What causes a meter to spin
k Turn off lights when leaving a room to save energy.
Keeping our communities safe is a role
the Jay County REMC takes seriously. We
want everyone to be safe around electricity. Please contact Jay County REMC at
800-835-7362 if you any questions regarding our electrical safety program. …
ive
Sidelines
Courtesy of Jay County Chamber of Commerce & Bearcreek Farms
July 4: Jay County 4th of July Celebration. Jay County Fairgrounds. Food, games, talent
show and more. Parade downtown at 11 a.m. Fireworks at dusk. George Patterson, 260726-9548.
July 4: Museum of the Soldier Exhibit. Industrial Building, Jay County Fairgrounds. 1-8
p.m.
July 6-7 and 20-21: Museum of the Soldier Open. Noon–5 p.m. Jim, 260-726-2967 or
museum@bright.net.
July 1–Aug. 2: Jay County Boys & Girls Club Summer Day Camp. Jay Community Center
Students entering 1st through 7th grades. 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Weekly fees ranging from
$20 to $50, depending on number of days per week. 260-726-6477.
July 8–13: Jay County Fair. Midway rides, demolition derbies, truck and tractor pulls.
Country music performer Hunter Hayes concert on July 10. Admission charge. 888-2822728 or www.jaycountyfair.com.
July 9: Indiana-Sired Fair Circuit Harness Races. Jay County Fairgrounds. 10 a.m. post
time. Free admission. Jane, 260-726-4331.
July 8- 13: Museum of the Soldier. Display at the Jay County Fair in History Tent.
July 13: Rich Little. Bearcreek Farms. 2 and 7:30 p.m. 260-997-6822.
July 13: Arthropod Adverture. Loblolly March. Meet at Loblolly parking lot. 9–11 a.m. Cost
$3 per child. 260-368-7428.
July 18: Joey & Rory. Bearcreek Farms. 2 and 7:30 p.m. 260-997-6822.
July 19: Jay County Lions Marching Band Contest. Jay County Fairgrounds. 7 p.m.
July 20: Hollowblock Monster 12th Annual Benefit Car Show. Tri-State Engine grounds. Registration: 9-11 a.m. Show: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Awards at 3 p.m. Duane Harter, 260-726-3500.
July 20–24: Vintage 41st Motor Bike Show. Jay County Fairgrounds. Largest meet of its kind in
the nation, featuring Cushman motorbikes. Admission charge. Rick Gabbard, 765-584-4047.
July 21: Bluegrass Jamboree. Limberlost Historic Site. 2-4 p.m. Musicians gather to play
bluegrass, gospel and folk music. 260-368-7428.
July 21: Jay County Historical Museum Open House. Sunday, 1-4 p.m. No admission
charge. 260-726-7168.
July 22: Dan’s All-You-Can-Eat Fish/Tenderloin Fry. Sponsored by Jay County 4-H Council. 3-7 p.m. Tractor and Engine Clubhouse across from Jay County Fairgrounds. Advance
tickets, $8 adults (age 13 and up). Purchase advance tickets at WPGW, any 4-H Council
member, Purdue Extension office, and McLaughlin’s/Straley Garage. Day-of-event prices
are $9 adult, $6 child (age 5-12). Children under age four are free. 260-726-4707.
July 26–28: World Baseball Congress Championship. Runkle Miller Field at Jay County
High School. Semi-pro baseball competition. Randy Miller, 260-368-7311; Victor Canales,
260-701-1400; or www.portlandrockets.com.
July 31: Marching Patriots Ice Cream Social. Jay County High School Commons and Football Stadium. Ice cream, 6:30–8 p.m. State Fair performance at 8:30 p.m. Tickets for ice
cream social sold at the door. Kelly Smeltzer, 726-9306, or ksmeltzer@jayschools.k12.in.us.
$50 montHly bill credit drawing!
Name: ___________________________________________
DRAWING WINNERS!
The winner of the $50 monthly bill credit drawing
was Rick N. of Jay County. Fill out the entry form
and you could be the next winner!
Brian O. of Jay County was the winner of the fish
courtesy of Bell Aquaculture.
Jay County REMC
will be closed
on July 4.
In the event of an
emergency, call
260-726-7121 or
800-835-7362.
The employees and
directors of Jay County
REMC wish you a safe and
Happy Fourth of July!
Ene rgy-sav ing tip
Two degrees can make a difference
your
Two degrees can make a big difference on
ees
degr
two
ostat
therm
electric bill. Setting your
er
wint
the
in
r
lowe
and
er
summ
higher in
in a
results in major energy savings. Investing
—
more
even
save
can
ostat
therm
able
programm
your
raise
and
r
lowe
these devices automatically
Find
home’s temperature. Set it and forget it!
.
more ways to save at TogetherWeSave.com
®
ves
— Touchstone Energy Cooperati
Account no.: ___________________________________
Phone no.: _____________________________________
note: To be eligible for the drawing, your coupon and
payment must be in the Jay County REMC office on the
last working day of the month.
ElectricConsumer.org • july 2013 • Electric consumer 5
Jay County REMC life
More than
Nuts & Bolts
by cindy denney
T
rue Value is one of the world’s largest retailer-owned
hardware cooperatives. With about 4,500 independent
retailers, it is creating a compelling shopping experience for consumers, a winning opportunity for entrepreneurial retailers and a rewarding environment for those seeking a
career with a company committed to its customers, growth and
leadership.
A new leader in the hardware business is Jay County REMC
member David Bricker. He purchased Portland True Value
in October 2012 from long-time owner Ken Schwieterman.
Bricker may be the new owner but he is not new to the business. Twenty years ago Bricker worked for Schwieterman
prior to taking a different career path. Now he has come full
circle and returned as the owner of Portland True Value.
Schwieterman now works for him.
“I have always wanted to own my own business and I have
always loved hardware stores,” said Bricker. “We have not made
major changes to the store. We didn’t want people to go into
cultural shock. We want them to still think of the store as their
Portland True Value and not a big box chain store. Ken wanted
the same thing”.
For any D-I-Y project, start it right and start it at Portland
True Value. The store offers more than nuts and bolts. The
store can help you complete any project you can think of,
including offering the best paint.
“I totally believe in the True Value paint line as being the
best product anywhere,” Bricker said.
For over 30 years, the people of Jay County have relied on
the Portland True Value for their hardware needs. It truly is
the hardware store where the employees (all six of them) know
your name. It offers a friendlier atmosphere, less stress and
convenient service.
Speaking of service, I cannot forget to mention that
Portland True Value also offers small engine repair service. If
your weedeater is not eating those weeds, take it to True Value.
The store is ready to tackle any weedeater or other small
engine repairs you need.
Portland True Value is a true value to Portland. It is so
easy to hop in the car and drive a mile (or 2.75 for the Denney
family) to get that little gadget you needed to fix the washing
28 Electric consumer • july 2013 • ElectricConsumer.org
machine, instead of hoping in the car and driving 35 miles to
get that same gadget which will cost you more in the long run.
The convenience of having a local hardware store is priceless.
Bricker admits the advice from his wife, Jenny, has also
been priceless. She encouraged him to pursue a career path
that would make him happy.
He did the same thing for her when she opened Yesterday’s
Treasures, located at 973 S. Meridian St., Portland. Store items
range from A-list movies to Zebra chairs. Store hours are Monday
through Friday, 12:30 to 5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can
also call 260-726-8175 to schedule an appointment.
Next time you need a gadget for that D-I-Y project, check
out Portland True Value first and save yourself time and
money. If the store doesn’t have what you need, it can be
ordered for you and should be ready for pick up in two days.
Portland True Value is located at 1100 N. Meridian St. The
phone number is 260-726-6263 or you can email portlandtruevalue@yahoo.com. Store hours are Monday through
Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday,
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The staff is waiting to show you the True
Value of shopping local first. You can also register to win a $50
gift certificate from Portland True Value on the next page! …
Cindy Denney is director of marketing and customer services for Jay
County REMC.
Portland
True Value
Owner
David
Bricker
helps
customer
Jerry
Vore find
what he
needs to
complete
his
project.
Teenagers face electrical hazards in daily rush
M
ost teenagers would never consider the morning rush before school life-threatening. But some
could be risking their safety or the safety of their
family without realizing it.
Here’s how:
k Using hair dryers, straighteners or curling irons while standing on the wet bathroom floor.
k Jumping out of a shower to check text messages on their cell phone while it’s still plugged in.
k Putting a kitchen knife into a plugged-in toaster to dislodge a stuck bagel or English muffin.
Doing any of these things runs the risk of an electric
shock, fire or even death by electrocution. Everyday electrical appliances and gadgets can be dangerous if not treated
with respect. All it takes is one careless mistake.
Electricity and water make for an especially lethal combination. Bathrooms and kitchens can be high-risk zones,
particularly if you are rushing around trying to hurry out
the door. Always make sure you are completely dry before
using any electrical equipment or switches and never take
electrical appliances like radios, games and rechargers into
the bathroom.
Outlets in these areas should be protected by groundfault circuit interrupters. These simple devices can detect
a problem at the outlet and will cut off electricity in an
instant, protecting against serious injury and burns. While
GFCIs should be there, we shouldn’t trust our lives to $10
devices. Everyone needs to practice responsible electrical
safety.
Win a $50 gift certificate!
Please complete this form to have a chance to win a $50
store gift certificate from Portland True Value.
Name: _____________________________________________________________________
Account no.: ______________________________________________________
Outdoors, teenagers should also
remember to never
touch lights or
electrical gadgets
plugged in while
they are swimming,
wet or standing
on wet pavement
or grass. On the
farm, teens should
know and understand the hazards of overhead
electrical power
lines whenever
raising, lowering
and transporting
grain augers and oversized wagons, combines and other
equipment.
Young drivers should understand the dangers of fallen
power lines. Should they ever leave the road and strike a
utility pole, they should stay in the car until a professional
rescuer or electrical lineworker lets them know it’s safe.
Whenever a vehicle strikes a pole, power lines can dislodge
from their overhead perch and either fall on the vehicle or
drop low enough to be touched. Fallen power lines can still
be fully energized and kill anyone who touches them or
touches whatever the power lines might be touching.
“For teenagers coming into their own — allowed to
make their own decisions and experience their first tastes
of freedom — life is just beginning,” said Cindy Denney,
director of marketing and customer service for Jay County
REMC. “None of us at Jay County REMC want to ever see
a life cut short or challenged with a life-altering injury
through a careless mistake with electricity. No matter how
rushed we all get, we need to keep safety in mind.” …
Sources:
Electrical Safety Council, www.twothirtyvolts.org.uk
Phone: ____________________________________________________________________
to enter: Mail entry to Jay County REMC, P.O. Box 904,
Portland, IN 47371. You may also call 800-835-7362,
ext. 225, or drop off your entry at the REMC office.
Entries can be emailed to denneyc@jayremc.com. The
drawing will be held July 31 at 4:30 p.m.
ElectricConsumer.org • july 2013 • Electric consumer 29