I love living in rural, central Nebraska. It’s a quality of life that is unmatched. And it is because of the people. More specifically it is because of the work ethic and heart for volunteerism in the people that we call neighbor. Because of those neighbors we have service organizations that hand out thousands of dollars in scholarship to students each year. We have groups that take time to collect goods to feed and shelter those who are in need. They volunteer to fight fires, rescue lives, and teach children how to live on a strong moral foundation. Those are the kind of folks that we get to call on when the need for help arises. Those are the folks that we get the privilege of keeping the lights on for. Here at Custer Power we share that value. Caring about our communities and customers is key part of our corporate cultural. Sure we donate to area 4-H clubs, benefits, and fundraisers. But for us it is bigger than that. Because in giving we get so much in return. The giving is the gift. So, we look for ways to continually engage inside of our shop and office walls to try to make a difference outside of them. One way we do that is by offering a high voltage safety demonstation. We travel our 8,000 square mile service territory reminding fire departments, youth organizations, and customers about the dangers of electricty and how to stay safe in event of an emergency. Another way we do that is through our Custer Cares Program. Over the past several years, through different contests and challenges our employees have donated thousands of dollars to local charities. Last February our employees brought in over $1,000 in goods to be taken to the food pantries. In May, teams competed in a series of lineman (cont. page 2) June 2016 12-A Custer Public Power District June 2016 By Melissa Garcia Mick Clark, Construction Foreman named Elk of the Year The Gift of Giving Back Spencer Burk, Lead Lineman Thedford and Gordon Needs, Apprentice Lineman serving as Firemen and EMTs High Voltage Demonstration
Transcript
I love living in rural, central Nebraska. It’s a quality of life that is unmatched. And it is because of the people. More specifically it is because of the work ethic and heart for volunteerism in the people that we call neighbor.
Because of those neighbors we have service organizations that hand out thousands of dollars in scholarship to students each year. We have groups that take time to collect goods to feed
and shelter those who are in need. They volunteer to fight fires, rescue lives, and teach children how to live on a strong moral foundation.
Those are the kind of folks that we get to call on when the need for help arises. Those are the folks that we get the privilege of keeping the lights on for.
Here at Custer Power we share that value. Caring about our communities and customers is key part of our corporate cultural. Sure we donate to area 4-H clubs, benefits, and fundraisers. But for us it is bigger than that. Because in giving we get so much in return. The giving is the gift. So, we look for ways to continually engage inside of our shop and office walls to try to make a difference outside of them.
One way we do that is by offering a high voltage safety demonstation. We travel our 8,000 square mile service territory reminding fire departments, youth organizations, and customers about the dangers of electricty and how to stay safe in event of an emergency.
Another way we do that is through our Custer Cares Program. Over the past several years, through different contests and challenges our employees have donated thousands of dollars to local charities. Last February our employees brought in over $1,000 in goods to be taken to the food pantries. In May, teams competed in a series of lineman (cont. page 2)
June 2016
12-A Custer Public Power District June 2016
By Melissa Garcia
Mick Clark, Construction Foreman named Elk of the Year
The Gift of Giving Back
Spencer Burk, Lead Lineman Thedford and Gordon Needs, Apprentice Lineman serving as Firemen and EMTs
High Voltage Demonstration
Area Youth Takes on Washington!
12-B Custer Public Power District June 2016
After attending last year’s Nebraska Rural
Electic Association’s Youth Energy Leadership
Camp, the Custer Power Board selected
Kelsey Phillips of Mullen to represent the
District on the National Youth Energy Tour of
Washington, DC. Kelsey will be one of many
travelling from Nebraska to experience all that
our nation’s capital has to offer while learning
how public power is impacted by federal policy
and how she can make a difference. We are
looking forward to hearing from Kelsey in July
about the trip, what she learned, and how she
can use what she learned in the future.
GIVING BACK CONT. events focused on safety for the right to choose the charity that received a monetary donation. Those contributions came from the employees taking part. For me, the joy in that is to see the open heart they give with. Which just makes sense, because outside of working hours, they’re a product of the quality of life we love so much. They are the neighbor lending a hand at a branding, serving in their churches and service organizations. They are fighting fires and rescuing lives. In fact, when we surveyed our employees, over ninety percent have spent significant time giving back in the eight different communities where they live. Seven serve on volunteer fire departments or as EMTs, two serve or have served on local village boards, and over half worked with youth.
The gift of giving back is just something that is in the blood of those who have roots here in rural, central Nebraska. Thank you for trusting us to serve you, and as volunteers, serve beside you.
Tom Knott, Director of Operations and Loss Control and Rick Nelson, Ceneral
Manager serve the masses
12-C Custer Public Power District June 2016
Austin Pankonin Receives Lineman ScholarshipBeginning in 1991, the Directors of Custer Public Power committed to providing a scholarship for individuals residing in Custer PPD’s service territory who were interested in pursuing a career in utility line work. Students receiving the scholarship also have an opportunity to intern with the District during their time in college.
This year’s scholarshp was awarded to Austin Pankonin. Austin is the son of Johnny Pankonin and Lindsey Pankonin. He recently graduated from North Platte High School and will be attending Northeast Community College as a part of the Utility Line Program.
Remember to look up and look out. With today’s taller equipment, there is a greater chance than ever of coming in contact with overhead lines. Overhead power lines carry extremely high levels of current and have no protective insulation. Any objects that provide a conductive path from the line to the earth can carry a lethal flow of electricity. Avoid guy wires. Running into these weakens the support for power lines.
12-D Custer Public Power District June 2016
Prize Winning Baby Back Ribs
Ingredients1 tbsp ground cumin 1 tbsp chili powder 1 tbsp paprika salt and pepper to taste 3 pounds baby back pork ribs 1 cup barbeque sauce
Directions1. Preheat a gas grill for high heat, or arrange charcoal briquettes on one side of the barbeque. Lightly oil the grate.In a small jar, combine cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Close the lid, and shake to mix.
2. Trim the membrane sheath from the back of each rack. Run a small, sharp knife between the membrane and each rib, and snip off the membrane as much as possible. Sprinkle as much of the rub onto both sides of the ribs as desired. To prevent the ribs from becoming too dark and spicy, do not thoroughly rub the spices into the ribs. Store the unused portion of the spice mix for future use.
3. Place aluminum foil on lower rack to capture drippings and prevent flare-ups. Lay the ribs on the top rack of the grill (away from the coals, if you’re using briquettes). Reduce gas heat to low, close lid, and leave undisturbed for 1 hour. Do not lift the lid at all.
4. Brush ribs with barbecue sauce, and grill an additional 5 minutes. Serve ribs as whole rack, or cut between each rib bone and pile individually on a platter.
CUSTER CURRENTSNewsletter of the
CUSTER PUBLIC POWER DISTRICT
Broken Bow, NE - Phone 872-2451www.custerpower.com
Serving Custer, Loup, Blaine, Thomas, Hooker, McPherson, Logan and parts of
Sherman, Garfield, Brown, Cherry, Lincoln, and Dawson Counties
Staff Rick Nelson............................General Manager
Tom Knott.....................Director of Operations and Loss Control
Cheryl Taylor................Director of Finance and Administration
Board MeetingsThe regular monthly meeting of the Custer Public Power District Board of Directors is on the last Thursday of each month, beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the main office in Broken Bow on Hwy. 2.
An agenda for each regular meeting of the board is available for public inspection during business hours.
In the event of matters of an emergency nature or conflicts with other meeting dates, the Board of Directors will set changes. Any change in the monthly meeting date will be posted in the legal notice at the main headquarters building at Broken Bow and at each of the District’s area service centers located in Callaway, Sargent, Stapleton and Thedford, Nebraska.
