If you are without electricity or have an electrical emergency on your side of the meter, we have a master electrician on staff available 24 hours a day.

Board of Trustees

Flint Hills RECARobert E. Reece, General Manager

NEWS

P.O. Box B1564 S. 1000 Rd, Council Grove, KS 66846

620-767-5144www.flinthillsrec.com

F L I N T H I L L S R U R A L E L E C T R I C CO O P E R AT I V E

Member ServicesffACH / Bank Draft Program

ffOnline Payment Options

ffOutside Security Lighting

ffPower Surge Protection

ffRebate Programs

For more information, call us at 620-767-5144.

Roger Zimmerman President

Duane Kaiser Vice President

Duane Carlson Secretary/Treasurer

Dale Andres Trustee

Korby Effland Trustee

Tim Miser Trustee

Terry Olsen Trustee

Shawn Potts Trustee

This institution is an equal opportunity

provider and employer.

Flint Hills RECA at the Marion County FairFlint Hills RECA presented an electrical safety dem-onstration with its safety demo trailer at the Marion County Fair at the Hillsboro fair grounds on July 30 and 31.

The safety trailer is equipped with live power lines that can be used to show the dangers of elec-trical line contact. By using a balloon, Linemen BRENT UNRUH and BROCK NIEMAN showed children what can happen when coming in contact with a live power line, and reminded every-one of the many dangers of playing near or under power lines.

Attendees also tried to connect a nut and bolt together while wearing line-man gloves that our crews wear to keep them safe. The crowd’s attempts were

entertaining but most were unsuccessful.

The cooperative would like to thank Unruh and Nieman for taking the time to educate the public on electrical safety.

At the Marion County Fair, Flint Hills RECA also co-sponsored the dodgeball tournament.

The Marion County

Fair was held the week of July 25. The week was filled with family fun, good food, friendly people and a wide variety of entertainment for all ages.

The fair also showcas-es all the hard work that the local 4-H and FFA kids have done to display their projects at the exhibits fair barns.

Flint Hills RECA Co-Sponsored the Dodgeball Tourn at the 2016 Marion Co Fair.

Left: Linemen Brock Nieman, Brent Unruh and John Stohs watch Easton Stohs attempt the rubber glove test. Right: Lineman Brent Unruh helps local children struggle with lineman’s gloves.

SEPTEMBER 2016 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 16-A

MEGHAN EIDMAN and PAIGE CRANEY were selected to at-tend the 40th annual Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp (CYLC) in Steamboat Springs, Colo. From July 16-22, Craney and Eidman joined approximately 100 youth from Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Wyoming for the week-long camp that combines education about the cooperative business model with traditional camp pastimes.

Craney and Eidman were selected through an applica-tion, interview and testing process.

“Flint Hills REC is proud to be a participating sponsor of the CYLC and send our local youth to develop essential leadership and teamwork skills,” Bob Reece, Flint Hills REC general manager, said. “Through this trip, we hope local students will learn how our electric cooperatives work and how co-ops and their employees support the communities they serve.”

At CYLC, the campers participated in daily member-ship meetings where they established committees and elected a general manager and board of directors. Camp-ers also had time to enjoy area activities including visits to Fish Creek Falls and Steamboat Springs, river rafting and participating in camp activities such as volleyball, swim-ming and a talent show.

The youth learned about the workings of electric cooperatives through a variety of activities: Yampa Valley Electric’s linemen led a high voltage safety demonstration, campers competed in build-ing a model transmission line out of craft supplies, and they toured the Trapper Mine and Craig Power Plant.

“I was most inspired by the fact everyone was able to be themselves and so nice to everyone, Craney said. "They inspired me to be more like that when I go back home.”

“Learning more about leadership and multiple other life skills had the biggest impact on me," Eid-man said. This camp really helped me expand my

leadership skills and taught me different times those skills can help me become successful. I was also greatly inspired by the stories of the co-op linemen and jobs."

LIZ MEYER, a Flint Hills RECA's 2015 camper, was chosen to return as a 2016 ambassador. “Everyone involved in CYLC has had a significant impact on my life. I will be forever grateful for the opportunities and experiences this camp brings,” Meyer said.

Overall, campers left CYLC with a new sense of leadership and a basic understanding of how their local electric cooperatives operate and how they contribute to the betterment of the communities they serve.

Co-op Youth Attend Leadership Camp

Right: Meghan Eidman (left), Paige Craney and Liz Meyer repre-sented Flint Hills RECA at the CYLC in July. Below: Thirty-four students from Kansas joined students from four states at the camp.

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 201616-B

N E W S F RO M F L I N T H I L L S R U R A L E L E C T R I C CO O P E R AT I V E

Stay focused on Safety During HarvestDuring harvest season, many farmers reap the benefits of advancement in agricultural technology. With the help of GPS auto-steer devices, farmers are able to decrease driver error and maximize productivity. Despite these advances, safety risks remain.

GPS with auto-guidance provides farmers with real-time location data about a field, which can be used for crop planning, map making, navigation assistance and machinery guidance. During harvest, this technology allows drivers to have their hands off the steering wheel as the combine maneuvers itself through the field. Thanks to this technology, farmers can more easily and effi-ciently maintain accuracy even during low-light conditions, which enhances productivity.

“It’s important to remember that farm machinery is vulnerable to hitting power lines because of its large size, height and extensions.," explained Kyla Kruse, communications director of the Safe Electricity program. Being aware of the location of overhead power lines and planning a safe equipment route can help reduce accidents.”

In equipment with auto-guidance systems, less focus is needed on steer-ing, which may lead some drivers to think that they do not need to be as aware of navigation issues. However, even while using a GPS with auto-steering, farm workers need to keep safety in mind and stay focused on their surroundings.

Putting safety first requires alert-ness, focus and knowledge of potential hazards and safety steps. Varying pass-to-pass accuracy levels and poten-tial issues, such as power poles not being correctly plotted in the system, reinforce the need for drivers to stay focused on the location of the farm equipment while in the field and to be ready to take action if necessary.

Regardless the technology used on the farm, keep the following elec-trical safety guidelines in mind: ffUse a spotter when operating large machinery near power lines.ffKeep equipment at least 10 feet from power lines at all times, in all directions. ffLook up and use care when moving any equipment such as extending augers or raising the bed of grain trucks around power lines.ff Inspect the height of farm equip-ment to determine clearance.ffAlways set extensions to the lowest setting when moving loads to pre-vent contact with overhead power lines. Grain augers should always be positioned horizontally before being moved. ffNever attempt to move a power line out of the way or raise it for clearance.ff If a power line is sagging or low, contact Flint Hills RECA.

If your equipment does make contact with a power line, do not leave the cab. Immediately call 911, warn others to stay away and wait for the utility crew to cut the power.

The only reason to exit equip-ment that has come into contact with overhead lines is if the equipment is on fire, which is rare. However, if this is the case, jump off the equipment with your feet together and without touching the ground and machinery at the same time. Then, still keeping your feet together, hop to safety as you leave the area.

WebsiteTo learn more about Flint Hills RECA and our services, visit our website at www.flinthillsrec.com. On our website, you will find up-to-date news articles, summer peak alert notices, outage informa-tion, bill pay options and energy saving information.

FacebookYou can also “like” us on Facebook by clicking on the “F” button at the top right hand side of our website home page or searching for Flint Hills Rural Electric Cooperative. Check our Facebook page for new announcements, energy saving tips and Flint Hills’ photo gallery.

FIND US ON Social Media for News & Updates

Flint Hills RECA’s 2016 summer peak load management program concludes at the end of September. The higher our peak is, the higher the price we have to pay for electricity during the coming winter. That’s why it is so important to try to control our peak load from June through September each year.

During the month of September from 3 to 6 p.m., reduce your energy following the tips below:ffMove your laundry time to earlier in the day or late at night.ffUse a slow cooker instead of the elec-tric stove for cooking dinner.ffSave the ironing for later.ffShut the grain dryer off for a few hours.ffStop the irrigation pumps during this time of the day.

Using energy wisely helps to keep our cost down, the electric rates stable and reduces the need to invest in new power sources.

How Can I Help My Co-op Control Cost?

Putting safety first requires alertness, focus and knowl-edge of the potential hazards and safety tips.

SEPTEMBER 2016 KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING 16-C

Help us Locate Former Flint Hills RECA MembersFlint Hills RECA has been unable to locate the former members listed below who have unclaimed capital credit refunds that were retired more than three years ago. If you know any of these former members, please ask them to call us at 620-767-5144.

In accordance with the cooperative’s by-laws, failure to claim the refunds within 60 days of this notice (October 31, 2016) will cause the total amount of the refund to be irrevocably gifted back to the cooperative. This list, which includes the city and state of the last known address listed on the cooperative’s records, is also on our website www.flinthillsrec.com.

A L Abercrombie IncAAA Oil Co Of KansasClem AdamMilford A AdmireGayle A AkersJames R Albin JrG W AlexanderArthur AllenDennis AllenRobert L AndersonJohn AndreasAnna Fiest EstateArapahoe Pipeline CoRita M ArcherRussell R ArderyBill ArnoldNorma L AscherWm J AustinLoren AxvigB & M FurnitureEric R BaberNeil BakerRussell BakerWM D BakerCalvert BallengerOrman BalzerRobert BanksLester BanmanGary L BarberLois BarberRobert BarberS BarkhamRoy L BarnesLarry BarnettBen J BartelDonald J BartelDonnivon E Bartel

H W BartelHenry F BartelMartha BartelRonald E BatesMarcell M BeanDavid BeardAlvin BeckerDayton BeckerPaul BeckerCalvin L BelewLucille L BellPaul E BennettShirley BennettClarence BentzLawrenc BentzWalter BerendsVictor BernhardtAlvin C BestFrank BestvaterLoren BettlesAndrew J BiehlerK L BillingSharon BishopRalph BitikoferLawrence BlankleyLester BlankleyMathild BlomenkampRobert M BlosserRobert M BlosserBlue Rooms IncJonathan R BluejacketHarry R BlyMonroe BoeskerWilliam BogueRobert D BohlkenGarry A BoldenowH N Boudeman

Albert A BouseNorman L BowersRalph BowmanHenry A BoyerC A BranchEldon J BrandtWm P BrandtFrank BrenzikoferRoy BrinsonRay BroadbentVernon BronoughGarey BrossRalph BrossGerald L BroughFritz BrownKendall BrownL R BrownLonie BrownMarlin BrownBruderthal ChurchGerald L BuchmanRex BuchmanE R BucklesHerman BuetheIrvan BullerRick BunkFred G BurdorfDenton BurnsJohnnie W BurrisJ K BursonB A BurtonVaden BurtonKenneth D ButcherMay ButtonMarvin L ButtsCal Time PetroleumJohn T W CalfeeJesus R Camarena

Norma A CampbellCanton Comm CenterDavid J CarlisleOrlan CarrollMichael CarverGary CashRicardo CastanedaCentury Energy 1980Keith ChowwingJohn ChristlebArthur ClaassenNorman ClaassenA L ClarkClifford ClarkKenneth ClarkCarol J ClimerJ S ClingDonald C CodyCoffmans Fine FoodsWilliam CogdillW H ColginMelvin CooperMilton CooperWilliam F CooperCourtney M CooverLloyd CoreyAlvin CottenJ J CrawfordByron G CrockerJay CroffootRobert CrotingerCunningham RanchAbe DahlGlenn DaleA H DalkeC V DavisCharlie Davis

Gary DavisJerry J DavisRalph DeckerGeoffre O DeckertDeforest Hog FarmRonald DemlerStephen A DemogenesM D DennisC H DeppishRobert D DeputyAlbert DerendingerJo A DesrochesJay D DialHugo W DietrichL S DillingMenno DirksenPhil S DixArthur J DoleCarla DonaldsonDorothy DonelsonRobert DorseyMerle DouglasGilbert J DowlingAnna M DoyleDreamland Motel (CC Peterson)Dreamland Motel (Marlin Shenk)G A DuerksenJohn DuncanTom EatonRalph EbertJ D EckertE M EdmundsWm John EdmundsMorris L EhrlichDaniel Eller

Herbert Elliott SrMax D F EllisElm Springs AssemblyGerald EngstromPaul EppFred H ErnstC W EstesDebra EvensonHarold EverhartHarley EwertRick FarnsworthDave FastCarol FehrRalf FenzlaffJ D FerrellHarold L FiedlerRussell FinkJohn R FinneyKietha FishBilly C FisherCharles FisherDonald FisherWilliam FisherPaul FittingerA J FlamingJacob J FlamingFlint Hill Bible ChurchMark FlobergHoward FosterClifford FothDan J FothDonald L FowlerG O FoxDale FransRobert L FrantzMilford Franz

KANSAS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 201616-D