Rural Missouri Wins National Honors
The Rural Missouri team was recognized in May with eight national awards from the Cooperative Communicators Association, a professional organization made up of communicators from all types of cooperatives. The honors celebrate the magazine’s commitment to sharing stories about the people, places and traditions that make rural Missouri special.
First Place
Entertaining Feature, Sara Schafer: Stompin’, Pickin’ & Kickin’
Photo Feature, Paul Newton: Pie Eating Contest
Words and Pictures, Angie Jones-Wheeler: There’s Nothing Square About It
Story or Article Design, Megan Backes: Stompin’, Pickin’ & Kickin’
Second Place
Words and Pictures, Sara Schafer: Flowers, Food and Fellowship
Third Place
Smartphone Photo, Sara Schafer: MR340
Words and Pictures, Paul Newton: Blue Ribbons and Bragging Rights
Story or Article Design, Megan Backes: Treasure of a Trail
Campers Connect With Co-op Safety
For 4-H campers at Camp Clover Point, learning about electricity starts with a screwdriver, a length of cord and guidance from Missouri’s electric cooperative employees. Over two days in June, co-op staff from Boone, Callaway, Co-Mo, Crawford, Intercounty and Three Rivers electric cooperatives joined the team from Central Electric Power Cooperative to visit the camp at the Lake of the Ozarks. They helped campers from more than a dozen mid-Missouri counties build 230 extension cords, each sponsored by the campers’ local electric co-op.
Cooperative employees assisted with the assembly and testing process to ensure each cord was properly built. Campers walked away with a useful item and a strong sense of accomplishment.
Safety is woven into every step of the workshop. In addition to learning proper wiring techniques, campers are taught critical rules for safe extension cord use. That includes not placing cords under rugs and never using them as a permanent solution.
The effort is part of a broader educational mission by Missouri’s electric cooperatives. Education, Training and Information is one of the seven cooperative principles, guiding programs that help co-ops invest in young people and the communities they call home.
Willie Wiredhand All Electric School Warmup Returns
On May 19, a piece of Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative history returned home in the form of a Willie Wiredhand All Electric School basketball warmup jacket. The story begins with Howell-Oregon Manager Joe Hinds, who wanted to recognize the co-op’s four “all-electric” schools.
Howell-Oregon was the first co-op in Missouri to power an all-electric school. A Dec. 27, 1963, West Plains Quill headline declared, “Howell-Oregon Co-op Singled Out as One of Outstanding in Nation.” The article praised the co-op as “one of this country’s greatest modern-day success stories” despite serving an area that ranked among the lowest in income. However, the manager stated that any business must continue to grow in order to achieve success.
Hence, Howell-Oregon was one of many co-ops pushing for wider use of electricity. It wasn’t long before 42 percent of the co-op’s 10,000 members had all-electric homes. This focus extended to area schools. Four small K-8 schools agreed to use electricity as their sole power source.
In appreciation, the co-op donated warmups and matching shorts for the schools’ basketball teams. The schools played in the Howell County Rural Athletic Association, which included St. Mary, Glenwood, Fairview, South Fork, Howell Valley, Ridgeview, Peace Valley and Junction Hill.
One of the all-electric schools was the Ridgeview R-6 School located near Pomona. Its warmups were bright red with blue and white accents. On the back was stitched in white letters: “Ridgeview R 6 All Electric School.” On the sleeve was a patch featuring Willie Wiredhand, the mascot of the nation’s electric cooperatives.
Junction Hill was another of the schools to receive jackets. Their team colors were green and white. Group photos in the Quill show both teams proudly clad in their jackets.
Years later most of the small schools were consolidated with larger school districts. When Ridgeview closed, its students moved to the larger Willow Springs or West Plains districts. Eventually items from the school, including the old warmups, were sold at auction.
One jacket went to Roy Patrick, who grew up in south-central Missouri. Roy saw an article on Willie Wiredhand written by Electric Consumer Senior Editor Richard Biever. Roy knew its historical value and offered the jacket to Richard, who added it to his Willie Wiredhand collection and started a quest to discover its history.
Fast-forward to 1999, when a story by Richard titled “Electrifying nicknames” ran in the Electric Consumer, sister publication to Rural Missouri in Indiana. He included Ridge-view due to its connection to the West Plains Zizzers.
Richard’s search for the co-op that provided the jersey turned to former U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, whose district included south-central Missouri. In 2013 Jo Ann accepted a job as CEO of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Her staff tracked the jacket to West Plains and discovered its connection to Howell-Oregon Electric.
But the rest of the story would come later. Richard recently retired, and he and his wife downsized their home. So, he offered to donate it back to Missouri. The jacket was framed, along with matching shorts, and returned to the electric co-op some 60-plus years later.
No doubt the school’s all-electric status — emblazoned on the team’s backs — encouraged others to consider electricity when they built new homes and businesses. And no doubt that helped propel Howell-Oregon into one of the nation’s most successful electric co-ops.
But the co-op’s kind gesture to its communities certainly didn’t hurt the team’s efforts on the hardwood. The caption on the 1964 team photo in the Quill reported that Ridgeview was undefeated.
Turns out electric cooperatives could power their communities in more ways than one.
Know Before You Dig
Aug. 11 is 811 Day, a good reminder to call or click before you dig. Whether you’re planting a tree, installing a fence or tackling a larger project, contacting Missouri 811 helps protect underground electric, gas, water, internet and other utility lines. Follow these simple steps:
1. Mark your project with white paint or flags. Outline the area where you plan to dig before submitting your Missouri 811 request.
2. Call 811 or visit Missouri-811.org to submit your locate request. Do this three working days before you dig.
3. Wait for utilities to be marked. Utility companies will mark the approximate location of underground utility lines in your work area.
4. Dig carefully around marked lines. Hand dig when necessary to avoid damaging utilities.
5. Respect the marks. If markings become covered or unclear, contact Missouri 811 for a remark before continuing your project.
Lighting the Way
Missouri’s electric cooperatives do more than keep the lights on. Clay Carroll of Callaway Electric Cooperative in Fulton shares on the Show Me Today Podcast how co-ops are investing in their communities, supporting local growth and working every day to help rural Missouri thrive. Scan to listen.
Help Your Thermostat Read the Room
Keep lamps, computers, TVs and other heat sources away from your thermostat. They can make the thermostat think your home is warmer than it really is, causing your system to run unnecessarily. For the best results, place your thermostat away from direct sunlight, drafts and electronics. A clear spot helps your system keep your home comfortable while using energy wisely.
Source: energy.gov