Rural Electric Nebraskan

December 2011

Wishing you the joy, peace and spirit of the season.

Providing you the light, warmth and magic of the season.

Your Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are proud to provide the power that helps make the holidays bright.

www.tristate.coop

Wholesale power supplier to 44 electric cooperatives in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.

December 2011 3

“The Rural Voice of Nebraska”

Volume 65, Number 12, December 2011

Features

Santa Land 6

Freelance writer Marita Placek shares the story of how SantaLand got its start at the farm of Ernie and Sharon Christensen in1985 and the way it has evolved over the years to become a holidayattraction in northeast Nebraska.

Educating the next generation 12

Discover the different ways in which the rural electric utilities helpeducate a vital segment of their consumer base: the children ofrural electric utility members.

Departments

On the cover

A boy takes a winter bike ride in the snow with a pair of family pets.Photograph by Bob Rooney, Sandhills Images photographer.

Contents

EDITOR’S PAGE 4

SAFETY BRIEFS — Murphy 16

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS by James Dulley 18

RECIPES 20

ADULT PEN PALS 21

MARKETPLACE/CLASSIFIEDS 22

Staff

Editor

Wayne Price

Editorial Assistant

Kathy Barkmeier

Published by the

Visit us at www.nrea.org

General Manager

Jay Holmquist

President

Barry DeKay,

Niobrara Valley EMC

Vice President/Secretary

Gary Dill,

Roosevelt Public Power District

Treasurer

Randy Papenhausen,

Cedar-Knox Public Power District

Published monthly by the Nebraska Rural Electric

Association, 1244 K Street, Box 82048, Lincoln,

Nebraska 68501, (402) 475-4988.

Advertising in the Rural Electric Nebraskan doesnot imply endorsement for products by theNebraska Rural Electric Association.Correspondence should be sent to Wayne Price,Editor, Rural Electric Nebraskan, Box 82048,Lincoln, NE 68501.

The Rural Electric Nebraskan is printed by JacobNorth Companies, Box 82046, Lincoln, NE68501. Form 3579 should be sent to the RuralElectric Nebraskan, Box 82048, Lincoln, NE68501.

Periodicals postage paid at Lincoln, Neb. POST-MASTER: send address changes to the RuralElectric Nebraskan, 1244 K Street, Box 82048,Lincoln, NE 68501.

Publication numbers are USPS 071-630 andISSN 0193-4937.

Rates: $10 for one year; $15 for two years; $20for three years, plus local and state tax.

anta Claus brought my daughter anEasy-Bake Oven a couple years ago.The plastic, miniature stove-like toy is

a miraculous device, baking brownies, sugarcookies, and any number of other magicaltreats — all with the help of a 100-wattincandescent lightbulb.It’s nice to know the extra heat given off by

inefficient lighting can be put to good (anddelicious) use. But you’re not cooking withthe other lightbulbs in your home, and tradi-tional incandescent bulbs waste 90 percentof their energy by releasing heat. That’s notsurprising, since the bulb’s design hasn’tbeen updated since it was created 130 yearsago.Just as cars and refrigerators have become

more efficient over time, lightbulbs are get-ting an overhaul. In 2007 Congress passedthe Energy Independence and Security Act,calling for incandescent bulbs to be at least28 percent more efficient starting nationallyin January 2012. Each household could save$50 every year with this change, and thosesavings add up — Americans could save over$6 billion annually.You have several efficient lightbulb

options. If you don’t want to stray too farfrom the bulbs you’re used to, consider halo-gen incandescent lightbulbs. They cut energyuse by about 25 percent and last three timesas long as traditional incandescent bulbs. How are they different? A small capsule

holds halogen gas around the filament. Thisminor addition boosts the bulb’s lifespan andefficiency. But everything else — the shape,color range, and ability to dim — stays thesame as the bulbs you grew up with.Another distinctive style of bulb should

already be familiar — we’ve been using com-pact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for severalyears. CFLs are the most common and cost-effec-

tive efficient bulb on the market. The trade-mark swirly style is linked to the concept ofefficient lighting, but some manufacturersalso encase CFLs to diffuse the light and pro-vide the same look and feel as traditionalbulbs. CFLs offer 75 percent energy savingsover traditional incandescent bulbs and last10 times longer.The last lighting option holds the most

promise for our lighting future. Light-emit-ting diodes (LEDs) are commonly used inelectronics. The bulbs are small — about halfthe size of a pencil eraser — but by bandingseveral bulbs together, a bright and depend-able light emerges.LEDs use 75-80 percent less energy than

incandescent bulbs and last 25 times longer— by far the longest lifespan yet for light-bulbs. They’re expensive, but prices will fallas more folks use the technology. Ready to start saving? New labels, appear-

ing in January, will help you compare thelumens (light output) from your old bulbsand buy a comparable efficient bulb. You canlearn more at energysavers.gov/lighting. But what about the Easy-Bake Oven? The

first Easy-Bake, manufactured by Kenner,now a division of Hasbro, hit the shelves in1963. It was turquoise, shaped like a box,and cost $15.95. Was it the end for this pop-ular toy?The news of the death of the 100-watt bulb

prompted rumors that the Easy-Bake mightbe headed in the same direction. Instead, thetoy maker Hasbro gave the oven its 11thredesign, at the heart of which is a new heat-ing element much like that of a traditionaloven. The Easy-Bake Oven now has a sleek,modern design.“This gave us a reason to do it completely

differently,” said Michelle Paolino, a vicepresident of global brand strategy and mar-keting at Hasbro. “We wanted it to look morelike a real appliance, not a plastic toy,” shesaid.The new heating element allows for more

consistent heat — no hotspots near the bulb— and an overall better baking experience.The cook time is about the same with thenew heating element, about 15 minutes onaverage. There’s also no need for an adult toopen the oven to screw in a new bulb.The Easy-Bake Ultimate Oven, which is

about the size of a bread box, could find ahome on any kitchen counter, as long asyou’re willing to pay $49.99, a rather steephike from the last model's price tag of$29.99. Rest assured, future chefs can still find

inspiration — and you can funnel some ofyour lighting savings toward culinary school!

Rural Electric Nebraskan4

EDITOR’S PAGE

by Wayne Price

If you’re not baking, you’re wasting energy

S

THE POWER BEHIND YOURLOCAL ELECTRIC CO-OP

Learn more about our commitment to affordability at www.TriState.coop.

Every day, every family across the West relies on the power of electricity. But for some families, higher electricity bills

could make for tough choices at home — even being forced to cut back on essentials, like groceries. At Tri-State, we’re

working hard to address the challenges that threaten affordable electricity, including unreasonable regulations and

policies. As a not-for-profit co-op, we’re committed to protecting consumers today and in the future by providing affordable

power while investing in innovation. In keeping electricity affordable, we believe life at home is that much better.

Santa Land


light December snow softlyfalls as dusk descends onCreighton, Nebraska’s Bruce

Park. Soon the darkness is pinpointedby the silent glow of thousands uponthousands of brightly colored lightsoutlining and illuminating Christmasdisplays, creating a winter wonder-land, all surrounded by a lightedcandy cane fence.During the Christmas season cars,

from near and far, follow the horse-shoe-shaped road to view the old-timeChristmas or winter scenes, “TheNight Before Christmas”, “GrinchWho Stole Christmas”, “WinterWonderland”, “Leave Cookies forSanta’”, “Loading Sleighs”, “TheNight Before Christmas”, “SantaChecking His List”, “The After Math”and “Santa Sleeping”, displayed inShadow boxes through out the park,sponsored by businesses, churches,organizations, theGirls Scouts,FCCLA and FFA,while listening toChristmas musicon a low-watt FMradio station. Other displays

appealing toyoung and oldalike, along theroute includelighted, movabletoys - an airplane,helicopter, pen-guins skating on alighted ice pond,teddy bears on ateeter totter,snowmen on aswing set, a

merry-go-round, a Ferris wheel, free-standing bears, a nativity scene, ascene honoring Veterans, and lightswrapped around the tree trunks andbushes.The highlight of the tour for the

kids is their visit to Santa’sWorkshop, near the center of the roadthat threads through the park.Depending on the weather, 75 to 100people usually sign the guest bookeach night, and more than that onnice weekends.Children climb on Santa and Mrs.

Claus’ laps and whisper theirChristmas wishes while a batteryoperated train circles around sixteenmotorized elves working hard mak-ing toys and checking the naughty ornice list.Lyle and Hazel Larsen of Creighton

enjoy playing the roles of Santa andMrs. Claus. “People take turns being Mr. and

Mrs. Santa Claus. We usually kick itoff and if somebody doesn’t show upwe fill in, whenever it works out for

us and others,” says Lyle. “While theelves are busy doing their work in thefactory, we’re off to the side by theChristmas tree. The kids sit on ourlaps and we ask them what they wantfor Christmas and give them candycanes and apples while their parentstake pictures.”Santa’s Workshop is wheelchair

accessible and is open from December1 to the 23rd from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.Chamber members or other organiza-tions offering cookies, hot chocolateand coffee sponsor each night.Santa Land got its start at the

Ernie and Sharon Christensen’s farmin 1985 when Ernie, who loved play-ing Santa for friends and neighborsand at parties, suffered a spinal cordinjury on the job. “I was unable to work or much of

anything else for a couple of years,”Ernie says. “I needed something tooccupy my time and that’s when Idecided to do some Christmas decora-tions using strings of lights in theyard. The first year we used 2,000

lights.”There was a

lot of traffic pastChr i s t ensen ’splace and so theydid it again thenext year and thenext. Theyincreased thenumber of lightsand decorationsevery year andthat’s how SantaLand got its start.

“We werehaving so muchfun with theChristmas deco-rations and peo-ple coming to seethem,” says

The Story of Creighton’s

by Marita Placek

A

The elves work on toys in one of the displays at Santa Land. Photographs

by Marita Placek

Ernie. “In 1987 we decided to turn thegarage into Santa’s Workshop. Youhave to have elves if you’re going tohave Santa’s Workshop. Having amechanical impulse, I started tinker-ing around and came up with amechanical elf. I used motors fromelectric can openers for the first elvesI made. Later I found a better andmore efficient motor to do the job.Sharon made costumes and wigs todress the elves. The first year we hadSanta’s Workshop I had seven elvesmade and every year I added more,and every elf had a name! We got theidea for their names from Alvin andthe Chipmunks. By the time weturned the display over to the town ofCreighton, there were seventeenelves.”In their ten-year reign Ernie was

Santa and Sharon was Mrs. Claus.They were open every night untilJanuary 10. After Christmas Erniebecame Santa’s helper. He used lightsto outline the tractor, the threshingmachine and hay bales made to looklike a crawling worm. He even boughtthe neighbor’s windmill from acrossthe road and outlined it with lights.“Our Christmas display drew peo-

ple from a large area, 4,000 peoplesigned the guest book in one year. Allthe kids got candy canes. One wholewall of the garage was covered withthe kid’s letters to Santa. We accepteddonations and every penny we tookin, plus what we added, we gave toorganizations such as St. Jude’s,March of Dimes. Easter Seals, andthe Crippled Children’s Fund.”The name ‘Santa Land’ didn’t come

about until several years later whenJeff Bauer, son of Doug and RhondaBauer, Creighton, asked his folks totake him out to see Santa Land. By 1995, Santa Land was getting to

be more than the Christensen’s couldhandle so they started looking forsomeone who would be interested intaking it over. Not all the big itemscould be moved, but the running heli-copter and airplane were among thedisplays that went. The last yearChristensen’s operated Santa Land,they used a quarter of a million(250,000) lights for decorating.“There was a group of six or eight of

us in Creighton who didn’t want tosee Santa Land discontinued or leaveour area, and we thought Bruce Parkwould be an ideal setting for it,”recalls Doug Hornback of Creighton,the first caretaker of Santa Landwhen it came to town under the spon-sorship of the Creighton Chamber ofCommerce and the CreightonRuritan Club. The Ruritan Club hassince disbanded.”“When we brought Santa Land to

town, it was much smaller than it istoday,” says Hornback. “Over the

years, the displays have grown. Ourfirst purchases came from DonAdelman, a retired farmer fromMadison, Nebraska.”Adelman had created mechanical

penguins skating on an ice pond, sol-diers on a merry-go-round, ginger-bread men on a Ferris wheel, snow-men on a teeter-totter, Mickey Mouseand a sleigh and reindeer made com-pletely from ash wood. Each year afew more decorations joined the onesfrom the year before in his farmyardon the east side of Highway 81between Norfolk and Madison.“I started in September and spent

days unrolling the Christmas lightsoff of a reel and checking to see thatall of the 30,000 light bulbs were inworking order,” says the 82 year-oldAdelman. “I had a Santa standing onthe roof, several nativity andChristmas scenes set up in the yard,and lights everywhere. I kept some of

December 2011 7

Please turn to page 8

Above: Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus

listen to children’s Christmas wishes.

Left: Children watch the elves mak-

ing toys in the workshop.

the Christmas decorations and stilluse them, but I sold most of them toCreighton.”The next acquisition came from

John and Connie Day of Norfolk.Brandon Day, son of John andConnie, recalls his parents’ efforts tomake Christmas a special time forthe family. “Starting in about 1985 orso, my folks began adding a few newdecorations every year, and it justgradually grew and grew until it gottoo big for them to handle on theirown. In early September they’d startchecking out the strings of lights, get-ting the decorations ready and set-ting them up in the yard. They didthis for about 15 years.“Finally it got so big that, for the

last few years, they had to hire peopleto help them get the decorating done.The lights were all on timers andwould come on about 6 o’clock in theevening and turn off sometime about10 o’clock. This went on every nightfrom the 15th of November until the5th of January.”“The neighbors were pretty good

about it, they were patient for a goodmany years, but the traffic got to betoo much for the neighborhood,” says

Day. “So the folks made an agreementwith the officials at Norfolk’sNortheast Community College. All oftheir Christmas decorations exceptthe Nativity scene would be displayedon the campus.” There was no cost to the college.

The Days still owned all of their dis-plays and did all the setup and tear-down work, and even paid for theelectricity.Northeast Community College

hosted the Rhapsody of Lights holi-day display from 1994 to 2000. “Momand Dad always wished they couldhave kept all the Christmas displaysat the house but knew it wasn’t possi-ble. But they didn’t quit, either,”recalls Brandon. “They just did moredecorating inside the house, thenthey would hold an open house andgive tours during the Christmas sea-son. Christmas was always special inour family.”After Connie Day passed away

from cancer, most of the decorationswere donated to the Norfolk FirstUnited Methodist Church. Thechurch kept the Nativity set but soldthe rest at auction, where the itemswere purchased for Santa Land.Santa Land is one of the Chamber

of Commerce’s many projects. As soonas the park caretaker beds the parkdown for the winter, volunteers spend

hours stringing lights, one of thebiggest projects is the wrapping of allthe tree trunks and bushes in thepark with lights, and transformingBruce Park into the wonderful, magi-cal Christmas Santa Land.“Rope lights cut down the number

of electrical cords we needed to stringout and also saved electricity,” saysSteve Morrill, Creighton. “We work onthe lights and displays mostly onweekends and when we’re done, we’llhave strung at least 300,000 lightsthroughout the park. We’re alwaysopen for suggestions, for new and dif-ferent ideas, or even just a need tomove things around to differentspots. We’re more than happy to lis-ten, and hopefully, Santa Land will beready to go by the first Saturday ofDecember.”“When Doug Hornback stepped

down from helping with Santa Land,Rick and Patty Bartos took over andhave been very instrumental in thesetup and tear down of Santa Landfor the past eighteen years,” saysSherrie Zimmerer. “Until I startedhelping them three years ago, I wasunaware how much work goes intosetting up Santa Land. Rick hasworked to add more lights and dis-plays to Santa Land each year. Hemaintains and repairs all themechanical parts on the displays,


Santa LandFrom page 7

December 2011 9

NEBRASKA STATE PRIDE RIFLE

NB–REA–01

Artwork engraved

here on buttstock.

To Order Call 1-877-484-0179

www.historicalarmory.com/state-editions

2011 Historical Armory, Inc. ©

Historical Armory is proud to present you with the Nebraska State Pride Ri�e. �is limited edition �rearm is engraved with original artwork, created from past events and places in Nebraska’s history. �is special edition is brought to you on an American-made Henry ri�e, at an a�ordable price.

For more information please e-mail us at: [email protected]

*Dealer Inquiries Welcome*

Available on three Henry models:-Also available as a set-

Nebraska’s History, Captured on an American Rif le!

20% off your entire order if you call and mention this coupon code!

Coupon code valid until January 31st 2012

Personalization and 0% interest layaway are available!

Visit our website to see more pictures of this ri�e, and other

projects we o�er!

H001T .22LR ............. $599.99 + s&hH004 .22LR ............. $849.99 + s&hH009B .30/30 ........... $1399.99 + s&h

NEBRASKarbeN

A STNEBRASKpaC,yrotsiHs’aks

TE PRIDE AATE PRIDE RIFLE T TAmAnanoderutp

TE PRIDE RIFLE

irPetatSaksarpotduorpsiyr

b

!elfiRnacirem

edtneserp

ou c

yrneHuors b

if y2 %20

tion this

cirpelbadro��oanata,e�iraciremAnanouoyottguelaicepssi�.y.

nisecalpdna,krowtralanigiraer�noitided

yh

all and menou coretirenour off y

tion this

.ecedam-na

noitide

detaercsim

der or

CredrOoTnanoitazilanosreP

-484-778-1llaCiavaerayawayaltseretni%0dn

oup

9710 offonior more inforF

!elbali

Coup c

y

y 31st 2012N –AER–BN

ailable as a set-y mo

vlso a-Adels:y

enree Hailable on thrvAAv

*emocleWWeseiriuqnIrelaeD*c.yromralacirotsih@o

mation please e-mail us at: or more inforh&+ s$1399.99 .30/30 ...........H009B h&+ s.99 9$84.22LR .............H004 h&+ s $599.99 .22LR .............H001T

til Januaralid unde voon coupde!oon coup

y 31st 201210–

dels:

mocmation please e-mail us at:

hhh

making sure they are in workingorder, works with the telephone andelectric companies and turns thelights on every night duringDecember.”Soon after Santa Land opened, the

Creighton FFA, as a class project,designed and made the Santa Landsign, with 16,000 lights on it.”In 2010 Bartos exchanged the old

lights in the Santa Land sign andNativity scene to LED lights pur-chased by the Chamber of Commerce,and used the leftover LED lights tomake more Christmas trees.“The LED lights saves on the

amount of electricity needed, whileproviding more power at the northend of the park for the other displays.They are much brighter and reallyimproved the looks of the displays,”says Bartos. “The more LED lights wehave, the more we save,” he contin-ues. “I would love to see more dona-tions, the more donations we get themore lights we can buy. New displaysare added every year. The more peo-ple we get to help with Santa Land,

the merrier. ”Because of health reasons, Rick is

limited with what he can help withnow. “He basically told me I was incharge now,” says Sherrie. “He helpswhen possible and provides adviceand guidance to me. He is also lettingus use his personal equipment, whichwill help efficiently set up SantaLand.The Creighton Area Chamber of

Commerce plans to continue provid-ing this wonderful Christmas displayfor everyone to enjoy. It brings somany people to our wonderful com-munity.”More than 2,000 cars go through

Santa Land every year. It’s a placewhere families can go and enjoy thefeeling of an ‘old fashionedChristmas.’ Santa Land is not open ifthere’s a blizzard; however, the parkdoes stay open in ice storms,although it’s not really good for thelights.The people playing Santa and Mrs.

Claus have a very real appreciationfor the building now housing Santa’s

Workshop. When Santa Land firstcame to Creighton, Santa’s workshopwas a park shelter wrapped with aplastic tarp and wasn’t the warmestplace to be on the cold Decembernights. Betty Radosti, Creighton,donated funds for the present work-shop. The permanent building isused for storage when Santa’s elvesreturn to the North Pole.The efforts of the people of

Creighton and their devotion to thespirit and peace of the holiday seasonin Santa Land have given their com-munity a gift to be enjoyed by thetownspeople and visitors now and formany years to come.A donation box is located by

Santa’s Workshop to help with on-going expenses.Santa Land is open from December

1 to December 30th from 6:00 p.m. to10:00 p.m. and Santa’s Workshop isopen each night until December 23,from 6:00 p.m. to 9 p.m.NOTE: Ernie Christensen and

Hazel Larsen have since passedaway.


hat’s your favorite latenight snack – that go-totreat that melts away the

troubles of the day as you curl up infront of the TV? Perhaps it’s acreamy bowl of Rocky Road ormaybe some delicious, spicySzechuan chicken left over from arecent take-out feast. Refrigerator-finds like these may make you feelbad about indulging in guilty pleas-ures, but at least you don't have tofeel bad about how high your energybill will be to cure your cravings.That’s because of innovative tech-nology and meaningful energy con-servation standards put into placeby the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE) Office of Energy Efficiencyand Renewable Energy's BuildingTechnologies Program.In recent decades, the DOE has

led technological innovation thatvastly improved the energy efficien-cy of our refrigerators and freezers(and thousands of other householdappliances). As a result, it’s a loteasier on your pocket and on theenvironment to keep ice cream atpeak frosty perfection. In fact,today’s refrigerators use only about25 percent of the energy that wasrequired to power models built in1975. Even while continuallyimproving efficiency to meet stan-dards, refrigerators have increasedin size by almost 20 percent, haveadded energy-using features such asthrough-the-door ice, and providemore benefits than ever before. The dramatic rise in efficiency

began in response to the oil andenergy crises of the 1970s whenrefrigerators typically cost about$1,300 when adjusted for inflation— a hefty price to pay for an energywaster. Refrigeration labels andstandards have improved efficiency

by two percent every year since1975. Due to research, useful tools,partnerships with utilities andother organizations, and market ini-tiatives that helped enable refriger-ator and other appliance standards,the DOE helped avoid the construc-tion of up to 31 1-GW power plantswith the energy saved since the firstFederal standards in 1987. That’sthe same amount of electricity con-sumed by Spain annually.DOE will soon have strengthened

the standards for household refrig-erators three times. Each time, man-ufacturers have responded with newinnovations that enabled their prod-ucts to meet the new requirementsand often to exceed them.Refrigerators that performed aboveand beyond the minimum standardsqualified for the Energy Star label,motivated consumers to care aboutenergy usage, and primed the mar-ket for continued efficiency improve-ments.Decades worth of progressive

energy-efficiency standards forrefrigerators translate into big sav-ings for consumers. Compared torefrigerators of the 1970s, today'srefrigerators save the nation about$20 billion per year in energy costs,or $150 per year for the averageAmerican family.The next proposed increase in

refrigerator and freezer efficiency —scheduled to take effect in 2014 —will save the nation almost four anda half quadrillion BTUs over 30years. That’s three times more thanthe total energy currently used byall refrigeration products in U.S.homes annually. It’s also the equiva-lent amount of energy savings thatcould be used to power a third ofAfrica for an entire yearDOE continues to invest even

more in future innovations for ener-gy efficient products. So go aheadand indulge with those late nightsnacks and frozen treats. Your fridgehas you covered.To learn more about Appliance

Standards and how they save con-sumers money go to www.eere.ener-gy.gov/buildings. Roland Risser is director of theU.S. Department of EnergyBuilding Technologies Program.

W

The proof is in the pudding

by Roland Risser

Refrigerator standards have saved consumers billions

December 2011 11

ebraska Public PowerDistrict, together with itswholesale partner utilities,

will again sponsor and host an ener-gy efficiency video contest titled,“It’s Easy Bein’ Green!”The video contest will give stu-

dents across the state the opportu-nity to learn the importance of con-serving energy, build awarenessabout energy-wasting habits, andpromote energy-saving alternatives,all by writing and starring in theirown 30-second television commer-cial. Last year’s competition sawmore than 40 submissions by highschool students from around thestate.The contest is open to Nebraska

junior and senior high schools incommunities served by NPPD andits wholesale utility partners.Entries must be submitted by a

school sponsor, must be exactly 27seconds in length, and should focuson creative and unique energy-sav-ing ideas for the home, school, farm,or business. In order to be consid-ered, entries must be submitted byMarch 2, 2012.All qualifying entries will be post-

ed on www.nppd.com and on a spe-cial YouTube channel. For the‘Creative Video Award,’ a panel ofenergy industry experts will selectthe top three videos. An iPad 2 willbe awarded to the classroom thatsubmits the winning video alongwith prizes for the students. For the“Popular Video Award,” the videowith the most views on YouTubewill receive special recognition cer-tificates.For more contest information,

check out the website atwww.nppd.com/videochallenge.

Lights! Camera! Action!Shoot an energy efficiency video for a chance to win an iPad 2

N


ach June, nearly 1,500 highschool students, mostly sen-iors-to-be, descend upon

Washington, D.C., for the annualRural Electric Youth Tour. During theweeklong excursion, the participants— all sponsored by their local publicpower districts and electric coopera-tives —� learn about public power,American history, and the role of thefederal government.Youth Tour stands as just one way

rural electric utilities help educate avital segment of their consumer base:the children of rural electric utilitymembers. Nebraska kids who live inhomes that receive electric servicefrom members of Nebraska RuralElectric Association enjoy certainbenefits, ranging from Youth Tour tocollege scholarships to school safetydemonstrations.

“Engaging children is an importantpart of the cooperative difference,”says Kristine Jackson, director ofbusiness development for TouchstoneEnergy Cooperatives, the nationalbranding program for public powerdistricts and electric co-ops. “They’remembers in training.”Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

offers lots of educational initiativesfor kids, be it safety, energy efficiency,or learning how electricity works. ItsSuper Energy Saver program, featur-ing cartoon character CFL Charlie,for example, uses classroom activitiesand take-home items — such as light-switch covers that remind you to turnoff the light when you leave the room—�to show how simple steps can addup and make a difference in keepingelectric bills affordable.”Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

has also partnered with DiscoveryEducation to offer Get Charged!Electricity and You curriculum kitsdesigned to teach middle school stu-dents about electric utilities and elec-tricity in general.In addition, Touchstone Energy

Cooperatives has developed a SchoolsA+ Energy Efficiency initiative,which partners rural electric systemswith schools to reduce energy use andoperating costs by focusing on no-costand low-cost improvements. A class-room component may be includedthat enlists students to identify ener-gy wasting practices.

Concern for CommunitySupporting youth programs isn’t

just the right thing to do — publicpower districts and electric co-opshave a responsibility to do so.“Public power districts and electric

cooperatives are part of the fabric ofthe cities and towns they serve. It’sonly natural they have a handimproving the quality of life in theircommunities,” relates Jay Holmquist,NREA general manager.Public power districts and electric

cooperatives conduct safety demon-

Above: Schools participate in the Power Drive Program with assistance from

Nebraska’s public power districts and electric cooperatives. Photograph by Nicki

Peters

Educating the next generation ofcommunity leadersNebraska rural electric utilities go the extra mileto show children the benefits of public power

E

Rural electric utility employees serve

as counselors at NREA’s Youth

Energy Camp. Photograph by Wayne

Price

December 2011 13

strations at schools within their serv-ice territories. Cuming County PPDinvites sixth grade students fromWest Point Elementary School to tourtheir facility and learn about electricsafety. They also provide specialawards to the top entries in the elec-trical project classes at the CumingCounty Fair. Support of children doesn’t stop at

the electric utility’s door. Many spon-sor local clubs or school sports teamsand community events like holidayparades. Public power districts andelectric cooperatives also go to schoolsto teach kids about electrical safety,sponsor writing contests, and attendjob fairs. At Chimney Rock PPD, theyhave given donations to local youthgroups such as “After Prom Parties”and youth athletic teams to help buyuniforms or equipment needed.PPDs and electric cooperatives also

sponsor high school students toattend the Nebraska Rural ElectricAssociation’s Youth Energy Camp,held in July. The popular week-longcamp is set up to give young people abetter understanding of electricity,power generation and the rural elec-tric program.Many rural electric utilities are

also involved in the Power DriveProgram which encourages interestin energy-related and automotive-related industries. Power Drivebrings a practical focus to students’

math, science and/or vocational edu-cation. During the course of a schoolyear, students design and construct asafe, energy-efficient electric vehiclethat they showcase during a series of

rallies in the spring. Students work inteams, under the direction of instruc-tors who have been trained at PowerDrive workshops.

Public Power in NebraskaCuster Public Power District andNebraska Public Power District cele-brated “Public Power in Nebraska” byhosting a living history event in theBroken Bow Town Square inSeptember. CPPD and NPPD calledon residents of Broken Bow and sur-rounding areas to turn the townsquare into the center of activity itwould have been on a night in the1930’s – complete with an address byU. S. Senator George Norris. In theafternoon there were children’s ener-gy efficiency activities organized byDianna Luscher, NPPD EnergyEducator. There was a steady streamof young people to try the varioushands-on demonstrations.Sources: Touchstone EnergyCooperatives, NRECA

Custer PPD Substation Communications Technician Jeff Wardyn helps put a

lineman’s safety gear on a boy at a celebration in Broken Bow. Photograph by

Faye Zmek

Cuming County PPD Customer Service Representative Nicki Peters performs an

electric safety demonstration for a classroom of students.


onstruction of a new windfarm capable of producingenough energy to meet the

needs of about 25,000 homes inNebraska was announced by EdisonMission Group (EMG), a subsidiary ofEdison International, Midwest WindEnergy, LLC (MWE) and NebraskaPublic Power District (NPPD). The $145 million wind project,

known as Broken Bow Wind LLC, islocated in central Nebraska, approxi-mately three milesnortheast of the city ofBroken Bow in CusterCounty. The project,which will be 100 per-cent owned and operat-ed by EMG, will becapable of generatingup to approximately 80megawatts (MW) ofelectricity. All of thepower produced byBroken Bow will besold to NPPD under a20-year power pur-chase agreement. “We are pleased to be

building our thirdwind energy project inNebraska,” said PedroPizarro, president ofEMG. “The state isable to attract invest-ment in clean energy thanks to itsplentiful wind resources, along withits legislative and regulatory climatethat supports the development ofrenewable energy projects. We arealso very pleased to expand our rela-tionship with Nebraska Public PowerDistrict with this most recent proj-ect.” “The addition of Broken Bow Wind,

LLC, moves NPPD closer to our boardof directors goal of having 10 percentof our energy come from renewableenergy,” said NPPD President andCEO Pat Pope. “The energy producedwill be shared with other Nebraskautilities as we have done at otherEMG wind farms.” NPPD is working with Omaha

Public Power District, Lincoln

Electric System, Municipal EnergyAgency of Nebraska and the City ofGrand Island as partners in the proj-ect.“The Broken Bow wind farm would

not have been possible without theleadership of NPPD and the supportof our participating landowners andthe Broken Bow community,” saidStefan Noe, president of MWE, whichdevelops potential wind projectsunder an agreement with EMG. “This

is the fourth project that MWE hassuccessfully developed with EMG intwo states, Nebraska and Illinois. It isyet another example of how publicpower, private developers and thelocal community can work together tocreate a win-win situation for renew-able energy and economic develop-ment despite the challenging econo-my.”Construction of Broken Bow is

scheduled to be completed byNovember of 2012. During its peakconstruction phase, the project willemploy approximately 100 individu-als at the site. During construction,the project is expected to contribute$5.6 million to the state in sales taxrevenues. Once completed, the wind farm will

provide average annual tax revenuesof nearly $900,000 over its 25-yearlife in property taxes and stateincome taxes. In addition, BrokenBow will generate an average of$540,000 per year over its 25-year lifein lease royalties to local landowners.The wind farm will provide approxi-mately 10 permanent jobs in theBroken Bow area.The facility will be powered by 50

wind turbines, each capable of pro-ducing 1.6 MW of powerat peak output. The tur-bines will be mountedon 80-meter high tow-ers. The wind farm siteoccupies approximately14,000 acres of land.NPPD began conduct-ing wind studies in theBroken Bow area in2008, with the develop-ment of the site by theMWE/EMG teambeginning in 2009 afterbeing awarded a powerpurchase agreement byNPPD. EMG operates two

other wind farms inNebraska which alsosell their output toNPPD – the approxi-mately 80 MW Elkhorn

Ridge wind farm near Bloomfield inKnox County, and the approximately80 MW Laredo Ridge wind farm nearPetersburg in Boone County. TheElkhorn Ridge facility began opera-tion in 2009 and is majority-owned byEMG, with one-third owned byNebraska employee-owners ofTenaska, a privately held energycompany headquartered in Omaha.Laredo Ridge, which is 100 percentowned and operated by EMG, wascommissioned in November of 2010.Once the new Broken Bow wind farmis operational, approximately 5 per-cent of NPPD’s total power portfoliowill come from wind energy generat-ed by the EMG wind projects, alongwith NPPD’s Ainsworth Wind EnergyFacility.

CConstruction begins on new Nebraska wind farm

The Elkhorn Ridge wind farm, located near Bloomfield, Neb., gen-

erates 80 megawatts. That’s equal to enough electricity to serve

approx. 25,000 homes. Photograph by Wayne Price

December 2011 15

f you would like to reduce thecost to keep your home toastyand warm, ask yourself this

question: “What’s in my attic?”Properly insulating your attic can

be one of the best ways toreduce your energy bills. Thegood news is that attics areoften one of the easiest places ina house to insulate. Moreover,purchasing adequate insulationis not that expensive!Loose-fill or batt insulation is

typically installed in an attic.Although installation costs mayvary, loose-fill insulation is usu-ally less expensive to installthan batt insulation, and wheninstalled properly, loose-fillinsulation can also provide bet-ter coverage.So how much is enough? First, you

will need to determine the R-valueof the insulation you currently have.The term R-value refers to themeasurement of thermal resistanceof the insulator. The higher the R-value, the more the insulator isresistant to heat. Building code fornew home construction in Nebraskarequires a minimum R-value of R-39or R-48, depending on where youlive in the state. To maximize thebenefit of attic insulation the U.S.Department of Energy recommendsan R-value of R-60. Any amounthigher brings little additional bene-fit.The best way to find out if you

have enough insulation is to meas-ure. Using a measuring tape or yardstick, measure the thickness of insu-lation in several spots around yourattic. Use these measurements tocome up with an estimated average.Now, multiply that estimate by theR-value per inch for the type of insu-lation you have. Blown in loose cel-lulose, blown in fiberglass, andfiberglass batts usually have valuesof R-3.5, R-2.5 and R-3.2 per inch,respectively.The next step is to prepare for

your project. Some of the basic toolsyou will need are protective cloth-

ing, a dust respirator, gloves, gog-gles, full cover pants and shirt, andperhaps additional lighting.Obviously, you will also have to pur-chase all the insulation necessary to

cover your attic. If you plan to useblown in insulation, check to see ifyour retailer provides a blower foryou to borrow at no additionalcharge.It is recommended that you lay

out some temporary flooring acrossthe joists in the attic to provide safeand easy access to all areas. It isbest to start blowing in the insula-

tion at the outer edge of the atticspace and work your way back toyour attic access. When working onthe edges, you need to ensure thatyou fill far enough to cover the tops

of the exterior walls. However,be careful not to block the flow ofair through soffit and/or eavevents. Also, be sure not to insu-late over light fixtures that arenot rated I.C. (insulated ceiling)because it could cause a fire. It isusually helpful to have two peo-ple for the job – one operatingthe gun and the other loadinginsulation in the machine. Makesure to load slowly into themachine to avoid clogging it.Everything else is prettystraightforward. After you havea proper layer of insulation in

your attic, you can expect to see yourenergy bill drop!If you primarily use electricity or

a heat pump to meeting your heat-ing requirements, check with yourelectric utility to see if you might beeligible for an EnergyWise AtticInsulation Incentive. This programmay cover up to $300 of the cost toupgrade the insulation in your attic!

INow is the time to ask: What’s in your attic?

For a FREE color brochure send the ad couponor call toll free 800-658-7076 or fax 507-462-3211.

www.nordaashomes.comP.O. Box 116, Minnesota Lake, MN 56068-0116

REC


SAFETY BRIEFS

uring 2003-2007, fire depart-ments in the United Statesresponded to an estimated

average of 15,260 home structurefires started by candles per year.These fires caused an annual averageof 166 civilian deaths, 1,289 civilianfire injuries, and $450 million indirect property damage. Candlescaused 4 percent of the reportedhome fires, 6 percent of home firedeaths, 10 percent of home fireinjuries, and 7 percent of direct prop-erty damage during this period.Homes include dwellings, duplexes,manufactured housing and apart-ments.December is the peak time of year

for home candle fires. In December,13 percent of home candle fires beganwith decorations compared to 4 per-cent the rest of the year. The top fivedays for home candle fires wereChristmas, Christmas Eve, NewYear’s Day, Halloween and December23.

Facts and figuresDuring the five-year period of 2003-2007:More than one-third (36 percent) of

home candle fires started in bed-

rooms. These fires caused 44 percentof the associated deaths and half (49percent) of the associated injuries.On average, 42 home candle fires

were reported per day. Falling asleep was a factor in 12

percent of the home candle fires and36 percent of the associated deaths.More than half (55 percent) of home

candle fires occurred when some formof combustible material was left orcame too close to the candle.

Safety tips for candlesFollow these safety tips to avoid afire. If you do burn candles, makesure that you...• Blow out all candles when you

leave the room or go to bed. • Avoid the use of candles in the

bedroom and other areas where peo-ple may fall asleep. • Keep candles at least 12 inches

away from anything that can burn. • Use candle holders that are stur-

dy, and won’t tip over easily.• Put candle holders on a sturdy,

uncluttered surface.• Light candles carefully. Keep your

hair and any loose clothing awayfrom the flame.• Don’t burn a candle all the way

down — put it out before it gets tooclose to the holder or container.• Never use a candle if oxygen is

used in the home.• Have flashlights and battery-

powered lighting ready to use duringa power outage. Never use candles.Source: National Fire ProtectionAgency

DHome fires started by candles increase in December

Use candle holders that are sturdy, and

won’t tip over easily. Never leave a

candle burning unattended.

December 2011 17

oliday decorating can causespikes in your January elec-tric bill. One great way to

keep your light displays from break-ing the bank is to invest in light-emitting diodes, or LEDs.LED holiday lights are:• Energy efficient. They use 70

percent less energy than traditionalincandescent light strings. .• Long-lasting. They boast a lifes-

pan up to 10 times longer thanincandescent lamps.• Safe. They stay cool to the touch,

reducing the risk of fire.• Sturdy. Bulbs are made of epoxy,

not glass, making them much moredurable than other lights.LED holiday lights come in a wide

variety of colors, shapes, and lengthsand are available at many homeimprovement, wholesale, drug, andgrocery stores. Although LEDsmight be more expensive than incan-descent lights at the time of pur-chase, energy savings over their lifemake them a big money saver. Andprices continue to fall down as thetechnology becomes less expensive.At HomeDepot.com, you can get a50-count strand of white lights ormulticolored lights for around $12.The brightness and color of LED

lights have also come a long wayover the past few years. For whitelights, you can choose between coolwhite (a bright icy-blue white) orwarm white, (a yellow tint that’s theclosest to a white incandescentreplacement).Make sure the lights you buy are

labeled for indoor or outdoor use,depending on where you want toplace them. Decorating outside withindoor lights can shorten the life ofthe bulbs.For even more energy savings, use

a timer to turn on holiday lightsfrom 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.When purchasing your lights,

make sure the packaging bears the

Underwriters Laboratories (UL)label. That means an independenttesting group has thoroughlychecked the product for safety haz-

ards such as fire and shock.One more thing to keep an eye out

for involves lumen output of thelights. Traditionally, lightbulbs havebeen based on their power use — orhow many watts they consume.Beginning in January 2012, alllightbulbs will carry a label showingthe lumens of the bulb, or howbright it is. More lumens means abrighter light; fewer lumens a dim-mer light.Careful shopping can save money

on the monthly electric bill whilegiving your loved ones — and theneighborhood — a festive holidaydisplay.

Brian Sloboda is a senior pro-gram manger specializing inenergy efficiency for theCooperative Research Network,a service of the Arlington, Va.-based National Rural ElectricCooperative Association.Additional content provided byE Source.

H

Giving the gift of efficiency

by Brian Sloboda

Try LED light strands — they con-

sume far less energy and last up to

10 times as long as traditional incan-

descent lights. Photograph provided

by General Electric

THE PRE-EXISTING CONDITION

INSURANCE PLAN

Visit www.pcip.gov or call toll-free

1-866-717-5826 to apply.

TTY: 1-866-561-1604. M-F, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET

THE HEALTH PLAN THAT SAYS YES


: The sun shines directly in aliving room window and it’s

very warm. I am on a tight budget,so I want to make or install some-thing to capture that heat to lowermy heating bills. What do you sug-gest?

: Actually, all of theheat energy we use in

our homes comes directly orindirectly (gas, oil, coal,wood, etc.) from the sun.Some of it, such as oil, gas,or coal, has stored the sun’senergy over millions ofyears. Trees store it fordecades until we burnthem. Residential solar sys-tems use the sun’s heat asit shines on houses eachday.You must be realistic in

your expectations for usingfree solar energy to heatyour home. Although it canbe accomplished, trying toprovide 100 percent of theheating needs of an existinghouse with solar is very difficult todo while still maintaining accept-able comfort. An initial target of a10 percent savings is reasonable fora do-it-yourself solar project.Because you are new to solar ener-

gy and plan to build a heating sys-tem yourself, stick with one or moresimple passive systems. Just having the sun shine in a

large window is effective passivesolar heating, but it can be mademore efficient. This type of solarheating is especially efficient inwarm southern climates where thewinter days do not become as shortas in northern area. Also, because itis warmer outdoors in mild climates,less heat is lost through the window

at night.To be most effective in every cli-

mate, there should be adequatethermal mass in the room with thewindow. This thermal mass capturesthe sun’s heat so the room does notoverheat or lose as much of the heat

back outdoors. Once the thermalmass warms up, it slowly dissipatesthe stored solar back out into theroom once the sun is no longer shin-ing in.If your spouse is not really into

Flintstone-esque decor with a pile ofrocks in the center of each room,there are other methods to increasethe thermal mass in a room. It ispreferable to have the thermal massin the direct path of the sun’s rays,but this is not critical to be effective.You can make planters with con-

crete blocks or bricks. You can alsopour and make your own concreteplanters using tinted concrete simi-lar to contemporary concretekitchen countertops. A large terrari-

um with much damp soil has a rea-sonably high thermal mass, and itadds humidity to the air.The best solar option, if you do not

need a view outdoors from the entirewindow, is to build a solar Trombewall. A simple design uses stackedbricks or concrete blocks very closeto the window. The vertical stackgets warmed by the sun which cre-ates an upward warm air current.This circulates the warm airthroughout the room while it alsostores heat for the nighttime.

During the summer, justremove the bricks or blocksand store them away.

If you want to keep theview from your window,make a shallow, flat solarheater that rests againstthe outside wall facing thenoon-to-afternoon sun. Asize of four feet by eight feetis good because it makesthe most efficient use ofinexpensive standard lum-ber. The box has to be onlythe depth of standard 2x4studs.Once the plywood box is

completed, attach foil-backed rigid foam insula-tion on the inside of the boxwith the foil facing inside.Paint the foil surface flat

black. Cut one hole in the back atthe top and one at the bottom andinstall duct stubs. Cut holes in yourhouse wall so the duct stubs comethrough to indoors. Cover the front of the box with a

sheet of clear acrylic plastic and sealit. The solar-heated air will flow upand out into your room. Make air-tight indoor covers to seal off theduct stubs at night otherwise the airflow will reverse and actually coolyour house.

CUT YOUR UTILITY BILLS

Passive solar heating can achieve energy savings

by James Dulley

Q

A

Send inquiries to James Dulley, RuralElectric Nebraskan, 6906 RoyalgreenDr., Cincinnati, OH 45244 or visitwww.dulley.com.

This is an external Trombe wall. This passive design

allows the warming solar energy to strike a stationary

high-mass wall inside the south-facing glass. The heated

air circulates naturally throughout the house. Photograph

provided by Arizona Solar Center

Scientifi cally Engineered to Defy Gravity

Defy Pain, Defy Aging, Defy Fatigue

EXCLUSIVE ONLINE OFFER TRY THEM FREE* – PAY IN 30 DAYS

Take advantage of this exclusive offer at www.GravityDefyer.com/MV6LCB5 or by phone, dial (800) 429-0039 and mention the promotional code below. Promotional Code:*Offer not available in stores. Shipping & Handling not included.

$129.95 MEN (Shown above)TB902MWBS sizes 7 - 13Med/Wide and ExtraWide/XXWide Widths WOMEN (Silver with Navy)TB902FWBS sizes 5 - 11Med/Wide and ExtraWide/XXWide Widths

Semi-Rigid Heel Stabilizing Cage

Removable Comfort-Fit™ InsoleAccommodates most orthotics

VersoShock™ Trampoline Shock-Absorbing Membrane Heel

Resilient High Grade Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate (EVA) MidsoleRocker construction protects metatarsal bones and aids fluid stepping motions

Smart Memory™ Master SpringPropels you forward and reduces fatigue

AVS3 Ventilation™ PortCools & Reduces Microbial Growth

Twin Stabilizers

Rugged Polymer Sole

This is my storyI used to be more active. I used to run, play basketball, tennis, football… I was more than a weekend warrior. I woke up every day fi lled with life! But now, in my late 30’s, I spend most of my day in the offi ce or sacked out in front of the TV. I rarely get to the gym – not that I don’t like working out, it’s the nagging pain in my knees and ankles. Low energy and laziness has

got me down. My energy has fi zzled and I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve grown a spare

tire (I’m sure it’s hurting my love life). Nowadays I rarely walk. For some reason it’s just harder now. Gravity has done a job on me.

Wear them and you’ll knowThat’s what my doctor recommended. He said, “Gravity Defyer shoes are pain-relieving shoes.” He promised they would change my life–like they were a fountain of youth. “They ease the force of gravity, relieving stress on your heels, ankles, knees and back. They boost your energy by

propelling you forward.” The longer he talked, the more sense it made. He was even wearing a pair himself!

Excitement swept through my body like a drug I received my package from GravityDefyer.com and rushed to tear it open like a kid at Christmas. Inside I found the most amazing shoes I had ever seen – different than most running shoes. Sturdy construction. Cool colors. Nice lines… I was holding a miracle of technology. This was the real thing.

GDefy Benefi ts

Relieve painEase joint & spinal pressureReduce fatigue & tirednessBe more activeHave more energyAppear tallerJump higher, walk and run fasterHave instant comfortCool your feet & reduce foot odorElevate your performance

I put them on and all I could say was, “WOW!” In minutes I was out the door. I was invincible; tireless in my new Gravity Defyer shoes. It was as if my legs had been replaced

with super-powered bionics. What the doctor promised was all correct. No more knee pain.

I started to lose weight. At last, I was pain free and fi lled with energy! I was back in the game. Gravity had no power over me!

Nothing to lose: Start your 30 Day Trial Today!So, my friend, get back on your feet like I did. Try Gravity Defyer for yourself. You have nothing to lose but your pain.

Tell us your story! Login at Gravitydefyer.com

and share your experience.

M V 6 L C B 5

ExtraWide/XXWide Widths(Silver with Navy)

ExtraWide/XXWide Widths

Customer SatisfactionSpeaks for Itself!

4 out of 5 customers purchase a 2nd pair within 3 months.

back. They boost your energy by on your heels, ankles, knees and

Ankle & foot pain

gone

Exercise20% longer

w/ nofatigue

4 out of 5

purchaseanother

pairwithin 3 months.

Most comfortableshoe ever

owned

Gravity DefyerCustomer Survey Results

A+

ABSORB SHOCKEliminate pain from every step.

REBOUND PROPELS YOU FORWARD

Reduce fatigue. Be more active


DOWN HOMERECIPES

1 fully cooked ham (boneless orshank or butt half, spiral-sliced), 31/2-6 pounds1 cup apple cider4 teaspoons cornstarch2 teaspoons spicy mustard1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Heat oven to 350°F. Place ham inshallow roasting pan in oven.Meanwhile, stir 2 tablespoonsapple cider and cornstarch togeth-er in a small bowl. In smallsaucepan, bring cornstarch mix-ture, remaining apple cider, mus-tard and cloves to a boil, stirringuntil thickened. Pour glaze overham in oven and baste ham occa-sionally with this mixture untilham is heated through, about 45minutes to an hour.

Ham with Cider Glaze

Recipe provided by theNational Pork Board

Egg Nog Salad

Pumpkin Pie Delight

Good Fudge

Helga Anderson, Brady, Nebraska

Combine dry pudding and dry lemon gelatin with 2 cups hot water andcook. Bring to a boil, stirring often, add lemon juice and chill until par-tially set. Dissolve raspberry gelatin in 1 cup hot water and beat in cran-berry sauce. Fold in celery and nuts. Cool until partially set. Add nutmegto Cool Whip and fold into cooked, cooled pudding mix. Pour half of it intoan 8 x 8 dish and carefully pour cranberry mix over it. Cover with last halfof Cool Whip mixture and refrigerate several hours or overnight. Yield: 12or more servings.

Doris Rempe, Lawrence, Nebraska

Mix ingredients in order given. Pour into pastry shells and bake in 425degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and con-tinue baking about 45 minutes, or until knife inserted halfway betweenoutside and center of pie comes out clean. Serve with a scoop of whippedcream.

Patricia Martin, Bladen, Nebraska

2 cups sugar1/4 cup white syrup (corn syrup)1 bag chocolate chips (semi-sweet)1/2 cup milk1/2 cup oleo (butter is best)

Combine all ingredients and stir over low heat until chocolate melts.Boil rapidly for 2 minutes or until temperature reaches 235 degrees (softball stage). Beat until it loses its gloss. Pour into 9 x 13 buttered pan. Letcool.

1 (3 oz) vanilla pudding not instant1 (3 oz) lemon gelatin2 cups hot water2 tablespoons lemon juice1 (3 oz) raspberry gelatin1 cup hot water

1 (16 oz) can whole cranberry sauce1 cup celery, diced1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

3 1/2 cups pumpkin1 1/2 cups brown sugar4 eggs, beaten3 tablespoons oleo, melted2 tablespoons molasses1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 1/2 cups milk2 teaspoons cinnamon3/4 teaspoon ginger1/2 teaspoon nutmeg2 – 9 inch unbaked pastry shells

December 2011 21

To appear in print

The Rural Electric NebraskanAdult Pen Pal Service is exclusivelyfor member-readers ages 18 and over.To be considered for use, submissionsmust: (1) Identify rural electric sys-tem providing magazine; (2) Include$6 to cover mail forwarding costs; (3)Be 25 words or fewer; (4) Include fullname and mailing address (will notbe used in magazine); and (5) Be firstperson, submitted directly by personto receive responses. Acceptance,editing and issue scheduling is at edi-tor’s discretion.Address all submissions to Rural

Electric Nebraskan Adult Pen PalService, P.O. Box 82048, Lincoln, NE68501. All responses received by theAdult Pen Pal Service are routeddirectly, postage paid, to the responsenumber assigned to each submission.

To write

To respond to one of the adult penpal requests, write letter, place inenvelope, seal and affix first classpostage. Address to full, correctresponse #, c/o Rural ElectricNebraskan Adult Pen Pal Service,P.O. Box 82048, Lincoln, NE 68501.Your letter will be forwardedunopened. Do not send money oradditional postage; forwarding is pre-paid. Enclose your full mailingaddress for return correspondence.Once again . . . it is very important

that all responses carry the fullresponse number—both month andnumber—to be properly forwarded.

Abbreviation CodeC — Christian; C/W — Country-western;D — Divorced; F — Female; M — Male; NS — Non-Smoker; ND — Non-Drinker;R&R — Rock and roll; S — Single;

W — White; Wid — Widowed

DEC - 1: Are you looking for a spe-cial friend? Me too! I’m a DWF, 63,NS/ND, from central Nebraska. Myinterest are many (quiet times arespecial). I just enjoy being alive andliving life to the fullest. I have a funpersonality, love family & friends, &being around people. Interested inmeeting a gentleman 55-65 withgood ole country values & asincerely good personality. Soif you are tired of travelingthe road of life alone &want a friend in thesecond seat, let meknow.

DEC - 2: WWidF,NS, 53, occasionaldrink, looking forgentleman, 53-65,like to travel,camper RV, out toeat, outdoors,C/W, R&R, photo without a hat on.Phone number appreciated.

DEC - 3: SWF, 25, looking to meeta great guy 25-35. I’m a quite, hard-working country girl that likes theoutdoors, Nebraska football, movies,and hanging out with my family andfriends. Please send phone number& photo.

DEC - 4: SWM, NS, 25, country boy.Enjoy going out, playing cards, 4-wheeling, family and friends.Looking for slender gal that enjoysfarm life. Please send phone number& photo.

DEC - 5: SWM, 22, country bornand raised, loves the outdoors,laughing, having a good time and

enjoying life. Likes good conversa-tion. Don’t know what I’m lookingfor, but I’ll know when I find her. Ifinterested send photo and phonenumber.

DEC - 6: SWF, 24, NS, occasionaldrinker, from north central

Nebraska, likes movies,going out to eat some-times, camping, fishing,swimming, must likefamily, music and smil-ing. Looking for some-one that loves life andenjoys home cooking,no games just honesty.Send phone numberand photo.

DEC - 7: WidWF,from southeastNebraska, late 40s,blonde, blue eyes,

full figured. Enjoys movies, nature,C/W, dining out, travel & more.Looking for a fit, financially stable,chivalrous gentleman, 38-60, 5’9”minimum for friendship with possi-ble long term. Please include cur-rent photo.

DEC - 8: Lonely WidWM, 70, N/S,N/D, healthy, average built, nicelooking, and lives in same homeover 30 years. Would like to meetlonely non-smoking widow, no pets,no ties, free to travel, eat out, go forrides, visit museums, & enjoy life.

The Wild Game on your land is worth $200 to $30,000 each year, every year!

For information without cost or obligation, call 1-877-738-4915

BIG RED OUTDOORS P.O. Box 203/319 2nd St, Dodge, NE 68633

MID-AMERICAPole Barn Co.

30 x 50 x 10 Galvalume

llaC eerF lloT

rehtO

elbaliavA seziS

Open M - F 8 to 5

1-866-456-0959

Price includes material, delivery,construction, factory trusses, screws

See what a difference it makes...

Advertise in Rural Electric

Nebraskan Classifieds


MARKETPLACE/CLASSIFIEDS

TOPLINE STEEL BUILDINGS

Pre-Engineered Steel Buildings.SAVE THOUSANDS

on Fac tory Direc t Pric ing!!!Ask about our Outstanding Warranties.

1-800-369-3882www.toplinebuildings.com FUTURE STEEL BUILDINGS

Do-It-Yourself Steel Buildings

Ideal For:• Recreational Use • Boat Storage • Bunkie • Equipment Storage• Garage/Shop • PWC/Snowmobile

Call Toll Free Today for a

FREE!INFORMATION PACKAGE

Our building consultants are ready to take your call1-800-668-5111 Ask for ext. 91

• 30-year perforation warranty • Full technical support from start to finish• Fully customized to meet your needs• Factory-direct savings

Toll Free 1-888-320-7466

F a x : 9 4 0 - 4 8 4 - 6 7 4 6 e m a i l : [email protected] e b s i t e : h t t p : / / w w w . R H I N O B L D G . C O M

25 Year Warranty on Roof & Walls;Prices F.O.B. Mfg. Plants; Seal Stamped Blue Prints; Easy Bolt Together Design.

Farm•Industrial •Commercial

VISITOUR

WEBSITE

PRICES INCLUDE COLOR SIDES & GALVALUME ROOF

VISITOUR

WEBSITE

(Local codes may affect prices)

Arena Special (roof & frame)

100’ x 100’ x 14’...$36,466

30’ x 50’ x 10’......$8,58540’ x 60’ x 12’......$11,98060’ x 100’ x 12’....$23,88280’ x 100’ x 14’....$32,696100’ x 150’ x 14’..$57,915

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLSQuality Tools at Ridiculously Low Prices

LIFETIME WARRANTYON ALL HAND TOOLS!

FACTORY DIRECT TO YOU!

How does Harbor Freight Tools sell high quality tools at such ridiculously low prices? We buy direct from the factories who also supply the major brands and sell direct to you. It's just that simple! See for yourself at one of our 370 Stores Nationwide and use this 20% Off Coupon on one of our 7,000 products*, plus pick up a Free 9 LED Aluminum Flashlight, a $6.99 value. We stock Shop Equipment, Hand Tools, Tarps, Compressors, Air & Power Tools, Woodworking Tools, Welders, Tool Boxes, Generators, and much more.

Nobody Beats Our Quality, Service and Price!

Over• 20 Million Satisfi ed Customers!1 Year Competitor's Low Price Guarantee• No Hassle Return Policy!• 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!•

OFFOFF2020%%

ANY SINGLE ITEM!

FREE!FREE!SUPER

COUPON!SUPER

COUPON!

WITH MINIMUM PURCHASE OF $9.99

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!

SUPER

COUPON!SUPER

COUPON!

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 5This valuable coupon is good anywhere you shop Harbor Freight Tools (retail stores, online, or 800 number). Cannot be used with any other discount or coupon. Coupon not valid on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase date with receipt. Offer good while supplies last. Coupon cannot be bought, sold, or transferred. Original coupon must be presented in-store, or with your order form, or entered online in order to receive the coupon discount. Valid through 3/5/12. Limit one coupon per customer and one coupon per day.











HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 1 Use this coupon to save 20% on any one single item purchased when you shop at a Harbor Freight Tools store. *Cannot be used with any other discount or coupon. Coupon not valid on any of the following: gift cards, Inside Track Club membership, extended service plans, Compressors, Generators, Tool Cabinets, Welders, Floor Jacks, Campbell Hausfeld products, open box items, Parking Lot Sale items, Blowout Sale items, Day After Thanksgiving Sale items, Tent Sale items, 800 number orders or online orders. Coupon not valid on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase date with original receipt. Coupon cannot be bought, sold, or transferred. Original coupon must be presented in-store in order to receive the offer. Valid through 3/5/12. Limit one coupon per customer and one coupon per day.

HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS - LIMIT 1 Free item only available with qualifying minimum purchase (excluding price of free gift item). Cannot be used with any other discount or coupon. Coupon not valid on prior purchases. Offer good while supplies last. Shipping & Handling charges may apply if free item not picked up in-store. Coupon cannot be bought, sold or transferred. Original coupon must be presented in-store, or with your order form, or entered online in order to receive the offer. Valid through 3/5/12. Limit one coupon per customer and one coupon per day.

SAVE 46%

SAVE 50%

LOT NO. 68303/67256 /68861

OSCILLATING MULTIFUNCTION POWER TOOL

REG. PRICE

$59 .99 $1999

SAVE 66%

SAVE 46%

SUPER

COUPON!

3 GALLON, 100 PSI OILLESS PANCAKE AIR COMPRESSOR

LOT NO. 95275

REG. PRICE $74.99

$3999

SAVE 50%

SUPER

COUPON!

REG. PRICE $59 .99 $2999

LOT NO. 66783

10/2/55 AMP, 6/12 VOLT BATTERY CHARGER/

ENGINE STARTER

REG. PRICE

$19.99 $999

4-1/2" ANGLE GRINDER

Grinding wheel sold separately.

LOT NO. 95578

SAVE 50%

SAVE $150

7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" ALL PURPOSE WEATHER

RESISTANT TARP

REG. PRICE $6 .99 $349

LOT NO. 877

8 Functions: Sanding, Cut Flooring, Cut Metal, Scrape Concrete, Remove Grout, Cut Plastic, Scrape Flooring, Plunge Cut $199

12" RATCHET BAR CLAMP/SPREADER

LOT NO. 46807

REG. PRICE $8 .99

SAVE 77%

11 DRAWER ROLLER CABINET

$14999

LOT NO. 67421

REG. PRICE

$299 .99

INCLUDES:6 Drawer Top Chest• 2 Drawer Middle Section• 3 Drawer Roller Cabinet•

SAVE 40%

4-1/4" GRINDING WHEEL INCLUDED

$2999

ELECTRIC CHAIN SAW SHARPENER

REG. PRICE $49 .99

LOT NO. 68221/93213

SAVE $60

$8999 REG. PRICE $149.99

800 RATED WATTS/900 MAX. WATTS

PORTABLE GENERATOR

LOT NO. 66619

3-1/2" SUPER BRIGHTNINE LED ALUMINUM

FLASHLIGHT

REG. PRICE $6.99ITEM 65020

MOVER'S DOLLY

LOT NO. 93888

$799

1000 LB. CAPACITY

REG. PRICE

$14.99

REG. PRICE

$29.99

WIRELESS DRIVEWAY

ALERT SYSTEM

Requires one 9 volt and three C batteries (sold separately).

SAVE 53%

$1399

LOT NO. 93068

Order Online at HarborFreight.com and We'll Ship Your Order370 Stores Nationwide

Item 68303 shown

Item 68221 shown

HIGH-SPEED INTERNET NOW AVAILABLE

Everyday price guarantee valid only on the following packages: DishFAMILY, America’s Top 120, America’s Top 120 Plus, America’s Top 200, America’s Top 250, DISH America, DISH America Silver, DISH America Gold. BLOCKBUSTER Movie Pass (1 disc at a time): New qualifying DISH Network service activated between 10/01/11 and 1/31/12 will include 3-month bundle. If you activate with a 24-month agreement and minimum of America’s Top 200 programming package, 12-month bundle included. At end of your promotional period, bundle discounts ($5 on BLOCKBUSTER Movie Pass and $5 on programming package) will end, and you will be charged then-current prices on each component. Requires the following: online DISH Network account for discs by mail; broadband Internet to stream content; HD DVR to stream to TV; HD equipment to receive full range of channels. You can exchange online rentals for free in-store movie rentals at participating BLOCKBUSTER stores. Offer not available in Hawaii, Alaska, Puerto Rico or U.S. Virgin Islands. BLOCKBUSTER name, design and related marks are trademarks of Blockbuster L.L.C. © 2011 Blockbuster L.L.C. Digital Home Advantage plan requires 24-month agreement and credit qualification. Cancellation fee of $17.50/month remaining applies if service is terminated before end of agreement. After 12 months of programming credits, then-current price will apply. $10/mo HD add-on fee waived for life of current account; requires 24-month agreement, continuous enrollment in AutoPay with Paperless Billing. 3-month premium movie offer value is $99; after 3 free months then-current price applies unless you downgrade. Free Standard Professional Installation only. All equipment is leased and must be returned to DISH Network upon cancellation or unreturned equipment fees apply. Limit 6 leased tuners per account; upfront and monthly fees may apply based on type and number of receivers. HD programming requires HD television. Prices, packages, programming and offers subject to change without notice. Offer available for new and qualified former customers, and subject to terms of applicable Promotional and Residential Customer agreements. Additional restrictions may apply. Offer ends 1/31/12. HBO®, Cinemax® and related channels and service marks are the property of Home Box Office, Inc. STARZ and related channels and service marks are property of Starz Entertainment, LLC. $25 Visa® gift card requires activation and $2.95 shipping and handling fee. You will receive a claim voucher within 3-4 weeks and the voucher must be returned within 30 days. Your Visa® gift card will arrive in approximately 6-8 weeks. InfinityDISH charges a one-time $49.95 non-refundable processing fee. Indiana C.P.D. Reg. No. T.S. 10-1006. *Certain restrictions apply. Based on the availability in your area.

WWW.INFINITYDISH.COM

CALL TODAYAND ASK ABOUT NEXT DAY INSTALLATION

1999$

Regular priceGUARANTEE THROUGH JAN. 2013

FREE

20 Movie Channels

12PLUS

FREE

FREE

6 Room

2 Room

HD+

DISHOnly with

Network

mo.

up to

over 100,000 titles

First 100 callers receiveRespond By: 12/20/11

tarting asacP

$$

or 12 f.).99 | mo4e $2g. pric

r priceaegullaRRewith qualifying pack

ARANTEE GUr price

ou can get:ages ywith qualifying pack

ORHTARANTEE

13AN. 20 013JJAN. 20H UGages onlyying packalid on qualif(V

13)ages only

)

tansI

o.m

al

or 3 months

tails.or dew fSee belo

fvie ChaMoovie Channels20

or 3 monthsvie Channels elease mow rincluding ne

000 titles,100os tescget ac

VR servicmo D($6/

VR DD(1 HVR UpgrHD DoomR2

vies

ork

elease mo

000 titlesroveo

wttwNe

Only withDISH

o U+

rvi

SK ABOUT NEXT DAND A

ALLCCALL

INFINITYDWWW8881

Y INAAY INSSK ABOUT NEXT D

AYDDAYOTALL

MO.CSHIINFINITYD79569888

Find us on

)east ar(in mosALLATY INS

AY

6679TION

omos!about our preand learn mor

our phonewith yodecQR Bar

Scan this

onditions applyertain ccyDISH, finity of Inesourtc(

omos!e

our phoneode

Scan this

) y

turned within 30 daet be roucher musand the vy of Home Booperte the pre marks archannels and servic

o change without notict ts subjeceramming and offogrpro DISH Neturned tet be rt is leased and musequipmen4-mones 2equirt; rounct acene of curror lifed faivw4-mones 2equirtage plan randvC. Digital Home AL.L.or frtals fenchange online rxou can eof channels. Y

age) will end, and yamming packogr5 on prass and $P1/11 and 1/31/12 will include 3-moneen 10/0wted betative acservic

olloalid only on the fee vtane guary pricdaeryvE

INFINITYD.WWW

eeks. Inely 6-8 wtximaoe in apprd will arrivour Visa® gift cars. Yyturned within 30 dae marks ared channels and servictelaARZ and rT, Inc. Sex Officy of Home Boomertormer cusw and qualified for neailable fver a. Offeo change without notic

ees applyt fturned equipmenetion or unrellaork upon cancwto DISH Neaperless Billing. 3-mony with PaoPutt in Aollmentinuous enront, ceementh agr4-mon

.50/17ee of $tion fellation. Cancedit qualificat and creementh agr4-mones. OffortTER sOCKBUSting BLt participatals aenvie re moortee in-sor fr

omponenes on each ct pricenged then-currou will be charage) will end, and yeementh agr4-mone with a 2tativou ac. If yth bundle1/11 and 1/31/12 will include 3-mon

op 120 Plus, America’s Top 120, America’s T, America’s TYY, America’s TAMILages: DishFwing pack

MO.CSHIINFINITYD Find us on

essing focefundable pr9.95 non-rges a one-time $4yDISH charfiniteeks. Ind rC. $25 Visa® gift cart, LLertainmentz Eny of Staroperte pre marks ar

tial Cusesidenomotional and Rerms of applicable Pro tt ts, and subjecomerees mathly ft and mononfrt; upouncs per ac. Limit 6 leased tunerees apply

ee moner 3 fr99; aftalue is $er vvie offemium moth praperless Billing. 3-mone end of agrored befterminae is temaining applies if servicth rmon.50/

gin Islands. BL.S. Viro or Uo Rica, Puertaii, Alaskwailable in Haver not aes. Offor discs bt founcork acwtwing: online DISH Neolloes the fequirt. R

, 12ageamming packogrop 200 prt and minimum of America’s Teemenop 250, DISH America, DISH America Silvop 200, America’s Top 120 Plus, America’s T

ode scanning softc barFREEt Ge

tions applytricesertain r1006. *C.S. 10-. Teg. No. R.D. Indiana C.P P.Deeessing fou will r. Yee.95 shipping and handling ftion and $2atives acequird r

er ends 1/31/12. Offy applytions matricesdditional rts. Aeemenomer agrttial Cusamming rogrs. HD prereivecype and number of ry apply based on tees ma

ee Standarr. Fadewngrou doe applies unless yt pricenths then-curree monedits, then-curramming crogrths of prer 12 mont. Afteemene end of agr

ademarks of Blockbuse tred marks artela, design and rTER nameOCKBUSgin Islands. BLeam ttro sVR tt; HD Dentoneam ctro st ternetoadband Iny mail; bror discs b

omotional period, bundle discour prt end of yth bundle included. A-mon, 12ass (1 disc avie PTER MoOCKBUS, DISH America Gold. BLerop 250, DISH America, DISH America Silv

.i-nigma.mobiwwwt: e aarwode scanning soft

ea.our ary in yailabilitvased on the a. Btions applyeeksoucher within 3-4 we a claim veivecou will r

edtela. HBO®, Cinemax® and rer ends 1/31/12ages,es, packvision. Pricelees HD tequiramming r

. Alltion onlytallaessional Insofd Pree Standareemo HD add-on f10/. $e will applyt pricenert11 BlockbusC. © 20er L.L.tademarks of Blockbus

angee full reiveco rt t; HD equipmenVo Team tvieTER MoOCKBUS5 on BLts ($ounomotional period, bundle discorkwtying DISH New qualift a time): Neass (1 disc a

Date post:	01-Mar-2016
Category:	Documents
Upload:	nebraska-rural-electric-association
View:	220 times
Download:	0 times

Rural Electric Nebraskan

Documents