MAY 2018

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Bright ideaDelivering energy efficiency with LED lightbulbs

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hft_pennlines_0518_M-REG127995.indd 1 3/21/18 8:42 AM

| MAY 2018

MAY 2018 Vol. 53 • No. 5

Editor Peter A. Fitzgerald

SEnior Editor/WritErKatherine Hackleman

ASSociAtE EditorMichael T. Crawford

LAYout & dESignW. Douglas Shirk

production coordinAtorMichelle M. Smith

contributing coLuMniStSJanette Hess

Patrick Keegan Yvonne Butts-Mitchell

Penn Lines (USPS 929-700), the newsmagazine of Pennsylvania’s electric cooperatives, is published monthly by the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Associa-tion, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Penn Lines helps 166,000 house-holds of co-op consumer-members understand issues that affect the electric cooperative program, their local co-ops, and their quality of life. Electric co-ops are not-for-profit, consumer-owned, locally directed, and tax-paying electric utilities. Penn Lines is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. The opinions expressed in Penn Lines do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, or local electric distribution cooperatives.

Subscriptions: Electric co-op members, $5.42 per year through their local electric distribution coopera-tive. Preferred Periodicals postage paid at Harrisburg, PA 17107 and additional mail ing offices. POST-MASTER: Send address changes with mailing label to Penn Lines, 212 Locust Street, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266.

Advertising: Display ad deadline is six weeks prior to month of issue. Ad rates upon request. Acceptance of advertising by Penn Lines does not imply endorse-ment of the product or services by the publisher or any electric cooperative. If you encounter a problem with any product or service advertised in Penn Lines, please contact: Advertising, Penn Lines, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Penn Lines reserves the right to refuse any advertising.

Board officers and staff, Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association: Chairman, Leroy Walls; Vice Chair man, Tim Burkett; Secretary, Barbara Miller; Treas urer, Rick Shope; President & CEO, Frank M. Betley

© 2018 Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Visit with us at Penn Lines Online, located at: www.prea.com/content/

pennlines.asp. Penn Lines Online provides an email link to Penn Lines editorial staff, information on advertising rates, and an

archive of past issues.

4 FirSt Word Lightbulb moment

6 KEEping currEnt News from across

the Commonwealth

8 coVEr: bright idEA Delivering energy efficiency with

LED lightbulbs

10 SMArt circuitS Play it cool

12 rurAL ViEWS There is no present like the time

14 tiME LinES Your newsmagazine

through the years

14a coopErAtiVE connEction

Information and advice from your local electric cooperative

16 countrY KitchEn ‘Candy’ bars

18 FEAturE: LAKESidE LEArning

Raystown Lake offers educational outreach

22 EnErgY MAttErS Make, model, capacity — Oh my!

24 cLASSiFiEdS

26 punch LinES Bread should be fresh and

Hot Wheels fast

27 rurAL rEFLEctionS Spring = green

CoNteNts

on thE coVErMembers of rural

electric cooperatives across Pennsylvania and New Jersey soon will be receiving four free LED lightbulbs in a package

like this delivered to their mailboxes.

8

16

18

27

3

| MAY 20184

firstword

A cooperative works by working together — the organization and its members. Your electric

cooperative works to ensure you get the best service available at the most affordable cost. You help guide the organization by electing its directors and supporting its various programs, from load management to Youth Tour. Some of you may even serve on a committee or the board of directors. The point is, we all have a part to play.

Recently, a lightbulb went off in my head when I realized just how much more we could accomplish by working together. As member-driven, not-for-profit organizations, cooperatives work hard to ensure the most efficient use of resources. Your cooperative certainly focuses on efficiency every hour of every day. But in my “lightbulb moment,” I realized there’s another big piece to this idea of efficiency: you.

As consumer-members, you make up the largest part of the cooperative picture. By numbers alone, you can make a huge impact on efficiency. More than 46,000 of you demonstrate this daily by participating in your cooperative’s load management efforts. By allowing a load control device to be placed on your water heater or other special appliance, you help coopera-tives reduce the amount of power that must be purchased during times of peak demand — when energy costs are the most expensive. Your efforts in this efficiency initiative have saved cooperative members more than $140 million in avoided purchased

power costs since 1986.Now there’s another opportunity for

you to make a huge impact on energy efficiency — and it’s coming to you in your mailbox from your local coop-erative. In the coming weeks, you’ll receive a small green and white box that holds four Energy Star®-certified, 60-watt-equivalent LED lightbulbs — lightbulbs that improve lighting efficiency by 80 percent over tradition-al incandescent lightbulbs.

The lightbulbs are free, and you will begin saving money from the moment you replace an old incandescent light-bulb with the new bulb. We have done

the math for you — replacing one old incandescent bulb with one of the new LED bulbs will save you in energy costs more than $6 every year for the life of the bulb, which should be about 23 years. That means the savings to you contained within that small green and white box is more than $500 in energy costs over the life of the four bulbs.

Lighting accounts for about 15 per-cent of a typical home’s energy budget, so some small adjustments in this area can make a big impact — espe-cially when you think about all the lightbulbs in the more than 230,000 cooperative households across Penn-sylvania and New Jersey. If all coop-erative households install these LED lightbulbs, it can significantly impact overall power costs.

You can read more about this energy efficiency initiative in this month’s Penn Lines feature story. But to take part in it, all you have to do is open the box when it arrives and put those LEDs bulbs to work. That way, you’ll be doing your part in helping your cooperative run more efficiently — and saving yourself some real dollars in the process. Now, that is a lightbulb moment worth supporting. l

Lightbulb momentBy Frank M. Betley

Frank M. betleyPresident & CEOPennsylvania Rural Electric AssociationAllegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.

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846

| MAY 20186

keepingcurrent

News from across the Commonwealth

Pennsylvania ranks high in Great Backyard Bird Count

Pennsylvanians turned in over 6,000 checklists of birds spotted in the 2018 Great Backyard Bird Count, placing the state fourth in number of checklists be-hind California, Texas and New York. The number of species listed was 145, which ranks in the middle of states participating in the international event that encourages volunteers to count birds in yards, as well as parks, nature centers and other public locations.

Worldwide, there were nearly 200,000 participants who reported nearly 6,500 species of birds with the most commonly reported species being: northern cardinal, dark-eyed junco, mourning dove, American crow, blue jay, downy woodpecker, house finch, black-capped chickadee, house sparrow and European starling. All of the top 10 most commonly reported species are found in North America, reflecting the high number of partici-pants from that region.

The top countries by number of participants were the United States with more than 100,000 participants, followed by Canada and India with about 14,000 participants each.

The next Great Backyard Bird Count is Feb. 15-18, 2019. For information about participating in next year’s event, go to birdcount.org.

Redding addresses ongoing dairy market challenges

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agri-culture Russell Redding, a member of Gettysburg-based Adams Electric Cooperative, has called on the Pennsyl-vania Milk Marketing Board to under-take or recommend reforms to address ongoing dairy market challenges and

to support the state’s dairy industry.“Pennsylvania’s Milk Marketing Law

and the Milk Marketing Board have both served our state’s dairy industry well, but there is room for improve-ment and reforms to meet the needs of today’s producers and milk dealers alike,” Redding said.

Redding submitted a formal petition to the board requesting a hearing, or as many hearings as necessary, to find actions the board can take without statutory changes and those that re-quire action by the General Assembly.

Pennsylvania dairy farmers have seen a steady decline in milk prices over the past two years because of sustained pressures on domestic and international markets, declining fluid milk consump-tion, and growing production levels.

The Milk Marketing Petition can be

found at agriculture.pa.gov. For more information on the Milk Marketing Board and to submit recommenda-tions, visit mmb.pa.gov.

No eaglets in Codorus State Park nest this year

The eagle pair near Codorus State Park that has been featured on a live camera feed for the past few years will not raise any eaglets this year. The pair had two eggs they were tending, but in late March, a third adult eagle drove the nesting adult from the nest and the eggs were left too long to be viable in the cold temperatures.

There has continued to be some activity occasionally visible on camera, but it is not clear if the original adult pair is still in the area, or if the nest has been taken over by other eagles. l

RURAL BROADBAND: The Center for Rural Pennsylvania holds a public hearing in Wellsboro to gather information from broadband service providers and consumers about the issues, challenges, and opportunities related to delivering broadband services in rural Pennsylvania. Center board mem-bers who participated in the April 5 hearing included, from left: Steve Brame, vice president – pub-lic affairs & member services for the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association and Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc.; Barry Denk, executive director of the center; state Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson); and state Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Lycoming), board chairman.

bright ideaBy Kathy Hackleman Senior Editor/Writer

8 | MAY 2018

CoMING sooN: A box like this will be coming soon in your mailbox. It includes four free LED lightbulbs from your local electric cooperative.

Over the next couple of months, rural electric cooperative mem-bers across Pennsylvania and

New Jersey will receive a small package in their mailbox, a gift from their local rural electric cooperative. It’s not a box full of dollar bills — but it’s close.

what you might be thinking. But you’d be wasting money by keeping these LED bulbs on the shelf.

“Technology has improved so much in recent years that the installation of LED bulbs improves lighting efficiency by 80 percent over traditional incan-descent bulbs,” says Frank Betley, president & CEO of the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association (PREA) and Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Allegheny), the wholesale supplier of electricity to Pennsylvania’s 13 cooper-atives and one in New Jersey. “Eighty percent is a huge difference, something anyone would definitely notice on their electric bill if they switched over to this technology.”

Inside each box, there are four En-ergy Star-certified, 60-watt-equivalent soft white (2700 Kelvin) light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs with a five-year warranty. Not only are the lightbulbs free — they will actually save you money in energy costs for the next 23 years (the expected life of a bulb used an average of three hours per day).

Now, all you have to do is install them. Sure, you may be tempted to wait until an old incandescent bulb burns out. “Waste not, want not,” is

Delivering energy efficiency with LED lightbulbsSwitching out one incandescent bulb

for an LED bulb can save an average of more than $6 per year. With that understanding, electric cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are launching a membership-wide initia-tive to take advantage of the energy efficiency qualities of LED lighting. Widespread participation can make a significant impact by helping to reduce power supply needs, driving down energy costs for all.

install nowThat impact is enough that, once

cooperative members receive their free bulbs, they are encouraged to remove four incandescent bulbs — even if they are still working fine — and replace them with the new LED bulbs.

“That seems counterintuitive,” Bet-

| MAY 2018 9

ley notes, “as we tend to believe that it is more efficient to use something un-til it wears out. In this case, the exact opposite is true. You will begin saving money the minute you install the new LED bulbs.”

The LED is one of the most en-ergy-efficient lighting technologies available today. In partnership with the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), electric coop-eratives across the United States have been researching the benefits of LED lights for a decade.

“When you make the switch, you will see an increase in your home energy efficiency and a decrease in your energy costs,” says Brian Sloboda, program and product line manager with NRECA’s Business and Technol-ogy Strategies unit. “During the past 10 years, technology has improved, bringing longer life, more colors and more controllability options. LEDs do not contain gas or filament of any kind, making them different from fluo-rescent and incandescent light sources. Instead, the entire LED is made up of a semiconductor, which is solid in nature and makes LEDs more durable, and much less expensive to operate.”

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) believes LEDs have the potential to change the future of lighting. DOE of-ficials estimate that by 2027, widespread use of LEDs across the country could save the equivalent annual electrical out-put of forty-four 1,000-megawatt power plants, with a total savings of more than $30 billion at today’s price of electricity. By 2035, DOE officials expect that LEDs will represent the majority of lighting installations, comprising 86 percent of installed stock across all categories (compared to 6 percent in 2015).

Impact on power costsReplacing incandescent bulbs with

LEDs is one of the easiest and fastest ways to cut energy bills. With such potential, cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are taking advantage of economies of scale to maximize the impact LEDs can have on power costs.

“If you take the amount of mon-

ey saved per bulb and multiply it by all the bulbs used by the more than 600,000 cooperative consumers in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, you can begin to see the impact this could make on power supply costs,” Betley observes. “The reality is that deploying this technology is an investment that will lower power costs over time — and lower them significantly.”

Through Allegheny, cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey own a 10 percent share of Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, a nuclear power plant. They also own the Raystown Hydro-electric Project in Huntingdon County. These sources, along with some long-term hydropower agreements with the New York Power Authority, provide about two-thirds of the power required by the cooperatives. The remainder of the electricity needed for cooperative members is purchased on the open market, where prices fluctuate.

“Deploying the energy-efficient LED lightbulb technology will reduce the amount of energy needed by the local distribution cooperatives,” Betley ex-plains. “If cooperatives can reduce their power needs due to consumer efficien-cies, this reduces Allegheny’s need to purchase more expensive energy from the market, thereby bringing down the costs for local distribution cooperatives. The cooperatives can then pass those savings along to their members.”

In the mailYou can begin to cut your energy

bills as soon as your box of four ener-gy-efficient LED lightbulbs is delivered to your mailbox, which should take place in the next few weeks. The box will be clearly labeled as holding LED

bulbs. To begin saving money on your electricity bill immediately, replace four old incandescent bulbs with the new LED bulbs immediately.

“We have been working on the lightbulb initiative for close to a year,” says Ben Ricci, PREA/Allegheny man-ager alternative energy & competitive markets.

Ricci reports, “Once we decided to propose the project to the board, we had to determine how the bulbs were going to be deployed. It turned out that mailing them directly to members is the most efficient way.”

Charleston, S.C.-based Service Concepts, Inc., originally created by electric cooperatives to serve electric cooperatives and now a division of AM Conservation Group, Inc., was select-ed to manage the program as it has extensive experience in implement-ing various types of energy efficiency programs for cooperatives, including lightbulb projects.

“We also had to select the specific lightbulb we wanted,” Ricci explains. “It needed to have a warranty, a long lifespan and an acceptable color tem-perature, be equivalent to a 60-watt bulb, and be Energy Star-certified. We are pleased that we are now approach-ing the deployment stage and that members will soon be able to save money on their lighting costs.”

Rachel Barker, director of sales and marketing at Service Concepts, Inc., says the LED bulbs are the most effi-cient bulbs now on the market.

“They use less energy to produce the same amount of light, last about 2 1/2 times longer than CFLs and about 20 times longer than incandescents,” she reports. “In addition, they do not use mercury to operate, give off less heat than other bulbs when operating, pro-vide instant full brightness, and their plastic housing has proven to be more durable than CFLs or incandescents.”

The lightbulbs will be mailed out on a staggered schedule, beginning later this month and continuing into July. The insert card in the package will have contact information if there are questions or issues with the bulbs. l

| MAY 201810

Dear Pat: My energy bill was pretty high last summer. Do you have any tips for how to

keep comfortable this year without breaking the bank? — Don

Dear Don: Absolutely! There are several ways to make your home more comfortable this summer. Some of the solutions are low-cost, while others require a bigger investment.

The first step is to reduce your home’s solar gains. Since most solar gains originate through your home’s windows, awnings are an effective solution. They can reduce solar heat gain by as much as 65 percent on south-facing windows and 77 percent on west-facing windows. You can also try less-expensive solutions on the outside or inside of your windows, like reflective films and solar screens. Heavy window coverings also work.

Two areas that can be major sources of heat gain are skylights and attics. Reflective film or specially designed window coverings are potential solu-tions for skylights. Attics can become extremely hot and radiate heat through the ceiling into your living space. Abundant venting through the roof, gable or eaves is one solution, but you also need adequate attic insulation.

Another important step is to seal air leaks around windows, doors, plumb-ing and wiring penetrations.

Excess heat can also be generated inside your home — and at your expense. Here’s a quick list of simple steps you can take:k Make it a habit to turn off lights and

TVs in rooms that aren’t in use.k Incandescent lightbulbs generate a

lot of heat. Replace them with LEDs.k Unplug devices you aren’t using, like

smartcircuits

chargers, computers, monitors and consumer electronics. Many of these use phantom power that keeps them on constantly, which generates heat.

k Maintain appliances for peak effi-ciency. For example, clean your refrigerator coils regularly.

k Lower your water heater temperature to no higher than 120 degrees Fahr-enheit and your refrigerator to no lower than 38 degrees Fahrenheit.

k Minimize use of your oven, and don’t run the dishwasher or washing machine until they are full.Now that you’ve worked on keeping

heat out of your home and minimizing the waste heat generated inside, let’s look at how to make the inside air cooler.

If you have central AC, make sure it’s working efficiently. Replace the filters regularly, and check to see if your sup-ply registers are open. AC systems need to push an adequate amount of air into the ductwork to function properly.

Window units can be an efficient solution if they are Energy Star®-certi-fied and only used to cool part of the

home, part of the time. Make sure to seal any openings around the window unit.

The least-expensive way to cool your-self is air movement. A ceiling fan or portable fan can make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler, but keep in mind, fans cool people. Turn them off when you’re not in the room.

If you live in an area where the night air is cool and not too humid, you can exchange your hot air for cool outdoor air by opening the windows and turn-ing on your kitchen and bath fans. Or place a fan in one window to exhaust the warm air and open another window at the opposite end of the house to allow the cooler night air inside. The permanent (but more-expensive) option is a whole-house fan.

Remember, there are several ways to keep cool and increase comfort. l

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collabo-rative Efficiency. For more information on staying comfortable during summer months, visit: www.collaborativeeffi-ciency.com/energytips.

play it coolTips to help you stay comfortable this summer

By Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen

“Cell phones have gotten so small, I can barely dial mine.” Not the Jitterbug® Flip. It features a large keypad for easier dialing. It even has a larger display and a powerful, hearing aid compatible speaker, so it’s easy to see and conversations are clear. “I had to get my son to program it.” Your Jitterbug Flip setup process is simple. We’ll even program it with your favorite numbers. “What if I don’t remember a number?” Friendly, helpful Personal Operators are available 24 hours a day and will even greet you by name when you call. “I’d like a cell phone to use in an emergency.” Now you can turn your phone into a personal safety device with 5Star® Service. In any uncertain or unsafe situation, simply press the 5Star button to speak immediately with a highly-trained Urgent Response Agent who will confirm your location, evaluate your situation and get you the help you need, 24/7. “My cell phone company wants to lock me in a two-year contract!” Not with the Jitterbug Flip. There are no contracts to sign and no cancellation fees.

“My phone’s battery only lasts a short time.” Unlike most cell phones that need to be recharged every day, the Jitterbug Flip was designed with a long-lasting battery, so you won’t have to worry about running out of power.

“Many phones have features that are rarely needed and hard to use!” The Jitterbug Flip contains easy-to-use features that are meaningful to you. A built-in camera makes it easy and fun for you to capture and share your favorite memories. And a flashlight with a built-in magnifier helps you see in dimly lit areas. The Jitterbug Flip has all the features you need. Enough talk. Isn’t it time you found out more about the cell phone that’s changing all the rules? Call now! Jitterbug product experts are standing by.

We proudly accept the following credit cards:

Call toll-free to get your

Jitterbug Flip Cell Phone Please mention promotional code 109201.

1-888-790-6401 www.JitterbugDirect.com

Order now and receive a

FREE Car Charger – a $25 value

for your Jitterbug Flip. Call now!

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9

IMPORTANT CONSUMER INFORMATION: Jitterbug is owned by GreatCall, Inc. Your invoices will come from GreatCall. 1Monthly fees do not include government taxes or assessment surcharges and are subject to change. Plans and services may require purchase of a Jitterbug Flip and a one-time setup fee of $35. Coverage is not available everywhere. 5Star or 9-1-1 calls can only be made when cellular service is available. 5Star Service will be able to track an approximate location when your device is turned on, but we cannot guarantee an exact location. 2We will refund the full price of the Jitterbug phone and the activation fee (or setup fee) if it is returned within 30 days of purchase in like-new condition. We will also refund your first monthly service charge if you have less than 30 minutes of usage. If you have more than 30 minutes of usage, a per minute charge of 35 cents will be deducted from your refund for each minute over 30 minutes. You will be charged a $10 restocking fee. The shipping charges are not refundable. There are no additional fees to call GreatCall’s U.S.-based customer service. However, for calls to a Personal Operator in which a service is completed, you will be charged 99 cents per call, and minutes will be deducted from your monthly rate plan balance equal to the length of the call and any call connected by the Personal Operator. Jitterbug, GreatCall and 5Star are registered trademarks of GreatCall, Inc. Copyright ©2018 GreatCall, Inc. ©2018 firstSTREET for Boomers and Beyond, Inc.

“My friends all hate their cell phones… I love mine!”

Here’s why.Say good-bye to everything you hate about cell phones. Say hello to the Jitterbug Flip.

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| MAY 201812

ruralviews

YVonnE buttS-MitchELL writes and blogs (deadmousedi-aries.com) under the pen name Mitchell Kyd. the “News from the Path Valley Hotel” series was inspired by her encounters with contractors, critters and assorted creepy crawlies while rehabbing her family cabin after its 17-year stint as a giant closet.

there is no present like the timeBy Mitchell Kyd

“News from the Path Valley Hotel”

Happy birthday to me! There are so many things to love about May: flip flops, parades,

picnics, tax refunds and, for me, birth-day surprises.

won’t be left to repot, spray for bugs, or recycle vases and containers. Instead of buying us gift cards to our favorite haunts; take us there so we can laugh the day away together. Don’t buy Dad another tool. Meet him in the work-shop or garage to start or finish up a project.

If you’re like me and your babies have grown and left the nest, chances are you would like to clear out some of what you have already accumulated. When our kids leave home, they can’t bear to part with all of their childhood trappings. They also don’t want to take it with them.

In an open letter to grown children everywhere, I would say: “Your stuff is stuffed in storage tubs in my attic, closets and garage. The dust rhinos are circling your boxes under the bed but you will learn the things you truly treasure most aren’t things at all. They are the moments we spend together. We store those safely in our memories and inside our photo albums.”

So as a gift to me this Mother’s Day, my darlings, come get your stuff. And while you are here, we’ll laugh and raid the fridge and make a giant mess that we’ll clean up together while we remember how we got here. There really is no present like the time. l

I come from a long line of people who know growing older is a gift and a cause for celebration. All my birthday memories, and now those of my kids, are framed by years of traditions. Fam-ily rituals give us roots.

My mom and dad, and my grandpar-ents before them, always let the cele-brant choose the home-cooked menu, complete with favorite cake. We would sing as a family chorus, off key and out of sync, before the blowing out of can-dles and the obligatory pulling of the ears, one for every year and an extra tug to grow on. Before the table was cleared (and the icing scraped off the candles so they would be ready to drip wax another day), the star of the day’s event would perch at the bottom of the dining room steps to open gifts.

May might not be your birthday month, but chances are good many of you will have another chance to be in that catbird seat in the weeks ahead. Whether your title is Mom, Ma, Mother, Mum, Dad, Pop, Daddy, or Da, if you are a parent, you have a des-ignated day for celebrating you and it’s preprinted on the calendar. You know it’s official because there are greeting cards proclaiming it. It’s not too soon to tell your kids what you would really like this year for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, unless you truly want another gift card, tie, or bracelet.

The National Retail Federation tells

us that in 2017, Americans spent more than $23 billion to honor moms on Mother’s Day. We spent $2 billion on flowers alone, but the top gift category was jewelry.

Dads, you didn’t generate quite as much investment while we were spending $15 billion on you last year, but you did best moms in one important way. The top gift for dads fell under a different heading: a spe-cial outing like a dinner or event. It appears that when kids honor dads, they have finally realized there’s no present like the time.

The truth is, if you have been a par-ent for more than a few years, your drawers and closets are already dotted with reminders of the gifts of long ago. Most of us don’t need more stuff. Instead of buying mom plants and flowers, take her on a garden tour or just a drive and picnic to spot wild-flowers. When her day is over, she

by David WaxmanSeattle Washington:A clinical study on a leading acid reflux pill shows that its key ingredient relieves digestive symptoms while suppressing the inflammation that contributes to premature aging in men and women.

And, if consumer sales are any indication of a product’s effectiveness, this ‘acid reflux pill turned anti-aging phenomenon’ is nothing short of a miracle.

Sold under the brand name AloeCure, it was already backed by clinical data documenting its ability to provide all day and night relief from heartburn, acid reflux, constipation, irri-table bowel, gas, bloating, and more.

But soon doctors started reporting some in-credible results…

“With AloeCure, my patients started report-ing less joint pain, more energy, better sleep, stronger immune systems… even less stress and better skin, hair, and nails” explains Dr. Liza Leal; a leading integrative health specialist and company spokesperson.

AloeCure contains an active ingredient that helps improve digestion by acting as a natural acid-buffer that improves the pH balance of your stomach.

Scientists now believe that this acid imbal-ance is what contributes to painful inflamma-tion throughout the rest of the body.

The daily allowance of AloeCure has shown to calm this inflammation which is why Aloe-Cure is so effective.

Relieving other stressful symptoms relat-ed to GI health like pain, bloating, fatigue, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, heartburn, and nausea.

Now, backed with new clinical studies, AloeCure is being recommended by doctors everywhere to help improve digestion, calm painful inflammation, soothe joint pain, and even reduce the appearance of wrinkles – help-ing patients to look and feel decades younger.

FIX YOUR GUT & FIGHT INFLAMMATION

Since hitting the market, sales for AloeCure have taken off and there are some very good reasons why.

To start, the clinical studies have been im-pressive. Participants taking the active in-gredient in AloeCure saw a stunning 100% improvement in digestive symptoms, which includes fast and lasting relief from reflux.

Users also experienced higher energy levels and endurance, relief from chronic discomfort and better sleep. Some even reported healthier looking skin, hair, and nails.

A healthy gut is the key to a reducing swell-

ing and inflammation that can wreak havoc on the human body. Doctors say this is why Aloe-Cure works on so many aspects of your health.

AloeCure’s active ingredient is made from the healing compound found in Aloe vera. It is both safe and healthy. There are also no known side effects.

Scientists believe that it helps improve di-gestive and immune health by acting as a nat-ural acid-buffer that improves the pH balance of your stomach.

Research has shown that this acid imbal-ance contributes to painful inflammation throughout your entire body and is why Aloe-Cure seems to be so effective.

EXCITING RESULTS FROM PATIENTSTo date over 5 million bottles of AloeCure

have been sold, and the community seeking non-pharma therapy for their GI health contin-ues to grow.

According to Dr. Leal, her patients are ab-solutely thrilled with their results and are often shocked by how fast it works.

“For the first time in years, they are free from concerns about their digestion and al-most every other aspect of their health,” says Dr. Leal, “and I recommend it to everyone who wants to improve GI health without resorting to drugs, surgery, or OTC medications.”

“I was always in ‘indigestion hell.’ Doctors put me on all sorts of antacid remedies. Noth-ing worked. Dr. Leal recommended I try Aloe-Cure. And something remarkable happened… Not only were all the issues I had with my stomach gone - completely gone – but I felt less joint pain and I was able to actually sleep through the night.”

With so much positive feedback, it’s easy to see why the community of believers is grow-ing and sales for the new pill are soaring.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND ALOECUREAloeCure is a pill that’s taken just once daily.

The pill is small. Easy to swallow. There are no harmful side effects and it does not require a prescription.

The active ingredient is a rare Aloe Vera component known as acemannan.

Made from of 100% organic Aloe Vera, Al-oeCure uses a proprietary process that results in the highest quality, most bio-available levels of acemannan known to exist.

According to Dr. Leal and several of her col-leagues, improving the pH balance of your stom-ach and restoring gut health is the key to revital-izing your entire body.

When your digestive system isn’t healthy, it causes unwanted stress on your immune sys-

tem, which results in inflammation in the rest of the body.

The recommended daily allowance of ace-mannan in AloeCure has been proven to sup-port digestive health, and calm painful inflam-mation without side effects or drugs.

This would explain why so many users are experiencing impressive results so quickly.

REVITALIZE YOUR ENTIRE BODYWith daily use, AloeCure helps users look

and feel decades younger and defend against some of the painful inflammation that accom-panies aging and can make life hard.

By buffering stomach acid and restoring gut health, AloeCure calms painful inflammation and will help improve digestion… soothe ach-ing joints… reduce the appearance of wrinkles and help restore hair and nails … manage cho-lesterol and oxidative stress… and improve sleep and brain function… without side effects or expense.

Readers can now reclaim their energy, vi-tality, and youth regardless of age or current level of health.

HOW TO GET ALOECUREThis is the official nationwide release of the

new AloeCure pill in the United States. And so, the company is offering our readers up to 3 FREE bottles with their order.

This special give-away is available for the next 48-hours only. All you have to do is call TOLL- FREE 1-800-591-2960 and provide the operator with the Free Bottle Approval Code: AC100. The company will do the rest.

Important: Due to AloeCure’s recent me-dia exposure, phone lines are often busy. If you call and do not immediately get through, please be patient and call back. Those who miss the 48-hour deadline may lose out on this free bottle offer.

Clinical studies show breakthrough acid reflux treatment also helps maintain vital health and helps protect users from the serious conditions that accompany aging such as fatigue and poor cardiovascular health

Leading Acid Reflux Pill Becomes an Anti-Aging Phenomenon

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. ALL DOCTORS MENTIONED ARE REMUNERATED FOR THEIR SERVICES. ALL CLINICAL STUDIES ON ALOECURE’S ACTIVE INGREDIENT WERE

INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTED AND WERE NOT SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN GLOBAL HEALTH GROUP.

One AloeCure Capsule Daily

• Helps End Digestion Nightmares• Helps Calm Painful Inflammation• Soothes Stiff & Aching Joints• Reduces appearance of Wrinkles & Increases Elasticity• Manages Cholesterol & Oxidative

Stress• Supports Healthy Immune System• Improves Sleep & Brain Function

ADVERTISEMENTruralviews

1414 | MAY 201814

timelines

Your Newsmagazine Through the Years

1998

1988

1978

1968

2008

As interest in NASCAR grows in the 1990s, racing makes inroads into rural Pennsylvania, with many racetracks served by electric cooperatives.

The Raystown Hydroelectric Project, a two-unit, 21-megawatt run-of-river hydropower facility in Huntingdon County, goes on-line in the summer of 1988.

As rural electric cooperatives deal with an aging workforce, Penn Lines looks at upcoming career opportunities for young workers in rural areas.

Penn Lines high-lights examples of erosion-control contour and strip farming in Pennsyl-vania during “Soil Stewardship Week.”

The unexplained disappearance of domestic bee colonies in Pennsylvania was originally called Fall Dwindle Disease back in 2006 when beehives first experienced unex-

plained declines. It was officially designated as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) in 2008.

Pennsylvania orchards produce one of the largest apple crops in the United States, and are dependent on honeybees for about 90 percent of the pollination. Pennsylvania’s honeybees are also directly responsible for pollinating a wide variety of produce an-nually, including peaches, pears, cherries, grapes, strawberries, and soybeans, with an estimated agricultural value in the hun-dreds of millions of dollars. Most of these crops are pollinated by rented hives placed among crops for two-to-three-week periods.

Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports that cases of CCD have declined substantially over the past five years, although it is still not clear what causes CCD. Theories focus on pests, new or emerging diseases, pesticide poisoning, stress, changes to habitat, and/or inadequate nutri-tion. Several federal agencies continue to work together to find answers to the CCD puzzle.

14a | MAY 2018

Chad CarrickPresident & CEO

Some of you may have already re-ceived a small box from REA Energy Cooperative, Inc. (REA Energy) deliv-ered by your mail carrier; others will be receiving it soon. Inside, there are four free, Energy Star-certified, 60-watt equivalent, light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs. That’s right — the bulbs are free, compliments of REA Energy.

The LED bulbs are part of an electric cooperative energy efficiency program underway across Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Lighting technology has advanced so rapidly that the installation of each of these LED bulbs is expected to save you $6.22 per year or more than $140 in electricity costs over the life of the bulb (estimated to be about 23 years at average use). That’s because an LED bulb improves lighting effi-ciency by 80 percent over traditional incandescent bulbs.

Eighty percent is a lot — enough of a difference that we are encouraging you to take an unusual step. As soon as you receive your free LED bulbs, select four of your most-used incandescent bulbs and replace them immediately with the new bulbs.

Most of us don’t spend a lot of time thinking about our lightbulbs, at least until one leaves us in the dark. But you will begin saving money the minute you install your new LED bulbs, and what could be better than installing free bulbs that shine brighter, last lon-ger, and are less expensive to use than your current incandescent bulbs?

The benefits to the members of this

lightbulb initiative are obvious, but you may wonder what benefit the coopera-tive gains from giving away lightbulbs to all members. The answer is that we purchase the electricity we provide to you — our members — from Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Allegheny), a Harrisburg-based cooperative owned by the 14 distribution cooperatives in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Allegh-eny owns a hydroelectric plant and 10 percent of a nuclear power plant, and together with some long-term hydro-power contracts, these sources provide about two-thirds of the power needed for the cooperatives. The remainder is purchased on the open market, where the price can fluctuate significantly.

When cooperative members across the two states install the new LED bulbs, it will reduce the amount of power Allegheny must purchase from the open market, which in turn will ultimately decrease costs for local cooperatives. REA Energy will pass those savings along to our members through a lower rate than would other-wise be possible.

The LED is one of the most en-ergy-efficient lighting technologies available today. LED bulbs, which last longer, are more durable, and offer comparable or better light quality than other types of lighting, have the poten-tial to change the future of lighting.

If you haven’t already received your gift of light from the cooperative, watch your mailbox and remember, your savings will begin the day you install your new LED lightbulbs. l

REA Energy Cooperative, Inc.

One of 14 electric cooperatives serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey

cooperativeconnection

REAENERGY

REA Energy Cooperative, Inc. 75 Airport Road • P.O. Box 70

Indiana, PA 15701-0070 724-349-4800 • 800-211-5667

Ebensburg District Office 127 Municipal Road

Ebensburg, PA 15931 814-472-8570

Website: www.reaenergy.com Email: reaenergy@reaenergy.com

StaffBarry Baker

Indiana Operations ManagerErin Bauer

ACRE CoordinatorShane Cribbs

Network & Systems ManagerDave Daugherty

Safety & Right of Way ManagerJeff Dishong

Ebensburg Operations SupervisorLisa Gardill

Accounting & Finance ManagerStacy Patterson-Hilliard, CCC

Communications & Marketing Supervisor Local Pages EditorChris Masterson

Reliability SupervisorPatrick McAndrew

Manager of EngineeringBryon Roland

Purchasing & Facilities ManagerBrendan Short

Right-of-Way/Forestry SupervisorRenee Spalla

Supervisor of Consumer ServicesChris Weller

Load Management Supervisor

Outages & Emergencies1-800-332-7273724-463-7273

Office HoursIndiana Office: 7 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Ebensburg Office: 7 - 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Monday - Friday

The future of lighting is here!By Chad Carrick, MBA, CFPC President and CEO

From the President & CEO

| MAY 201814b

rea energy cooperative, inc

Changes made to areas of district representationAt the March 27, 2018, meeting, the board of directors of REA Energy Cooperative, Inc. amended the bylaws of the cooperative, changing the townships represented by two of the districts. The two board districts with changes are District 3 and District 9. District 3 is currently represented by Michael Bertolino, and District 9 is currently represented by Herman Blakley. In 2018, the position representing District 9 is also up for election.

As part of its decision-making process, the board reviewed the number of members in both districts, and the geograph-ical layout of them. Over time, the number of members residing in each district has changed to create a greater gap in counts. The shift in these two districts helps to equalize the number of members in each district.

Another advantage of this change in districts is the ge-ographical layout, which results in members having equal representation on the board of directors.

The following is a full list of the nine directorate districts and the areas they represent along with a map of the service territory. The two districts that were changed are marked in bold text.

District 1Armstrong County Cowanshannock Township

Indiana County Creekside Borough

Indiana County East Mahoning Township

Indiana County North Mahoning Township

Indiana County South Mahoning Township

Indiana County Washington Township

Indiana County West Mahoning Township

Jefferson County Bell Township

Jefferson County Gaskill Township

Jefferson County Perry Township

Jefferson County Young Township

District 2Blair County Allegheny Township

Blair County Juniata Township

Blair County Logan Township

Cambria County Adams Township

Cambria County Allegheny Township

Cambria County Conemaugh Township

Cambria County Cresson Township

Cambria County Croyle Township

Cambria County East Taylor Township

Cambria County Gallitzin Township

Cambria County Middle Taylor Township

Cambria County Portage Township

Cambria County Richland Township

Cambria County Summerhill Township

Cambria County Washington Township

Cambria County West Taylor Township

District 3Armstrong County Plumcreek township

Armstrong County Kiskimenetas township

Armstrong County South Bend township

Indiana County Blacklick township

Indiana County Burrell township

Indiana County Conemaugh township

Indiana County Young township

Westmoreland County Derry township

Westmoreland County Loyalhanna township

District 4Cambria County Cambria Township

Cambria County Jackson Township

Cambria County Munster Township

Indiana County East Wheatfield Township

Indiana County West Wheatfield Township

District 5Indiana County Cherryhill Township

Indiana County Pine Township

Indiana County Rayne Township

District 6Cambria County Chest Township

Cambria County Elder Township

Cambria County Susquehanna Township

Indiana County Banks Township

Indiana County Canoe Township

Indiana County Grant Township

Indiana County Green Township

Indiana County Montgomery Township

District 7Indiana County White Township

District 8Cambria County Barr Township

Cambria County Blacklick Township

Cambria County Clearfield Township

Cambria County Dean Township

Cambria County East Carroll Township

Cambria County West Carroll Township

Cambria County White Township

Clearfield County Beccaria Township

District 9Indiana County Armstrong township

Indiana County Brush Valley township

Indiana County Buffington township

Indiana County Center township

| MAY 2018 | MAY 2018

In the past 10 years, we have featured several stories about the Blackleggs Trout Association’s endeavours and events. One of the features was about the project to build a memorial park at a section of Blacklegs Creek that was a hotspot for anglers, young and old alike.

In August 2009, Blackleggs Creek Memorial Park was offi-cially dedicated to past and present members of the associa-tion. A pavilion was built for the use of the countless people who have enjoyed the first day of trout season along the creek. Other events throughout the years have been held at the park, including several “Trout in the Classroom” events

for area schoolchildren.Just in time for the

2018 fishing season, an exciting new enhance-ment to the park will greet eager anglers and school children. Re-cently the cooperative’s subsidiary, REA Energy

HARD AT WORK: REA Energy Services employees install electricity to Blackleggs Memorial Park.

SHINING BRIGHT: Visitors to the park can now enjoy lights after dark.

Electricity brought to Blackleggs Memorial Park

Services, Inc., installed several electric outlets and lighting fixtures in the pavilion. This not only will allow for night-time activities but also bring more opportunities for events to occur in the great outdoors that could not happen prior to the electricity being installed.

Located at the intersection of Cribbs and Shrokman roads, the entrance to the park includes an archway welcoming visitors. You can read about those who helped to make this endeavour a reality and then enter into the park for an enjoy-able day with family and friends. Best of luck to the Black-leggs Trout Association and its volunteers and donors with this exciting new venture. l

rea energy cooperative, inc

14c

District 1 — Roy C. “Sam” EckenrodDistrict 2 — J. “Rick” ShopeDistrict 3 — Michael J. BertolinoDistrict 4 — Howard TerndrupDistrict 5 — Robert NeeseDistrict 6 — John LearnDistrict 7 — Anthony EncisoDistrict 8 — Wayne FarabaughDistrict 9 — Herman Blakley

REA Energy is governed by a nine-member board of directors. Our service area is divided into nine districts with one director elected from each district. As a member, you elect these directors to four-year terms. Shown is a map of the directorate districts of REA Energy Cooperative, Inc.

District Lines

County Lines

Township Lines

| MAY 201814d

rea energy cooperative, inc

Plug into safety

In May, electric cooperatives across the country promote safety awareness to coincide with National Electrical Safety Month. Every year, thousands of accidents occur due to shock hazards, and REA Energy Cooperative, Inc., a not-for-profit electric cooperative, is committed to educating the public about po-tential electrical dangers in the home.

In 2016, 475,500 structure fires (including residential fires) were reported in the U.S., causing 2,950 deaths, 12,775 injuries and $7.9 billion in property damage. According to the National Fire Protection Association, a residential fire was reported every 90 seconds. Many home fires occur when electrical equip-ment is outdated or improperly used.

Through electrical safety awareness and education, we can all play a part in preventing electrical hazards and injuries in the future. Together, let’s plug into safety this May.

Howard TerndrupDistrict 4

Herman BlakleyDistrict 9

Robert P. NeeseSecretary/Treasurer

District 5

Michael J. BertolinoChairmanDistrict 3

Sam EckenrodDistrict 1

Wayne FarabaughVice Chairman

District 8

John R. LearnDistrict 6

Anthony EncisoDistrict 7

J.R. “Rick” ShopeDistrict 2

Your Board of Directors

Right-of-way management and facility construction news

REA Energy contractors will be completing tree-trim-ming work in the following areas in May:k Contractor crews from Asplundh Tree Expert Co.

will be trimming the rights-of-way of the Kenwood Substation area, in addition to emergency mainte-nance areas. Crews from Penn Line Service will be trimming the right-of-way of the Uniontown Substa-tion area.

Notification of work will be made to members in the areas affected. Contractors will perform all right-of-way work per REA Energy specifications. All contractor employees will carry employee identification cards and their vehicles will display their company name.

If you have any questions, call 724-349-4800, or view the specifications at: www.reaenergy.com.

REA Energy offices will be closed on Monday, May 28, 2018, in observance of Memorial Day.

Power outages can be reported by calling 724-463-7273 or 800-332-7273.

CO-OP CONNECTIONS OFFER UPDATE!Indian Springs Eye Associates — 945 Indian Springs Road, Indiana, PA 15701, 724-465-6232, www.indianspringseye.com — 15% Off Contact Lenses - Restrictions Apply; 30% Off Eye Exam - Restrictions Apply; and 30% Off Eye Wear - Restrictions Apply.

| J U N E 2017 | J U N E 2017 15

When you save energy, it helps our entire

co-op lower its costs. Find out what you can

do at TogetherWeSave.com, and spread

the word throughout your co-op.

SOMETIMES KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES ISABOUT KEEPING YOUR ELECTRIC BILLS DOWN.

TOGETHERWESAVE.COM

timelines

03_PL0617.indd 15 5/23/17 8:05 AM

| MAY 201816

countrykitchen

‘candy’ barsBy Janette Hess

A trained journalist, Janette hess focuses her writing on interest-ing people and interesting foods. She is a Master Food Volunteer with her local extension service and enjoys collecting, testing and sharing recipes.

Bar cookies, such as brownies and blondies, are a delicious, time-saving alterna-tive to individually formed cookies. But sometimes we’re craving ways to raise the bar, so to speak. This month’s recipes involve using candy and other over-the-top ingredi-ents to embellish our bars.

Oatmeal blondies provide the original inspiration for Peanut Butter Bars, but then chopped peanuts and melted peanut butter candies transform them into de facto “candy” bars. Likewise, heavy doses of caramel ice cream topping and choc-olate chips move Caramel Bars into the candy category.

Chocolate Toffee Bars involve a shortcut in the form of a fudge brownie mix. The candy-inspired flavor boost comes from toffee bits, chopped nuts and made-from-scratch chocolate frosting. l

Spray or butter bottom and sides of 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Combine 1 cup flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Add melted butter and stir to combine. Mixture will be crumbly. Reserve generous 1/2 cup crumbs. Press remainder into dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with nuts and choc-olate chips. Combine topping with remaining 1/4 cup flour. Drizzle over chips and nuts. Sprinkle remaining crumbs over top. Bake an additional 20 minutes. Cool before cutting into bars. Makes 18 to 24 bars, depend-ing on desired serving size.

caramel bars1 1/4 cups flour, divided1 1/2 cups quick oats

OR lightly processed old-fashioned oats

3/4 cup brown sugar1/2 teaspoon baking

soda1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 12 1/4-ounce jar caramel ice cream topping

Bars: Fold nuts and 1/2 cup toffee bits into prepared brownie batter. Spread evenly in sprayed or buttered 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Bake according to package instructions. While still warm, frost and then sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup toffee bits. Makes 18 to 24 bars, depending on desired serving size.

FrosTiNG: Melt butter in microwave-proof bowl. Whisk in cocoa and milk. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth.

chocolate toffee barsBars: 1 box “family-size”

fudge brownies (enough for 9- by 13-inch pan), mixed according to package instructions

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 cup toffee “brickle” bits, divided

Frosting:1/4 cup (1/2 stick)

butter2 tablespoons

unsweetened cocoa3 tablespoons milk1 3/4 cups powdered

sugar1 teaspoon vanilla

extract

Unwrap candies and remove brown liners. Roughly chop candies and set aside. Spray or butter 10- by 15-inch jelly roll pan. In large mixing bowl, beat to-gether butter and sugars. Add eggs, peanut butter and extracts. Beat to combine. Stir together dry ingredients and beat or stir into butter mixture. Using table knife or buttered fingertips, evenly spread in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or just until pick inserted into center comes out clean. Sprinkle hot bars with chopped candy. When melted, spread with table knife. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and tamp down with fingertips. Cool completely before cutting into 36 bars.

36 miniature peanut butter-filled chocolate candies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar1 cup dark brown sugar2 eggs, beaten2/3 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 teaspoon butter extract1 1/2 cups quick oats2 cups flour1 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon salt3/4 cup unsalted

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peanut butter bars

| MAY 2018

Do you get discouraged when you hear your telephone ring? Do you avoid using your phone because hearing difficulties make it hard to understand the person on the other end of the line? For many Americans the telephone conversation – once an important part of everyday life – has become a thing of the past. Because they can’t understand what is said to them on the phone, they’re often cut off from friends, family, doctors and caregivers. Now, thanks to innovative technology there is finally a better way.

A simple idea… made possible with sophisticated technology. If you have trouble understanding a call, captioned telephone can change your life. During a phone call the words spoken to you appear on the phone’s screen – similar to closed captioning on TV. So when you make or receive a call, the words spoken to you are not only amplified by the phone, but scroll across the phone so you can listen while reading everything that’s said to you. Each call is routed through a call center, where computer technology – aided by a live representative – generates voice-to-text translations. The captioning is real-time, accurate and readable. Your conversation is private and the captioning service doesn’t cost you a penny. Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) is regulated and funded by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is designed exclusively for individuals with hearing loss. To learn more, visit www.fcc.gov. The Hamilton CapTel phone requires telephone service and high-speed Internet access.

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| MAY 201818

partnerships“We have a partner — the Friends

of Raystown — and their mission is to help us complete our mission,” explains Jude Harrington, lead ranger at Raystown Lake. “They manage a consortium of partners — in this case the Juniata College Field Station and other private entities such as the Seven Points Marina, Lake Raystown Resort, Heritage Cove, Raystown Family Campgrounds, and Allegheny Elec-tric Cooperative. They all contribute funding, when it’s available, each year to hire two interns. Juniata College provides the interns … the two best students available. They give them les-son plans, give them training and then put them out here on the lake.”

The mission of the Friends of Raystown Lake (Friends) is to pro-mote the responsible stewardship of the natural and recreational resources of the Raystown Lake Project. With about 250 family memberships and

While the primary mission of Ray-stown Lake is flood control, thousands of people flock to the lake every year for recreational purposes, creating a captive audience for educational programs spon-sored by the Raystown Conservation Education Partnership (RayCEP).

RayCEP is a group of agencies, schools, businesses and other organi-

At the largest lake entirely within the Commonwealth, the Raystown Hydro-electric Project helps provide cooperative members in Pennsylvania and New Jersey with an affordable, reliable source of electricity (see page 20).

But visitors to Raystown Lake in Huntingdon County can participate in education-al programs that are just as illuminating as hydropower.

zations that have teamed up to provide educational programming for the visitors to Raystown Lake. The Ray-CEP program supports environmental education by providing internships for students to deliver programs, coor-dinate programs among partners and recruit speakers to present on a variety of environmental issues.

Lakeside learning

Raystown Lake offers educational outreach

FOR THE BIRDS: Calli Wise, left, and Katie Emery, Raystown Conservation Education Partnership interns from Juniata College, pres-ent a program on owls at the Raystown Lake Amphitheater in Huntingdon, Pa.

By Michael T. Crawford Associate Editor

| MAY 2018 19

20 regular volunteers, the Friends help sponsor and develop programs in education, resource protection and enhancement, and recreational improvement.

“(The Raystown Lake) budget doesn’t allow for any of this stuff that we do,” explains Ron Rabena, presi-dent of the Friends organization and a Valley Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) member. “What we’re doing is in addition to what they call their mission. Their first mission is flood control, and then after that it is recre-ation.”

Nick Krupa, park manager of Ray-stown Lake, admits he and his team would be hard pressed to educate visitors to the lake on their own.

“Without the Friends of Raystown, we probably wouldn’t be able to pull this off because they are the biggest contributor,” explains Krupa, a Valley

LAKE EFFECT: Raystown Lake, the largest lake located entirely in Pennsylvania, offers 8,300 surface acres of clear water surrounded by 21,000 acres of forested mountain slopes.

REC member. “We bring on 12 seasonal rangers a year just to man-age the crowds here. The partner-ship we have with the Friends of Ray-stown and Juniata College … we really lean on them for a large part of the environmental education that goes on here.”

reaching outIn 2017, Ray-

CEP presented 29 different educa-tional programs — such as “Aquatic Invertebrates” and “Bees, Butterflies and Beyond” — to nearly 2,400 peo-ple at Raystown Lake. Rather than a “if you build it, they will come” model, RayCEP sends their interns

to where people already gather.“We want the program to be

flexible,” explains Dr. Chuck Yohn, director of the Raystown Field Station operated by Juniata College. “For example … the interns might go to a campground to find it empty because it’s particularly hot … so the interns go down to the beach and that’s where they’ll deliver the programming.”

While the interns or rangers tend to draw a crowd by catching the eye of the children — bringing a rescued turtle, for example — the programs are designed to engage any age group.

“We tend to work the interns in pairs,” Yohn says, “so that you might have someone answering the kids’ questions … and one of the interns can be talking with the adults. When you have a family, you can use a com-plex word with the parents and then repeat that with a simple concept with

the kids. Then the parents get involved with helping to explain things to the kids as well.”

While many programs focus on the conservation of natural resources — such as water or forests — several educational sessions are focused on the consumption and conservation of electricity.

“If you’re being efficient with your water, you’re also being efficient with your electricity because you’re not go-ing to be pumping water,” Harrington explains. “They have a power wagon — literally a wagon — and it has a se-ries of lights so they can actually plug in their campers … and tell how much electricity they’re using.”

SustainabilityIt’s not just enough to tell visitors

about the importance of conserving resources. Raystown Lake practices what it preaches.

“We’ve had a very aggressive energy sustainability program over the last couple of years,” Harrington boasts. “We’ve put all new lighting almost everywhere … new hot water heaters in our shower houses, driving hy-brid vehicles, better insulation. One thing we’re working on … we have a contract ready for solar energy on top of the visitor center. We’re excited about it because when we have school

POWER UP: A Raystown Conservation Education Partnership (RayCEP) volunteer shows campers how much power various electronics consume using the RayCEP Power Wagon at Raystown Lake in Huntingdon, Pa.

| MAY 201820

raystown hydro marks 30 yearsBy Michael T. Crawford

Thirty years after the dedication of the Raystown Hydroelectric Project (Raystown), the power plant continues to deliver enough electricity to power roughly 8,500 rural homes annually. And for 30 years, it’s done this in an environmentally friendly manner.

The 21-megawatt plant, which began operations in June 1988 in Huntingdon County on the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, is operated by Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. (Allegheny) in close cooperation with the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Allegheny, based in Har-risburg, Pa., is the wholesale supplier of electricity to 13 electric cooperatives in Pennsylvania and one in New Jersey.

“As the country seeks environmentally responsible solutions for our ever-growing energy needs, we’re very proud to have this plant in our power mix,” notes Frank Betley, president & CEO of Allegheny and the Pennsylvania Rural Electric Associ-ation (PREA). “It has been a proven and reliable source of low-cost, renewable generation for electric cooperative consum-er-members for 30 years.”

Production from Raystown contributes to Allegheny’s overall

energy mix, which includes nuclear and other hydro resources. Approximately 70 percent of Allegheny’s power supply comes from these self-owned, carbon emissions-free generation re-sources; the other 30 percent is purchased on the market.

Construction on the site began shortly after a groundbreak-ing ceremony in August 1986. The project involved building an intake structure on the lake side of the Raystown Dam, a 930-footlong underground tunnel and a powerhouse to house the two turbine-generator units. A 550-foot steel penstock, or pipe, connects the tunnel to the powerhouse. About two-thirds of the powerhouse, which has three levels, is underground. Its construction was completed in late October 1987. After extensive start-up testing, the plant was declared in commercial operation on June 15, 1988.

In 2006, Raystown was certified as a low-impact hydroelec-tric facility by the Low Impact Hydropower Institute – the first hydro plant in Pennsylvania to earn this distinction for environ-mental stewardship. Raystown is one of only four facilities in the state to be certified by the institute.

“The Raystown plant is a great example of community part-nership and cooperative commitment to environmental stew-ardship,” notes Todd Sallade, PREA/Allegheny vice president – power supply & engineering.

Because it can draw water from different levels in the lake to get different temperatures, the plant can work to extend the spawning season for some fish with warmer water. Part of the community plan for the plant was to provide a longer season for fishermen. There’s even a fishing platform below the power-house.

“It’s really a remarkable illustration of how flood control, recreation and electric generation have worked in harmony over the years,” Sallade adds.

In 1988, representatives of cooperatives from across the state gathered with hundreds of state and national dignitaries, along with interested spectators, to mark the opening of the hydroelectric plant. Today, because of changing security con-cerns, the plant is closed to the public.

Allegheny’s plan for Raystown is to keep the plant operating in first-class shape well into the future. As the demand for more power, especially from renewable resources, continues to grow, the future looks bright for hydro plants like Raystown.

30tH ANNIVeRsARY: the Raystown Hydroelectric Project celebrates its 30th anniversary in June. The 21-megawatt plant is operated by Allegheny Electric Cooperative, Inc. in close cooperation with the Baltimore District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

groups come through the visitor center, we like to talk about a whole way of living, from the roof to the roots. The roof, in this case, would be solar energy … then we walk out on the deck and we’d be talking about hydro power. This big lake is for flood control, but at the end of the lake we have a dam and at the dam there’s a hydroelectric power plant that produc-es 21 megawatts of power. We have a walking trail that’s two-and-a-half miles long that’s made out of 38,000 shredded tires, so now you’re into reusable resources.”

Visitors looking to learn at Raystown

have more options open to them than just walking tours and presentations. For those looking for a hands-on expe-rience, there are plenty of volunteer opportunities that visitors can take ad-vantage of to understand the ongoing conservation efforts at Raystown.

“The best way is not through pre-sentation; it’s when you can actively do something with somebody,” Har-rington says. “We’re pretty big with the American Chestnut Restoration … we have four nurseries out here at the lake. If we had a small environmen-tal class and they wanted to do some work out here, you work one day on

that orchard, you get it — you under-stand what it’s all about. That’s the best level you can get. … Get them out of the classroom, get them on the recy-cled rubber trail and stick their hands in the storm water pond.”

As far as Rabena can see, the oppor-tunities to learn at Raystown won’t be going away any time soon.

“The future looks pretty good,” Rabena says. “We have a nice, stable membership; we’re lucky we have some money in the bank and we’re able to do the things we want to do. We’re pretty proud of our accomplish-ments.” l

| MAY 201822

Make, model, capacity — oh my!Tips for purchasing new appliances

By Paul Wesslund

energymatters

The Sloboda family needed a new refrigerator so Brian volunteered to do the shopping. After all,

he’s a national expert on electric appli-ances.

He came home frustrated. There were just too many choices, even for the guy whose job title is “Program and Product Line Manager for Energy Utilization, Delivery, and Energy Effi-ciency” at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

“Just buy whatever you want,” he told his wife.

He finally got to use his in-depth knowledge when he looked over the model that Sami Jo brought home.

“Why didn’t you get the version that has a camera inside, so you can use your smartphone in the grocery store to see if we need more milk?” he asked.

“Because it costs $500 more,” she said.

That, said Brian, was a good reason.That’s the kind of reasoning we’re

all going to be doing in the coming months and years as we grapple with the newest trend in appliances — con-nection to the internet.

“The No. 1 problem for homeown-ers is trying to determine which of the things actually presents value,” says Sloboda.

For example, when you’re on vaca-tion you can use your smartphone to check whether you’ve left the oven on or the garage door open.

Sounds nice, but is it worth it?

“There are infinite possibilities,” says Sloboda. “They sound nice when you first hear about them, but you have to remember you are paying more for

those features.”Web-connected appliances

could also offer online diag-nostics. There might not be strong everyday reasons for a washing machine to be hooked into cyberspace, but if it broke, the manufacturer could log in to figure out what’s wrong. That could help decide the best way to repair or replace the equipment. But is it worth the extra cost?

“It’s a good feature,” says Sloboda, “but one you’re only going to use when the appli-ance breaks.”

If you’re longing for low-er-tech help in decision-mak-ing, look to the yellow and black U.S. Department of Energy’s EnergyGuide label on each appliance.

“It’s one of the single great-est pieces of information that you can find when you buy an appliance,” says Sloboda.

He says the most useful info is the big dollar figure right in the middle of the label, showing what it will cost to use that appliance for a year.

Sloboda cautions that the number doesn’t tell you exactly what you will pay because it doesn’t use your local utility’s kilowatt-hour rate. But it’s a perfect way to compare appliances because every appliance’s label is based on the same national average electric rate.

“You can stand in that aisle looking at all the washing machines, and you can scan the entire row and narrow your options down from a dozen,” says Sloboda, “down to the three or four that use the least amount of money.”

taking charge of your appliances

If you see an Energy Star logo, it means the appliance will use less energy than one without. He also sin-gles out the upper right corner that lists the manufacturer and model number, which you can use for more detailed comparisons with other models.

Sloboda also advises to pay attention to the age of your major energy-using appliances. In addition to dramatic energy efficiency advances over the past several years, motors start degrad-ing in refrigerators and in heating and air conditioning systems. He says to consider upgrading air conditioners and heat pumps older than 10 years, and refrigerators older than eight years.

The Department of Energy offers a handy way to check whether it’s time

to replace your refrigerator: visit the EnergyStar.gov website and in the search box type “flip your fridge cal-culator.” You’ll find a link to a page where you can enter your type of refrigerator and its age to calculate how much you’d save buying a new one.

All these options mean more deci-sions, but help is on the way.

Sloboda says that electric co-ops are working with two national laborato-ries to study the most useful ways to connect appliances with the internet, and with the utilities that provide the electricity. He says that over the next two years the study will report on how consumers can more easily make deci-sions on how to use appliances, and even how to enhance cybersecurity for the growing number of internet-con-nected devices in the home.

The study will also look for futur-istic-sounding ways that co-op mem-bers can sign up for optional utility programs to help homeowners decide how they want to use electricity.

“The appliances would be networked together and they would talk to one another,” says Sloboda. “In a very advanced scenario, the home could actually reconfigure the way appliances are being used depending on occu-pancy of the home and the weather.”

That setup could even let homeown-ers decide if they are a person who wants to save as much energy and money as possible, or if they would rather the house be warmer or cooler.

“They won’t have to figure out if they want to set the thermostat back,” says Sloboda. “The homeowner would tell the system whether they wanted to maximize comfort, or maximize savings, then the home would commu-nicate to the utility. That way it won’t be the utility controlling the system, it won’t be the appliance manufacturer, but it will be the occupant of the house who is making the decisions.” l

Paul Wesslund writes on cooperative issues for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus consumer-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives.

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classified Advertisements classified Advertisementsclassified Advertisements iSSuE Month Ad dEAdLinE July 2018 May 18 August 2018 June 20 September 2018 July 20

Penn Lines classified advertisements reach nearly 166,000 rural Pennsylvania households! Please note ads must be received by the due date to be included in the requested issue month. Ads received beyond the due date will run in the next available issue. Written notice of changes and cancellations must be re-ceived 30 days prior to the issue month. Classified ads will not be accepted by phone, fax or email. For more information please contact Michelle M. Smith at 717-233-5704.

FREE headings: • Around the House• Business opportunities • employment opportunities• Gift & Craft Ideas• Livestock & Pets• Miscellaneous

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pLEASE SubMit A cLEArLY WrittEn or tYpEd ShEEt With thE FoLLoWing rEquirEd inForMAtion:

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o non-members should submit name, address, phone number, and email address, if applicable.

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hEALth And nutrition

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LAWn And gArdEn EquipMEnt

HARRINGtoNs eQUIPMeNt CoMPANY, 475 Orchard Rd., Fairfield, PA 17320. 717-642-6001 or 410-756-2506. Lawn & Garden equipment, Sales – Service – Parts. www.HarringtonsEquipment.com.

LiVEStocK And pEtS

PEMBROKE WELSH CORGI Puppies – AKC, adorable, intelligent, highly trainable. Excellent family choice. Reputable licensed breeder guaranteed “Last breed you’ll ever own.” 814-587-3449.

sAWDUst DeLIVeReD IN NoRtHWesteRN PeNNsYLVANIA: sawdust available in 32-yard walking floor. Call Charlie at 814-720-0288. Green sawdust 100-yard walking floor. Call David at 814-425-2500, ext. 221.

MiScELLAnEouS

FOR SALE: Buckets, forks, thumbs, grapple buckets and pallet forks for skid loaders, backhoes and excavators. Tires for backhoes, rubber tire loaders and excavators also. Call 814-329-0118.

USED CHURCH BRICK – 25 cents per brick. Load and transport yourself. 724-840-1871 or 724-762-4667.

1999 REGAL 242, COMMODORE – 330 hours. One owner. Stored at Raystown. MerCruiser 5.7 V-8, twin-prop. Sunpad, all covers and Load Rite trailer. $17,500 negotiable. 717-960-9764.

poWdEr coAting

ALMost ANYtHING MetAL can be powder coated: auto parts, lawn furniture, wheels, etc. Restores, protects, preserves. 1,200-degree manifold coating. Arthurs Powder Coating, 263 Sexton Road, Indiana, PA 15701. 724-349-3770.

rEAL EStAtE

LOTS FOR SALE – 4 & 5 acre lots. Perc-tested building lots. Silver Mills Road, Artemas, Pa. Bedford County. $23,000 each. Phone: Rick 814-635-4020.

rEAL EStAtE

HUNtING-YeAR RoUND LIVING – Wyoming County. Creek front, secluded, fully furnished, two-bedroom home, 1½ baths, living room, eat-in kitchen, two decks, washer/dryer, walk-out basement and garage in the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania. 1.3 acres bordering state gamelands and Mehoopany Creek. 516-223-9333.

QUIet CoUNtRY LIVING – 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom home on 4 acres near Conneaut Lake, Pa. Hot tub, 27-foot above-ground pool and LOTS of garage space. Full kitchen and third full bathroom in garage with patio for entertaining. 4,500 sq. ft. of living and garage space, porches, patio. Stream and woods. Additional land available. $254,900. 814-382-1370.

VIRGINIA’s eAsteRN sHoRe. Fisherman and beach lover’s paradise. Access Chesapeake Bay or Atlantic Ocean within minutes. Perfect for vacation/retirement dream home. Waterside Village 3/4 acre near marina from $18,000 with storage for RV and boat. Beach access nearby. Clearview 1.8 acre waterfront on scenic cove $119,900. Many free boat ramps within minutes. Kirkwoodontheshore.com. 757-678-7631.

rEcipES And Food

SPECIAL OFFER – BOTH COOKBOOKS FOR $12. “Country Cooking” – $5, including postage. “Recipes Remembered” – $7, including postage. Both of these cookbooks are a collection of recipes from men and women of the electric co-ops of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Payable to: Pennsylvania Rural Electric Association, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108. Write Attention: Cookbooks.

ShAKLEE

FREE SAMPLE Shaklee’s Energy Tea. Combination red, green and white teas that are natural, delicious, refreshing, safe. For sample or more information on tea or other shaklee Nutrition/Weight Loss Products: 800-403-3381 or sbarton.myshaklee.com.

trActor pArtS – rEpAir/rEStorAtion

ARTHURS TRACTORS, specializing in vintage Ford tractors, 30 years experience, online parts catalog/prices, Indiana, Pa. 15701. Contact us at 877-254-FORD (3673) or www.arthurstractors.com.

VAcAtionS And cAMpSitES

NeW sMYRNA BeACH, Fla., condo rental. Two bedrooms, two baths, pool. 200 yards from beach. Not available February and March. No pets. $600 weekly, $2,200 monthly. Call 814-635-4020.

RAYstoWN VACAtIoN HoUse ReNtAL. Sleeps 11, four bedrooms, table for 12, 2 Satellite TVs, 2 flbaths, 2 hfbaths, linens/towels provided, boat parking. One mile from boat launch. Visit www.laurelwoodsretreat.com. Call 814-931-6562.

VAcAtionS And cAMpSitES

sPRING VALLeY ResoRt, Mercer, Pa. so much to offer, fantastic 18-hole golf course, lodging, Hell’s Hollow Grill, swimming pool, hot tub, campfires, fishing, hiking, farmhouse rental. STAY – PLAY – EAT – SLEEP. Use Code 1010 for discount. 724-662-1999. www.golfspringvalley.com.

HELL’S HOLLOW TRAIL, Mercer, Pa. Family fun, restored farmhouse rental, swimming pool, hot tub, fishing, hiking or rent a trail buggy on the 4-mile adventure trail. Hell’s Hollow Grill, parties, reunions, banquets, business meetings. Use Code 1020 for discount. 724-662-1999. www.hellshollow.com.

W e N D Y W o R L D I s A P e A C e F U L CAMPGRoUND for people who love and appreciate the great outdoors. Located in close proximity to the river, bike trail, lake, restaurants and activities. Contact us at www.wendyworld.biz.

CABIN FoR sALe – Wharton township. $79,900. Well and septic, 3 bedrooms, fully furnished. Three rooms first floor, bathroom first floor. Large shed, deck on cabin, 2½ acres. Call 610-435-8121.

seVeN sPRINGs – eIGHt BeDRooMs, six baths and two half baths, very near the resort, available for winter & summer rentals, hot tub, pool table, big screen TVs and other amenities, sleeps up to 21 guests. For photo brochure, availability and pricing, email c.r.cole@verizon.net.

See what a difference it makes…

cLASSiFiEdS

| MAY 201826

punchlines

bread should be fresh and hot Wheels fastLooking to a future where bread doesn’t mold and tiny cars turn boys into men

By Earl Pitts, American

Social commentary from Earl pitts — a.k.a. GARY BUR BANK, a nation ally syndicated radio per son ality — can be heard on the following radio stations that cover electric cooperative ser-vice territories in Pennsylvania: WANB-FM 103.1 Pittsburgh;

WARM-AM 590 Wilkes-Barre/ Scran ton; WIOO-AM 1000 Carlisle; WEEO-AM 1480 Shippensburg; WMTZ-FM 96.5 Johnstown; WQBR-FM 99.9/92.7 Mcelhattan; WLMI-FM 103.9 Kane; and WVNW-FM 96.7 Burnham- Lewistown. You can also find him at earlpittsa-merican.com.

But you know what they missed, and I would appreciate it if we backed up and took care of this.

How come nobody ever invented a machine that would keep your bread from gettin’ moldy before you got done eatin’ it?

Excuse me, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, but could we back up a minute and take care of that?

See, what happened was — the other day, I was watchin’ them boys on the NASCAR. And I got hungry. So I go in the kitchen.

I pulled out a plastic bag of the Black Forest Ham, which I don’t know if you know this, but it contains the meat of actual wild boars hunted and killed in the Black Forest. Where they are known for bein’ extra tasty.

Then I grabbed me a head of lettuce from the crisper drawer and sliced up a tomato razor-thin. Because everybody knows thinner slices means you can use more slices. With me, it’s all about the mouth feel.

Got the squeeze bottle of deli mustard, shaved a sweet onion so thin you could read through it. Dang! I’ll tell you what, if Subway ever wants to change their fortunes, I’d be glad to

run the place.Anyways, then I reach on the

counter for the bread, and there it is — settin’ in the plastic, lookin’ like a Leprechaun sat on it. It was mushy and more green than white. Which is especially weird because I had a couple slices with my eggs that very mornin’. How in the Sam Hill does that happen?

Wake up, America! You got your NASCAR on the TV, and your green bread on the kitchen counter. That is a five-car buzz-kill right there. My day never recovered. I’m Earl Pitts, American.

This here is pretty excitin’. I mean, if you’re my age and you’re a guy, today I’m gonna

bring you back some memories. I seen where they had a toy convention goin’ on. It’s where all the toy companies introduce their new toys. And anyway — at this convention, they was cele-bratin’ the 50th anniversary of the Hot Wheels.

Man, I used to love Hot Wheels. To this day, every time I’m drivin’ down a lonely country road in Pennsylvania, I like to imagine the road is orange and there’s a loop-de-loop and a ramp just up ahead.

Yeah, I remember when me and my brother, Merle, was just little kids, and we got us our first Hot Wheels track.

You took the beginnin’ of that track off the lower bunk and that little metal Mustang would do a 360 in the loop and hit that ramp doin’ 80 — in

miniature car speed, of course.And here’s where it got fun. By the second day we had that set,

we could land that car right into a bowl of Super Sugar Smacks. Yeah, the Duke boys didn’t have nothin’ on us. Only our cars was much smaller. One time, we jumped the Rock’em Sock’em robots, in the middle of a robot fight.

I’m gonna guess here that any man who loves cars today can trace that love back to his Hot Wheels. Hot Wheels started it.

And then you got a little older, and then there was that Christmas when you got your first model car. It was like a giant Hot Wheel that you had to stick together. I remember my first model car. I was so excited that I almost passed out. My Daddy said that was because I forgot to cap the glue. Who knows — maybe he was right.

Wake up, America! And Happy Anniversary to Hot Wheels. The little tiny cars that turned boys into men. Men who like fast cars. I’m Earl Pitts, American. l

You know what I figured out over the weekend? You know how this world is racin’ toward tech-

nology? They got them smart phones now — smarter than the people usin’ ‘em. They’re workin’ on cars that drive themselves for us all to have. This is heady stuff, right?

Eunice coulter

Valley rEc

| MAY 2018 27

Amy propernorthwestern rEc

natalie LingrEA Energy

Janelle coganbedford rEc

ruralreflections

Spring = green

Everywhere you look outside, the world is green (or soon will be), meaning it’s the perfect time to get out and take some photos.

Amateur photographers are encouraged to send their photos to Penn Lines Photos, P.O. Box 1266, Harrisburg, PA 17108-1266. Include name, address, phone number and the name of your electric cooperative. 2018 winners in each of five categories — artistic, landscape, human, animal and editor’s choice — will receive $75 and run-ners-up will receive $25.

We work ahead, so please send summer photos by mid-May; fall photos by July and winter photos by September (hint: save your spring photos to submit next year). 2018 photos will be returned in early 2019 if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. l