TThere are many companies nowadays that want you to enroll in their programs for membership privileges. They cover a broad range of industries, includ-ing credit cards, hotels, airlines and even grocery chains. Can you think of a few? These are typically marketing programs that provide you with benefits like points, rewards or even cash back. Typically, the more you spend, the more you will get back.

If you are reading this Grand Valley Power newsletter, chances are you are a member of our coopera-tive, and you earn membership benefits. These membership benefits include the electric service you get from our hometown utility, the right to participate in selecting the leaders who run our cooperative and the right to participate in the economic fortunes of our company.

Cooperatives follow a unique consumer-focused business model led by a set of seven principles. The third cooperative principle, “Members’ Economic Participation,” requires all of us to chip in a bit on our monthly bill to keep Grand Valley Power in good shape. Of course, being a member doesn’t mean you can drive to a substation and take home a transformer or borrow a spool of wire. Those assets are owned collectively by everyone who has signed up for electric service. A portion of the electric bill you pay each month, in fact, goes into building distribution infrastructure — poles, wires and substations — that brings you a steady supply of power.

Your cooperative conducts business locally. Investments we make in infrastructure don’t profit someone in an area far away — benefits stay right here in our community. Paying your monthly bill does more than build lines, buy equipment and purchase wholesale electricity. You also pay the salaries of our hard-working employees, who live right here in the community. They, in turn, buy goods at local businesses, spreading income around and boosting our local economy.

Here’s another membership perk: You get money back. Any funds left over after all the bills are paid are allocated as capital for all contributing co-op members. Then, when your board of directors determines the co-op is in good financial shape, a portion of this capital is returned to you in the form of a check that we send to members each December. How much money you get back depends on how much electricity you used.

These refunds of the capital that you provide give you a stake in our financial success. As you know, we don’t aim to make a profit. Our goal is to provide you with electricity at a price that is as close to cost as possible. That way, more of your money stays in your pocket — up front.

In short, you are receiving a vital resource — electricity — from a business owned and operated by you, your friends and neighbors. Working together, we provide you with the highest level of service we can while striving to keep your electric bills affordable.

And that’s the cooperative difference.For more information about capital allocations visit gvp.org/

capital-credits.

COMMENTS TO THE CEOYou are a member of a cooperative and your opinion does count. If you have any questions, concerns or comments, please let me know by writing to Ask the CEO, P.O. Box 190, Grand Junction, CO 81502, or send an email to me at twalch@gvp.org. Check out our website at gvp.org.

BOARD MEETING NOTICEGrand Valley Power board meetings are open to the members, consumers and public. Regularly scheduled board meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of each month at the headquarters building located at 845 22 Road, Grand Junction, Colorado.

The monthly agenda is posted in the lobby of the headquar-ters building 10 days before each meeting and posted on the GVP website. If anyone desires to address the board of direc-tors, please let us know in advance and you will be placed on the agenda.

MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS PRIVILEGESBY TOM WALCH || CEO

Tom Walch

G R A N D V A L L E Y P O W E RH O L I D A Y S C H E D U L E

Monday, December 24 — CLOSEDTuesday, December 25 — CLOSED

Tuesday, January 1 — CLOSED

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coloradocountrylife.coop DECEMBER 2018 7

TThis Is Why By Christmas Wharton

There are many times I look back and reflect on my life experiences. I’m sure I’m not the only one that does this, either. For me, I value the educational opportunities that I have received. I graduated from Summit High School and applied for about 20 different schol-arships in order to get the help I needed to attend Colorado Mesa University (then, Mesa State College). My parents would provide what they could, but financially I needed help to afford college. Of those applications, I received eight of the scholarships, which helped fund about two years of my education before I needed loans. Like many students then and now, scholarships have an impact. Scholarships change lives and allow students to pursue their dreams. As Benjamin Franklin said, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

This is why I’m grateful for organiza-tions, such as Grand Valley Power, that value knowledge and see this as a key investment in our future not only for students just graduat-ing now, but also furthering education with employees for continuous learning.

Locally, School District 51 topped the state’s graduation rate in 2017 for the third consecutive year, according to data released at the beginning of this year by the Colorado Department of Education. In District 51, 79.9 percent of the class of 2017 graduated within four years of starting high school (known as the four-year graduation rate), beating the state average of 79 percent by nearly a full

percentage point. Nationwide, in 2016 (the most recent year for which statistics are avail-able) the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 69.7 percent of students who graduated from high school were enrolled in college. About 49 percent of these students were enrolled in community colleges, according to a 2017 report issued by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. Students who decided not to enroll in college, whether it was a four-year or two-year school, noted that cost was a main factor. I, like many others, also saw this as a barrier to entry.

Since 1996, GVP has a given over $174,000 in scholarships to young adults pursuing their dreams. The scholarships have supported degrees in all fields, such as engineering, music, health care, arts, business, technology and trades including electric line work. Going into its 23rd year of supporting education, GVP is awarding over $20,000 in scholarships. GVP encourages those looking to pursue a higher education to take advantage of this opportunity.

Whether you’re headed back to school after taking a break or are continuing education right after high school, take a look at GVP scholarship opportunities to help you achieve your goals. An investment in the community is never a bad idea, and education is deeply woven into the GVP community fabric.

Visit gvp.org/scholarship-program to learn more about our scholarships and apply online.

EmPOWERing Future LeadersEmPOWERing Future Leaders

8 4 5 2 2 R o a d

G r a n d J u n c t i o n , C O  

H E L P U S F I L L

S A N T A ' S S A C K

F U L L O F T O Y S !

Now ThruDec. 13

coloradocountrylife.coop8 DECEMBER 2018

GRAND VALLEY POWER LINES

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I

LIGHT IT RIGHT

Handle Generators with Caution and Respect

While the holidays are a characteristically joyous time of year, they can also be hazardous if simple safety precautions aren’t followed. Nearly half of home fires occur during the months of December, January and February. Planning and preparation are essential to reducing your stress during the holiday season. While we can’t help you manage your budgets, guests and travel arrangements, we can help you plan and arrange for safe holi-day decorations.

• Keep decorations or any other flammable items at least 3 feet away from open flame and heat sources.

• Inspect all decorations to ensure they do not have any frayed or pinched wires and discard any worn decorations.

• Ensure multiple extension cords are never strung together or placed under rugs, carpets or furniture. And make sure those used outdoors are labeled “for outdoor use.”

• Never leave cooking equipment unattended and turn off burners if you have to leave the room.

• Never leave a space heater unattended and turn it off when you’re leaving a room or going to sleep. Never let pets or children play too close to a space heater.

• Water Christmas trees daily and discard trees when they are dry and begin to drop needles.

• If you haven’t already done so this month, test all smoke alarms. Replace the batteries or the smoke alarm if it is not working properly.

• Plan out the placement of your holiday lighting so that no more than three strands are strung together (unless using LEDs).

• Outdoor electric lights and decorations should be plugged into circuits protected by ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs).

For more tips on holiday décor safety or information on what type of outlets you have, visit gvp.org/safe-homes.

It is critical that proper safety precautions be taken when using a standby or portable generator. The improper use of a stand-by or portable generator can lead to injury or death.

When using one, SafeElectricity.org urges you to follow these tips to keep you and your family safe:

• Read and follow all manufacturer operating instructions to properly ground the generator. Be sure you understand them before hooking up the generator.

• Never operate a generator in a confined area, such as a garage or inside your home. Generators can produce numerous gases, including toxic and deadly carbon monoxide. They require proper ventilation.

• Generators pose electrical risks especially when operated in wet conditions. Use a generator only when necessary when the weather creates wet or moist conditions. Protect the generator by operating it under an open, canopy-like struc-ture on a dry surface where water cannot form puddles or drain under it. Always ensure that your hands are dry before touching the generator.

• When you refuel the generator, make sure the engine is cool to prevent a fire, should the tank overflow.

• There should be nothing plugged into the generator when you turn it on. This prevents a surge from damaging your generator and appliances.

• Be sure to keep children and pets away from the generator, which could burn them.

• Shut down the generator properly. Before shutting down a generator, turn off and unplug all appliances and equip-ment being powered by the generator.

• Remember maintenance between uses. Inspect the fuel and oil filters, spark plug, oil level and fuel quality. It is also a

good idea to start the generator on a regular basis before an emergency situation occurs.

Solar generators, which use solar panels to collect energy from the sun and store that energy in a battery for later use, are a newer type of generator. Solar generators are much quieter than a gas, diesel or natural gas standby generators and when used properly, they don’t generate toxic fumes. However, they must still be handled with caution and respect. Solar generators collect and store large amounts of electricity that, if not handled with the proper precaution, can cause injury or death.

For more information on the safe use of portable and stand-by generators, go to SafeElectricity.org.

G E N E R AT O R

Learn more at:

Make sure there is nothing plugged into the generator when turning it on. Use a heavy-duty extension cord to connect appliances to the outlets on the generator.

Always operate the generator on a stable, dry surface outside the home—out and away from the garage, doors, windows, and vents into your home. The carbon monoxide the generator produces is DEADLY.

Never connect your portable generator to the home directly. This can result in potentially deadly backfeed, which happens when electricity is fed back through the electrical system onto power lines, creating a hazard for line workers and others.

SafetyFOLLOW THESE TIPS TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY:

G E N E R AT O R

Learn more at:

Make sure there is nothing plugged into the generator when turning it on. Use a heavy-duty extension cord to connect appliances to the outlets on the generator.

Always operate the generator on a stable, dry surface outside the home—out and away from the garage, doors, windows, and vents into your home. The carbon monoxide the generator produces is DEADLY.

Never connect your portable generator to the home directly. This can result in potentially deadly backfeed, which happens when electricity is fed back through the electrical system onto power lines, creating a hazard for line workers and others.

SafetyFOLLOW THESE TIPS TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY:

G E N E R AT O R

Learn more at:

Make sure there is nothing plugged into the generator when turning it on. Use a heavy-duty extension cord to connect appliances to the outlets on the generator.

Always operate the generator on a stable, dry surface outside the home—out and away from the garage, doors, windows, and vents into your home. The carbon monoxide the generator produces is DEADLY.

Never connect your portable generator to the home directly. This can result in potentially deadly backfeed, which happens when electricity is fed back through the electrical system onto power lines, creating a hazard for line workers and others.

SafetyFOLLOW THESE TIPS TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY:

G E N E R AT O R

Learn more at:

Make sure there is nothing plugged into the generator when turning it on. Use a heavy-duty extension cord to connect appliances to the outlets on the generator.

Always operate the generator on a stable, dry surface outside the home—out and away from the garage, doors, windows, and vents into your home. The carbon monoxide the generator produces is DEADLY.

Never connect your portable generator to the home directly. This can result in potentially deadly backfeed, which happens when electricity is fed back through the electrical system onto power lines, creating a hazard for line workers and others.

SafetyFOLLOW THESE TIPS TO ENSURE EVERYONE’S SAFETY:

GRAND VALLEY POWER LINES

coloradocountrylife.coop DECEMBER 2018 9

coloradocountrylife.coop10 DECEMBER 2018

GRAND VALLEY POWER LINES