Western customers earn honors for community service projects

Across Western, our customers provide valuable energy services to their communities. But they also provide community services that enhance the quality of life for residents. Several customers have recently been recognized for these efforts.

South Sioux City, Neb.

A member of NMPP Energy, South Sioux City earned the 2001 Community Service Award from the American Public Power Association in June. The city was recognized for its projects that enhance the quality of life in South Sioux City. Some of the projects that helped earn the award are:

• The city's Freenet project, which provides the public with an interactive link to government services and information. South Sioux City worked with the Chamber of Commerce to develop this service, known as E-City. The program has a full-time coordinator who helps local businesses set up Web pages and listserves.
  
  
• A fiber-optic loop that connects public facilities. This system gives customers access to automated meter reading, home security, load control, outage detection, and high-speed Internet and enhanced cable television service.
  
  
• Plans for alternative local telephone service and electronic bill paying.
  

Riverside Public Utilities

Riverside also received one of APPA's Community Service Awards. It was recognized for numerous "good neighbor" programs, including:

The "Splash into Cash" bottled water incentive program for local high schools. The program gives a bottle of water per student to each public, private and continuation high school in Riverside. Smaller schools receive a minimum of 10 cases (240 bottles). The schools can sell the water at a variety of events to raise funds for sports programs, field trips, theatre events, dances, and more.

The Shared Households Assist Riverside Energy low-income assistance program. SHARE lets RPU customers help Riverside's qualified low-income residents with utility bill payments and deposits.

Donations of electric bicycles to local law enforcement and security patrols. Riverside Public Utilities and the City of Riverside presented Police and Public Safety representatives from local colleges and City parking enforcement with electric bicycles to help them fight crime and promote the use of alternative fuel vehicles.

Minnesota's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

A group of 40 Minnesota cooperatives, including Western customers, won the NOVA Award from the Community Service Network of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association during the 2001 NRECA meeting in March.

The co-ops formed a partnership with Minnesota's state parks. Called GreenTouch, the program resulted in a $50,000 donation to the state parks for three consecutive years to help fund park guides and the Junior Park Naturalist program. The program also financed kiosks in parks that didn't have them.

The co-ops' efforts didn't end with money. They provided volunteers--either employees or customers--for specific work projects not funded by the state's budget.

Rural Electric Economic Development Fund

A joint effort of 16 cooperatives led by East River Electric Power Cooperative, REED encourages economic development through a revolving fund. (See story in the June 2000 issue of the Energy Services Bulletin.) REED makes loans to projects that contribute to improved community development, job retention and/or creation, and rural development capacity. It makes loans to both for-profit and non-profit entities. New loans are made as money is repaid to the fund.

Projects funded by REED include:

• Small and medium sized businesses engaged in manufacturing, retail, service and tourism.
  
  
• Community projects relating to water/wastewater, healthcare education, telecommunications and public safety.
  
  
• Producer-owned businesses that add value to agriculture.