and 49 feet in diameter and consists of an octagon-shaped base, constructed of 26.5 tons of steel rebar and275 cubic yards (which is about 1.5 million pounds) ofpoured concrete. On the top of the octagon-shaped baseis a round concrete pedestal, made up of steel rings andlong anchor bolts, which will hold the towers in place.The foundations for all 14 turbines have been installedand only the top six inches of the round concretepedestal is now exposed as the two project sites awaitsthe arrival of a large crane to hoist the upper sections ofthe towers into place.

The final pre-construction job was installing ap-proximately five miles of underground electric service,called the collection system, that runs from each tur-bine pedestal to the distribution substation. Includedin the trenches with the collection system is the fiberoptics system.

article continues on page 6

Progress on your Cooperative’s two wind farms iswell underway since construction began this summer.While the most visible construction will take place inJanuary and February 2009 with the erection of the windturbines, preparing for the delivery of turbines is nearingcompletion. Construction is being done in phases, be-ginning with the construction of new roads, turbinefoundations and the underground electric lines andcommunication system.

ACCESS ROADS Approximately five miles of new industrial-graderoads were constructed to enable the delivery of the tur-bines to each of the 14 turbine site locations. Eventhough the construction of the roads was a major un-dertaking, they are a key element in a wind farm project.“We not only need access roads to drive cement trucksto the site to pour concrete for the foundations, we alsoneed to get a crane beside each turbine site to lift the tur-bines into place,” said Vice President of Operations andEngineering, Rick Olesen. Although the wind turbinesare brought to the site in pieces, the individual pieces arestill enormous – one blade is 128 feet long. The parts arebrought in on elongated semi tractor-trailers.Without afinished road surface and “turning corners" to allow tur-bine-carrying trucks to make wide turns, the semi truckswould not be able to access the turbine site.

TURBINE FOUNDATIONS Once the roads were in place, work began on themassive turbine foundations. The foundations need tobe substantial to withstand the large turbines. Accordingto Olesen, each turbine’s foundation is eight feet deep

inside

67

2Manager’s Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2Energy Conservation Starts at HomeWhere were you on Aug. 14, 2003? . .3Construction Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Linemen on Patrol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Oahe/Basin Tours 2008 . . . . . . . . . . . .5Hummel Family Honored . . . . . . . . . .5New Faces at Your Cooperative . . . . . .6New Emmetsburg Service Center . . . .6Basin Hosts Carbon CaptureDemonstration Project . . . . . . . . . . .6

Be a Cooperative Leader . . . . . . . . . . . .72009 Nominating Committee . . . . . . .710 Ways to Save Energy . . . . . . . . . . . .8Christmas LED Lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8Barn Quilts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9Managing Heating Costs . . . . . . . . . . .9Tree Trimming Available . . . . . . . . . . .9Fact or Fable: Conditioning DevicesSave Energy? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10Pole Top Rescue Training . . . . . . . . . .10New Online Power Outage Info . . . .10Do You Have Stray Voltage? . . . . . . . .11Jelly Cell Mates Make Useful Tool . . .11Bird on a Wire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Operation Round-Up Funds Dispersed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12What to do in a power outage . . . . .13Mobile Substations . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Another Great Year at the ClayCounty Fair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14Buy, Sell, Swap . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Fall 2008Iowa Lakes Electric CooperativeILEC NEWS

Construction on Wind Farms Underway

The ILEC NEWSis a quarterly publication for ILECmember-owners. Look to the ILECNEWS for Cooperative news andevents, industry updates, helpful hints and special features.

Our MissionIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is dedicated to leadership, growth andenvironmental responsibility by providing reliable, competitively-priced energy while offering valuableservices to benefit our members, our customers and the communities we serve.

Industrial-Grade Access Roads Being Built

Concrete octagon-shaped base being formed

The round concrete pedestal will hold the towers

Leng

th o

f Tim

e (M

inut

es)

Degree Days - Year to Date, Sept. 2008

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Iowa REC Average(in white)

2005 2006 2007 2008

7,000

6,000

5,000

4,000

3,000

2,000

1,000

0

Heating Cooling

4,853

816

4,912

824

5,248

809

5,771

604

Terry L. BrunsPresident/CEO

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative

2

Energy Conservation Starts at Home

A recent report from the Energy InformationAdministration (EIA), a branch of the U.S. De-partment of Energy, identified residential pricesfor electricity will climb an average of 9.8 percentnationwide for the 2009 calendar year. House-holds heating with natural gas (18 percent),propane (16 percent) and heating oil (23 percent)will be the hardest hit, while those householdsheating with electricity will experience the small-est increase. Generally, the increasing cost of electricity canbe attributed to several key factors: the cost of newgeneration resources used to meet load growth,increasingly expensive environmental compliancecosts, the rising market price for the fuels neededto produce electricity and the increasing globalcompetition for more generation resources, espe-cially from the developing countries of India andChina. Your Cooperative is facing wholesale pur-chased power cost increases for 2009 in the rangeof 15-20 percent. During 2008, almost 70 cents ofeach dollar that you pay your Cooperative goes topay for the cost of wholesale purchased power. The surest and most reliable method availablefor member-owners to lessen the efforts of theseenergy price increases is to use less energy athome. That’s a definite challenge in NorthwestIowa where it takes a lot of energy to surviveIowa’s cold climate. As you can see by the graph below, the heatingdegree days year-to-date for the winter monthswere greater than in the past and the cooling de-gree days for the summer were much less.

However, there is some practical, low costways to meet the challenge of decreasing your per-sonal energy costs at home. It’s as simple as turn-ing off unnecessary lighting and unpluggingappliances that use electricity even when turnedoff (i.e. phantom electric loads). First, let me suggest that you change all of themost frequently used incandescent light bulbs inyour home to compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s).In a normal household this may save you approx-imately 150 kWhs per month and the CFL bulbslast much longer than incandescent bulbs. Next replace your old dishwasher, refrigeratoror washer/dryer with an Energy Star rated appli-ance. But don’t place that old refrigerator in thegarage or basement to be used as a spare — get ridof it! Also consider installing a setback thermostatto replace your manual heating/cooling thermo-stat. The rule of thumb for saving on your heatingbill is about a one-percent energy savings forevery degree that your thermostat is set back orturned down for an eight-hour period. Consider contacting your Cooperative at 800-225-4532 and request a free home energy audit ora free energy efficiency kit. Your local energy ad-visors will be more than happy to arrange a con-venient time to meet with you and analyze theenergy efficiency improvements necessary tomake your home more energy efficient. It’s free,it’s convenient and it will save you money on yourenergy bill! Energy conservation is about changing ourpersonal behavior in order to reduce our overallenergy consumption locally here in Iowa as wellas nationally. The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)estimates that energy consumption can be re-duced through the wise use of energy efficiencyand the savings can be huge. This is good for you,the member-owner, and good for our environ-ment. It’s a perfect win-win! Last, help us to help you by contacting yourlegislators and enrolling in your Cooperative’s“Our Energy, Our Future” campaign and ask yourfederal legislators some difficult but very impor-tant energy questions.

In today’s difficult and uncertain economic times, America’s consumers continue tosee the price of retail goods and services climb. The price for your electricity is no exception to this trend.

Start by asking your elected officialsthese important questions in order toget the energy issues discussion headedin the right direction:

n CAPACITY:Experts say that our na-tion’s growing electricity needs will soongo well beyond what renewables, conser-vation and energy efficiency can provide.What is your plan to make sure we willhave the electricity we’ll need in the fu-ture?

n TECHNOLOGY: Our country facesan energy crisis as electricity use in-creases faster than the available supply. Ibelieve that by unleashing American in-genuity we can solve this problem. Whatare you doing to speed up the develop-ment of new technology, which willallow me to have the electric power I willneed while meeting our national climatepolicy goals?

n AFFORDABILITY: Balancing elec-tricity needs and environmental goalswill be difficult. How much is all thisgoing to increase my electric bill andwhat will you do to make it affordable? Over one million Cooperative mem-ber-owners nationally have joined thisimportant campaign with their e-mailsand letters to our legislators. Please startyour dialogue today by accessing thiswebsite through www.ilec.coop. YourCooperative’s website also has manymore cost saving ideas and energy tips inorder for you to save yourself somegreen. Don’t delay and start today! Helpus to help you.

Fuerstenau Receives Credentialed Director Certificate

I LEC NEWS

3

For some 50 million people, five yearsago, the lights went out for large parts ofthe Northeast and the Midwest in the

United States for as much as four days. In past newsletter articles, I have cautionedthe member-owners of Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative about the increased potential orthe likelihood for more frequent brownouts orblackouts as the demandfor electricity continuesto grow, while the resist-ance to building morebaseload generationplants has increased dueto the growing concernover climate change is-sues. Excess electricity re-serves from the nation’sgrid continues to shrink as the costs to licenseand build new generation plants and operatethe current generation plants continue to soar. It is estimated that electricity use in theUnited States will increase 29 percent between2006 and 2030, according to the Departmentof Energy’s Energy Information Administra-tion (EIA). Rick Sergel, President of the North Amer-ican Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC),which oversees the security of the nation’spower grid has stated, “Were to the pointwhere we need every possible resource: renew-ables, demand response, energy efficiency, nu-clear and clean coal.” Mr. Sergel went on to say, “We especiallyneed the transmission lines that will bring thepower generated by these new resources to

consumers.” Electric utilities, including Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative have spent millions ofdollars to make system improvements in orderto provide member-owners with the reliableelectric service that you deserve and expect.Those expenditures will be useless if the elec-tricity generation resources and transmission

lines are not available tosupply and move thatpower to our local distri-bution substations.The economic losses fiveyears ago due to thatblackout were estimated tocost up to $10 billion dol-lars and the lifestyle ofsome 50 million peoplewas significantly disrupted

for many days in August 2003. The facts are clear, cheap electricity pricesas well as the price for other energy resourcesare a thing of the past. However, you can be confident that yourCooperative’s business model will continue toprovide the member-owners of Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative with reliable, affordablypriced and environmentally responsible elec-tricity as possible during the challenging timesahead. Please log on to Our Energy, Our future atwww.ourenergy.coop to learn more about thiscritical situation and establish a dialogue withyour nationally elected legislators about yourenergy concerns for the future. Help Us toHelp You by contacting your legislators imme-diately!

W H E R E W E R E Y O U O N A U G U S T 1 4 , 2 0 0 3 ?

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooper-ative is pleased to announce thatBoard Director, Gerald Fuerste-nau of Mallard, Iowa, receivedthe Credentialed CooperativeDirector certificate from the Na-tional Rural Electric CooperativeAssociation (NRECA). Today’selectric utility environment im-poses new demands on electriccooperative directors, particu-larly increased knowledge of

changes in the electric utilitybusiness, new governance skillsand a working knowledge of thecooperative principles. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooper-ative’s Board of Directors has astrong commitment to workthrough NRECA to sharpen thisbody of knowledge for the bene-fit of their electric cooperativemember-owners. The NRECA Credentialed

Cooperative Director or CCD,program requires attendanceand demonstrated understand-ing of the basic competenciescontained in five core courses:Director Duties and Liabilities;Understanding the Electric Busi-ness; Board Roles and Relation-ships; Strategic Planning; andFinancial Decision Making. Congratulations to Director,Gerald Fuerstenau!

supportingcooperatives

The facts are clear,cheap electricityprices as well as theprice for other energy resourcesare a thing of thepast.

1

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s line crews have been extremelybusy during this year’s summer construction season as theywork to complete the Cooperative’s 2008 Construction Work

Plan before Iowa’s cold winter weather sets in and halts constructionfor the year. The Cooperative’s construction work plan is a four-year planthat provides a comprehensive analysis of its distribution systemand identifies specific areas for improvements. This plan determinesthe most cost effective construction projects that will result in thegreatest improved system reliability and efficiency for all member-owners. Your Cooperative’s line crews are in the final stages of complet-ing the most aggressive construction schedule in the history of theCooperative. This year, line crews constructed approximately 46miles of new overhead distribution facilities and replaced approxi-mately 16 miles of aging overhead copper lines with a new, heavierand more reliable aluminum power line. During the construction,line crews use digger derrick trucks equipped with augers to set the22 utility poles required for each new mile of overhead service built. During the yearly inspection of the Cooperative’s distributionfacilities, line crews set an additional 300 utility poles in the Poca-hontas County area. Some of the utility poles the crews replacedwere due to rot or decay while other utility poles were added be-tween existing poles to decrease the span length between the poles.These interset poles increase the overall strength of the overheadservice, which increases member-owners service reliability duringice storms. This cost-effective, reliability-based inspection and polemanagement program can extend the useful life of the pole almostindefinitely when applied at regular ten-year intervals. Iowa Lakes’pole inspection and management program is a critical componentin maintaining a high level of electric service reliability.

Vice President of Operations and Engineering, Rick Olesen, andhis department are continually monitoring both long and shortterm planning to meet load growth and maintain the distributionfacilities. According to Olesen, “Sparing no unwelcome surprisesfrom Mother Nature this fall, the Cooperative is on a record pacethis year for providing our member-owners with the lowest numberof outage hours since 1999.” This year, Iowa Lakes’ member-ownershave only experienced an average of just under 25 minutes of serviceinterruptions compared to the previous record of over 37 minutesin 1999. The line crews also installed nearly 22 miles of new under-ground electric distribution facilities through out the Cooperative’sservice territory. This tremendous amount of construction and up-grades to the Cooperative’s distribution facilities was done withoutthe assistance of an outside contractor services at a financial invest-ment of over $3 million. Iowa Lakes’ crews also completed building the distribution fa-cilities needed for two new substations that were energized this year.The Range substation, located northeast of Milford, was energizedearlier this year to meet thegrowing power requirements inthe Lakes area. The Hummelsubstation, west of Superioralong Highway 71, serves theSuperior Ethanol plant. In addition to scheduledconstruction, line crews alsobuilt five miles of undergroundelectric services to accommo-date the Cooperative’s two newwind projects.

4

2008 Operation Department

Construction UpdateYour Cooperative’s line crews are in the final stages ofcompleting the most aggressive construction schedulein the history of the Cooperative.

As a part of an ongoing system maintenance program,your Cooperative will start inspecting the entire distributionsystem in January. The operation’s line crews check for poten-tial problems such as cracked poles or trees hanging danger-ously close to power lines. With your help we can make this

program even more successful. You may be notified of our re-quest to clear problem vegetation (normally trees). IowaLakes Electric Cooperative appreciates your cooperation bybeing prompt in returning your reply forms as to how youwould like the Cooperative to proceed.

LINEMEN ON PATROL

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative dedicateda new substation in honor of three generationsof the Hummel family, Ed, Dean and Dan whohave served as directors of the Cooperative. “It’s great to have the Hummel family hon-ored,” said L. Kirby Range, Iowa Lakes’ BoardChairman. “Three generations dedicating thehours and time to the rural electric program issomething to be proud of and on behalf of theCooperative’s Board of Directors, I’d like to saythank you for all of the time and effort you haveput into the rural electric program.” In 1964, Ed Hummel was elected to theD.E.K. REC Board of Directors (now known asIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative) and served asthe Board President from 1965—1966. Ed re-tired from the Cooperative’s Board in 1974. Dean Hummel, Ed’s son, was elected to theD.E.K. REC Board of Directors in 1974. Deanserved as Vice President of D.E.K. REC in 1985and then in 1986, when D.E.K. REC mergedwith two neighboring cooperatives to form IowaLakes Electric Cooperative, Dean served as thefirst Board Secretary until his retirement in1989. “It’s quite an honor and our family ishumbled by this dedication. My dad (Ed), Dan

and I never thought of this boardsmanship as ajob. We enjoyed the fellowship and we lent ourexpertise to further the accomplishments of theCooperative. I can’t thank you enough for thishonor. Those of you who knew my father Edknow how proud he would be of this dedicationin his family’s honor,” Dean said during the ded-ication.

Dan Hummel, son of Dean and grandson ofEd, served on the Iowa Lakes Electric Coopera-tive Board of Directors from November 1991until his resignation in April 2003. “Thanks tothe Board of Directors and management todayfor the honor bestowed upon my family. It was

an honor to serve one of the most respectedelectric cooperatives in the state and in the na-tion. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s score of94 out of 100 on the national customer servicesatisfactory survey is 22 points higher than theaverage electric utility. I was proud to serve andit’s an honor for three generations of my familyto help shape this Cooperative to what it istoday,” stated Dan Hummel. “It was an honor to work with both Danand Dean,” stated Terry L. Bruns, Iowa Lakes’President/CEO. “This is the third substationdedicated to the renewable fuels industry. It’san exciting project and in six months we willsee wind turbines generating electricity just tothe northwest of the substation. It’s the firstproject in the U.S. of renewables serving re-newables. This wind project will be a win forthe ethanol industry, a win for Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative and a win for our mem-ber-owners,” Bruns said. The Hummel Substation is located west ofSuperior, Iowa and serves the Superior EthanolPlant. The new substation is owned by Corn BeltPower Cooperative, one of Iowa Lakes’ twowholesale power suppliers.

5

OAHE/BASIN TOURS 2008Several member-owners of Iowa Lakes Electric

Cooperative traced their electric power right toits source this summer.They participated in three-day educational

power supply tours sponsored this summer byIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative and North-west Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO), one ofyour cooperative’s wholesale power suppliers.In addition to the educational portion of thetour, member-owners enjoyed good food andfellowship.At the Oahe Power House near Pierre, S.D.,

participants had the opportunity to try theirskill at controlling the Missouri River duringadverse weather conditions. The interactivedisplay shows the many considerations the U.S.Army Corps of Engineers takes when operat-ing the dams.On the second day of the tour in west-cen-

tral North Dakota, the member-owners wereamazed at the number of products made fromlignite coal at the Great Plains Synfuels plantand Antelope Valley Station. Electric powerand natural gas are the principle products, butthere are also many other chemicals, fertilizersand adhesives, as well as carbon dioxide (CO2)

Tour I (above): Robert Hartwig and Ralph Kaufman; Bernie and Sally Verbrugge; Trent, Bethand Alex WillTour 2 (top left): Boyd and Lois NortheyTour 3 (bottom): Jim and Maxine Antoine; Dale andJoyce Doescher; Ralph and Herta Rupp

which is piped to Canada and used for oil recov-ery purposes.Another highlight of the tour was a visit to the

adjoining coal mine. Seeing some of the largestequipment in the United States in operation isspectacular. The member-owners were pleasedto know there is enough coal for generations tocome and to see the successful results of reclama-tion of the land after mining is complete. Theland is carefully returned to either natural prairieor cropland depending on its original use. Oftenmember-owners catch a glimpse of the antelope

that graze on the reclaimed acres.In addition to the tours, the member-

owners get a brief look at electric coopera-tive history, and gain new understandingand pride in their ownership of the cooper-ative. The tours are part of the cooperative’scommitment to provide education for di-rectors, employees and member-owners.If you would like to be a part of this ex-

perience during the summer of 2009, watchthis newsletter in the spring for the oppor-tunity to enter the drawing.

Hummel Family Honored

I LEC NEWS

Dean (left) and Dan Hummel (right) addressing thecrowd at the substation dedication

6

T H E L A T E S T H A P P E N I N G S A T Y O U R C O O P E R A T I V E

Joel Quastad began working for Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative in August 2007 as anapprentice lineman. Joel is currently work-ing for the Estherville service center crew.Joel graduated from Northwest IowaCommunity College and worked threeyears at Heartland Power Cooperative inThompson, Iowa before joining Iowa Lakes

Electric Cooperative last year.

Tyson Nielsen started workingfor the Cooperative in May 2008 as an in-tern and began working as a full time em-ployee in August 2008. Tyson is currentlyan apprentice lineman for the Swea Cityservice center crew. Tyson is a Ringsted,Iowa native and currently resides in Ring-sted with his wife, Kimberly and two daugh-ters, Samantha and Hannah.

Nathan Reiss joined the Cooperative inAugust 2008 as an apprentice lineman forthe Emmetsburg service center crew.Nathan is a 2008 graduate of the North-west Iowa Community College PowerLine Program. Nathan and his wifeCarrie reside in Emmetsburg with theirtwo children, Kyler and

Piper.

The Cooperative’s newestemployee is Mat Kilgore, an Estherville, Iowanative. Mat started with Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative as an intern in May 2008 whichled to a full time position. Mat is currently anapprentice lineman for the Estherville servicecenter crew. In his free time, Mat enjoys hunt-ing, fishing, and riding his motorcycle.

Member-owners of Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative are part of anetwork that has stepped up to theplate to protect our atmosphere. Basin Electric Power Coopera-tive of Bismarck, N.D., has teamedup with Powerspan Corp. on agroundbreaking demonstrationproject that may make carbon diox-ide (CO2) capture technology eco-nomically feasible. The twocompanies reports results of an ini-tial study as positive. It’s all part of an effort to reducethe amount of CO2 (created byburning carbon-based fossil fuels)

from entering the atmosphere. The project will be at AntelopeValley Station near Beulah, N.D.Construction of the CO2 capturesystem will begin in late 2009 withcompletion in 2012. The projectwill capture about one milliontons of CO2 from the generatingstation’s exhaust, making this proj-ect among the largest in the world.The project will send capturedcarbon dioxide into an existingCO2 pipeline system owned byBasin Electric’s wholly owned sub-sidiary, Dakota Gasification Co.The gasification company sells

CO2 to a Canadian oil productioncompany that injects it deep intothe earth, helping to pump the oilto the surface. Powerspan’s process uses anammonia solution to remove theCO2 after other emissions such assulfur dioxide, mercury and fineparticulate matter are captured.The ammonia is recovered andreused. No separate by-product iscreated. The cost of the demon-stration project is estimated at$200 million to $300 million. President/ CEO, Terry L.Bruns said, “Iowa Lakes Electric

Cooperative is proud to be part ofthe cooperative network that istaking the lead in developing newenvironmental protection tech-nology. This project will use coal– a homegrown, abundant energysource – so we can meet our fu-ture energy needs in a pioneering,green way.” Iowa Lakes purchases a portionof its power from Northwest IowaPower Cooperative (NIPCO) of LeMars, Iowa, which obtains about 75percent of its power supply throughBasin Electric.

BASIN ELECTRIC HOSTS CARBON CAPTURE DEMONSTRATION

New Faces at Your Cooperative

Construction on Wind Farms Underway,continued

WHAT’S NEXT? In December the cranes, turbines and blades will start arriving.First, two mobile 120-ton cranes will arrive on a semi tractor-trailer.These two 120-ton cranes are used to assemble the special purpose500-ton crane that will be used to erect the wind turbines. The tower section of the wind turbines are 262 feet long, brokeninto three sections. The blades, three for each tower, are 128 feet long.The nacelle, which is about the size of a school bus, sits at the top ofthe tower near where the blades attach. The blades will come fromSouth Dakota, the nacelle from Florida and tower sections fromTexas. It is a major coordinated effort to make sure the turbine partsarrive at the same time from different places throughout the UnitedStates. The three towers of the turbine are erected first, the nacelle is nextand finally the blades are installed. The plan is to erect all seven tur-bines in about one week but ironically, wind is a problem. “You wanta windy site to locate a turbine, but if it is too windy construction ishalted until the wind dies down - it’s a quirk of wind farm construc-tion,” Olesen said. By March 2009, both of Iowa Lakes’ wind farms are scheduled tobe generating approximately 71 million kilowatt hours of wind gen-erated electricity each year, which is the equivalent to serving almost3,700 of our member-owners’ farm/residential homes.

The underground electric service being trenched

E C O N O M I C G R OW T H N E W S

POLE TOPRESCUETRAINING

7

Be a Leader of Your Cooperative

KossuthDickinson

Clay Palo Alto

Buena VistaCherokee Pocahontas

Emmet

• Be an independent thinker, but capable of cooperating.• Acquire the knowledge necessary to cope with the issues of a modern electric utility, including finance, management and communications.• Possess the character and demeanor that will reflect favorably on behalf of the Cooperative.• Be willing to listen and learn.• Be of sufficient stature to command the respect of management, employees, fellow board members and the general public.• Be willing to commit adequate time to the work of the board, to be an effective

member and properly discharge duties of the board of directors.• Subordinate personal and other business interests to the needs of the Cooperative when making a decision.• Be willing to accept the unpleasant moments of a director’s experience.• Let management manage.

Other criteria include:• Be a resident of one of the districts open for election.• Receive electric service from the Cooperative.• Have an account in good standing.

DIRECTOR NOMINEE APPLICATION

I, the undersigned, a member of Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative, hereby applies as a nomineefor directorship of Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperativefrom Districts I, II, III, or IV, and request that myname be submitted to be placed on the ballot forthe 2009 election for directorship from said districtto be held at the 2009 annual membership meeting(April 18, 2009) in Spencer, Iowa. I understand the nominating committee willstrive to select other candidates in my district. I certify that I am receiving electric service fromIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative in Districts I, II,III or IV (circle the appropriate district) and ama member in good standing of Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative. I certify that I am not employed by, financiallyaffected by, or have other interests in a businesswhich is in competition with Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative, its affiliates, or sells its products orservices to the Cooperative. If elected as a director, I agree to abide by theArticles of Incorporation and Bylaws and Policiesof Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative.

Signature__________________________________

Account No: ______________________________

Date: ____________________________________

Other criteria of a board member as identified by NRECA include:

District I, II, III and IV Elections in 2009 Are you interested in serving as a board director for your Cooperative? A director’sresponsibility consists of having the ability and knowledge to set policies and approveprograms that are the basis for operating your Cooperative, according to informationcompiled by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) in Arling-ton, Virginia. A director must have the time to attend monthly board meetings, otherspecial meetings and educational seminars. These special sessions are necessary to keepdirectors informed on the various aspects of your Cooperative and the electric utilityindustry.

If you would like to apply, complete the “DirectorNominee Application” below and return it to IowaLakes’ Estherville office to the attention of the Presi-dent/CEO, Terry L. Bruns, prior to January 20, 2009.Thank you for your interest.

2009 Nominating CommitteeJANUARY 2009 The 2009 Nominating Committee of Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative will meet on

Tuesday, January 20, 2009, to select candidates for Districts I, II, III, and IV directorelections and candidates for the 2010 nominating committee in each district. The up-coming elections will be held as part of Iowa Lakes’ Annual Meeting on April 18, 2009,at the Clay County Regional Events Center located on the Clay County Fair Grounds inSpencer, Iowa. If you interested in serving as a director or nominating committee can-didate, please contact your Cooperative! The Cooperative’s By Laws provide that “any fifteen or more members may makeother nominations from their district in writing over their signatures, not less than 45days prior to the annual meeting.” Any such nominations by petition must be deliveredto Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s Estherville office within the required timeframeon or before March 4, 2009, to the attention of Terry L. Bruns, President/CEO. IowaLakes uses a mail ballot for the Annual Meeting voting. Nominations for director andnominating committee by petition are accepted as described above. Help us to help you!

I LEC NEWS

S M T W T F S 1 2 34 5 6 7 8 9 1011 12 13 14 15 16 1718 19 20 21 22 23 2425 26 27 28 29 30 31

DATES TO REMEMBERANNUAL MEETING .................April 18

District IDistric IIDistrict IIIDistrict IV

The holiday season is here! To help brighten your holidays thisseason, your Cooperative is excited to announce is our EnergyEfficient Holiday Lighting promotion During your Cooperative’s Holiday Lighting pro-motion, you, the member-owner, have the opportu-nity to exchange your current inefficient,incandescent holiday light sets and receive a newLED holiday light set. LED, which stands for light emitting diodes, gener-ates very little heat in order to generate light, so theconsumption of electricity is greatly reduced and thelife span of these new lights is greatly enhanced.Technology has advanced in LED lighting and the“Stay Lit” technology allows you to interchangethe colors on a single string or replace the indi-vidual lamps – so these lights are repairable andlong lasting. In addition to a 90 percent energysavings, a 10 times longer life span than thetraditional incandescent bulbs, the LEDholiday light sets stay cool to the touchand doesn’t create a potential fire hazard. Contact your Cooperative aboutour new Energy Efficiency HolidayLighting promotion where you, themember-owner, can bring in your inef-ficient, incandescent light set and wewill replace them with an energy effi-cient LED light set.

M i t t e n Tr e e Your Cooperative will give you your first LED light set for free if you bring inyour old incandescent holiday light set, a donation of a canned food item and a newpair of mittens for our mitten tree. Your Cooperative’s annual mitten tree fundraiser is in its fourth year. This won-derful, charitable event collects new hats, mittens, scarves and boots for deservingarea children and these items adorn the Christmas Mitten tree in the Estherville of-fice until they are donated to Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. at local locationsthroughout your Cooperative’s service territory for proper distribution.

E N E R G Y T I P S F O R Y O U

Here are 10 easy and inexpensive ways to shave your energy use this winter—without feeling cold:

1. Turn on your ceiling fan—yes, in the winter. Switch thedirection of the fan blades (just flip the switch on thefan’s base into the “winter” position), and run the unitslowly. It will circulate the warm air that rises to yourceiling and make you feel warmer while you’re in theroom.

2. Add weather-stripping or caulk around windows anddoors to keep warm air from leaking out and cold airfrom sneaking in.

3. Rearrange your furniture. Move it away from heatingvents. Push your most frequently used furniture awayfrom exterior walls, which can feel colder than interiorwalls.

4. Install a programmable thermostat. Turning back yourthermostat by 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day cansave you up to 15 percent on heat.

5. Open drapes and blinds every day to let the warm sunnaturally warm the room. Close them when it gets dark.

6. Repair leaks in your ductwork’s seams and joints with aduct-sealing compound.

7.Wear a sweater so you can lower the thermostat a few de-grees. You can save one-percent on your heating bill forevery degree you drop the heat.

8.Close the vents and doors in unused rooms. 9.Replace burned-out light bulbs with compact fluorescentlights. CFLs use 75 percent less energy than incandescentbulbs.

10. Switch to cold water for washing clothes.

seal up for savingsThe quickest way to cut your cold-weather energy use is tokeep your home’s comfortable, heated air from leaking out-doors through tiny holes and cracks around windows,doors and other openings in the house. Weatherproofingis cheap. Use it to seal gaps in or around windows, doors, light fixtures, electrical outlets and air ducts.

Also: � Caulk wherever walls meet floors and door frames, and between the outside of the window frame and siding. Choose a high-quality, long-lasting caulk. � Apply weather-stripping on exterior doors and windows. Weather-stripping seals the gap at the point where the door or window meets the jamb. Self-stick foam pieces are quick and easy to apply. � Replace worn exterior-door sweeps to help prevent heat from escaping under the door. � Seal windows with thin sheets of plastic using an insulator kit. Shrinking the plastic film with a hair dryer ensures a smooth and tight seal.

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10 WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY THIS WINTER

Customer Safety News

Cool Off Your Christmas Tree

w i t h L E D L i g h t s If you are one of the 33 million Americans who fills your Christmastree stand with a live tree, you know those tiny, twinkling lights can get hot. Cool things off this Christmas by replacing your holiday lights with LEDs—light-emittingdiodes. They are cool to the touch, so they don’t heat up your tree branches. That’s good news at holiday time. The sad fact is that Christmas trees account for 200 firesevery season, estimates the U.S. Fire Administration. Well-watered trees don't ignite as easily asdried-out, brittle branches, which can catch fire within seconds of contacting a hot light bulb, anoverheated wire or an open flame. Decorative LEDs don’t just burn cooler; they’re more energy efficient than your traditional in-candescent holiday bulbs. Although they are more expensive than regular strands, they last longerand feature a nearly unbreakable epoxy plastic coating. Newer versions comes in all shapes, sizesand colors.

Have a “Green” Christmas

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BARN QUILTSTHE PROJECT CONTINUESBy Amy Howard, Manager of Customer Services

P R O F E S S I O N A L T R E E T R I M M I N G S E R V I C E S U T I L I Z E D

Managing Heating Costs The winter season is right around the corner and it’s aperfect time to be thinking what energy efficiency initia-tives you can take to manage your heating expenses. Youwill not only save money, but you will also help the envi-ronment. Here are some helpful energy saving tips:

1. Change your light bulbs. Compact fluorescent light (CFL)bulbs use 65 percent less energy than regular ones. Theycost about 30 percent more but last up to 10 times longer.

2. Use an electric blanket and turn down your thermostat at night.Install an automatic or programmable “set back” ther-mostat for nights or during the day when no one ishome.

3. Add more insulation. A typical home can lose as much asone-third of its heat through poorly insulated roof orwalls. Use materials with a high efficiency rating number.

4. Caulk or weather strip windows and doors. Drafts can occurwherever two different building materials or parts of abuilding meet. A typical home can lose as much as one-third of its heat through drafts.

5. Investigate the advantage of installing a ground source heatpump, which is 300 percent energy efficient. Call your localenergy advisor for more details about using the earth’senergy in your home as a heating/cooling source.

6. Turn off your computer and home entertainment equipment. Ifyou’re not going to use them for awhile, save some en-ergy and shut down or unplug. Turn off unnecessarylights and televisions in rooms that are unoccupied.

7. Watch what you purchase and look for the Energy Star rating onall new appliances. Think about purchasing Energy Stargifts when it comes to electronics.

8. Use cold water to wash your clothes.Or, at least always rinsein cold water.

9. Clean your dryer lint filter. Also, having the exhaust ductcleaned annually will help save energy and reduce a firehazard.

10. Keep the draperies and shades on your south facing windowsopen during the day to allow the sunlight to enter yourhome and closed at night to reduce the chill you mayfeel from cold windows.

Taking control of your electricity usage can provideyour budget with long term energy savings. Your Cooper-ative’s Web site www.ilec.coop or the www.useelectric-wisely.com Web site has more information andrecommendations about energy conservation and energysaving tips. Help Us to Help You!

Trees can cause serious electrical outages when the branches come in contactwith overhead distribution power lines. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is dedi-cated to bringing you the most reliable service available. One of the ways we ac-complish this is by integrating a professional tree trimming program.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative has contracted with Jacobsen Tree Experts,from Brandon, S.D. to clear, trim and cut back unnecessary tree growth that gets

close to your Cooperative’s overhead distribution power lines. Jacobsen Tree Ex-perts is an approved tree contractor and works in accordance with the NationalArbor Foundation guidelines.

The tree trimming program provides you, the member-owner, with a moresafe and reliable electric service as well as saving your Cooperative money throughreduced line loss. Help us to help you!

Above: a barn quilt hung on Lindell “Pete” and Jackie Petersen’s barn in Spencer, Iowa.

They are amusing, they are beautiful, and they arean Iowan connection to its pioneer quilting heritage.Iowans are seeing more and more barn quilts beingmounted on historic barns and corncribs featuringcolorful quilt blocks with ties to rural life.Over the years, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative

has continued to play an essential part in the barnquilt process by the line crews using boom trucks tohelp mount the barn quilts. Line crews have con-

tributed many volunteer hours so far this year, mounting16 barn quilts in Pocahontas, Buena Vista, Clay, Cherokee

and Palo Alto counties. “This is an excellent example of IowaLakes Electric Cooperative’s commitment to the communities welive in and serve,” said Terry L. Bruns, President/CEO.One of the newly mounted barn quilts Iowa Lakes’ line crew

helped mount is on the century farm owned by member-ownersLindell “Pete” and Jackie Petersen of Spencer, Iowa. The Petersen’sbarn quilt is no ordinary barn quilt; rather it will be a memento tothe Petersen’s four daughters for many years to come. “Pete had always thought it would be nice to have a barn quilt,”

said Jackie. Their third daughter, Kim, was assigned the job of de-signing the quilt. Kim found a pattern and Pete worked with KenJohannsen, the owner of Spencer Signs, to construct the black alu-minum sign board with colored vinyl squares representing each ofthe daughters’ birthstones. Once the quilt was complete, Pete contacted the Cooperative to

have it mounted on the barn. “Thank you to the Iowa Lakes crewfor taking time to hang the barn quilt,” said Pete. “Iowa Lakes hasalways been willing to help out and we appreciate that very much.” Over the last few years, the Cooperative’s line crews have helped

mount over 50 barn quilts throughout the counties in Northwest Iowa.

PRESERVINGIOWA’S RURAL

HERITAGE

Information about power outages affectingIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s member-owners is now available on our Web sitewww.ilec.coop. This Web-based resource pro-vides a statewide view of power outages at elec-tric cooperatives. When you log on to the poweroutage tool, you will see a map of Iowa, and youcan view not only widespread power outages atyour Cooperative as well outages throughoutthe state of Iowa. “Iowans have become accustomed to being

E C O N O M I C G R OW T H N E W S

New Online Power Outage Information Resource at www.ilec.coop

I LEC NEWS

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Generally speaking, this is a Fable. The primary purposeof power conditioning devices, such as transient voltage surgeprotection devices, is to protect equipment. Several surge pro-tection device manufacturers are pushing the energy savingsaspect of power quality. Some manufacturers are claiming en-ergy savings in the 20 percent range, which is a significant sav-ings. The purchaser of surge protection devices or other powerconditioning equipment needs to understand the basis forthese energy savings claims before assuming an expectation forsimilar performance.

There is no debating the claim of some energy savings withimproved power quality, but the expectation that this energysavings will be over 20 percent is not realistic unless the exist-ing power quality is extremely poor. If the power factor in yourfacility is above 95 percent, and the three-phase loading hasbeen properly designed so that the phases are balanced, the en-ergy savings may be very small.

Even if there were some mechanism by which surge pro-tectors could save energy (and there is not), the reality is thatthere is simply no opportunity for these devices to do so, be-cause they are completely dormant well over 99.999 percent ofthe time. They only become active when some unique event(which may be on the customer or the utility side of the meter)creates a very high voltage spike. Even in a very "noisy" (in anelectrical sense) industrial environment where these spikes arerelatively frequent, their duration is so short—measured inmillionths of a second—that when added together they occupya minuscule percentage of plant operating time.

A 1981 Electric Power Research Institute study found that"properly conducted laboratory tests show that electric tran-sients do not increase the energy consumption of typical elec-tronic equipment, nor do transient voltage suppressors saveenergy for electrical equipment operating from typical electricsupply systems."

- Reprinted with permission from Qwestline

While they hope and pray it is a skill they never have to use, Iowalakes Electric Cooperative’s linemen participated in pole top rescuetraining during the Cooperative’s monthly safety meeting on October14, 2008, at the Spencer service center in Spencer, Iowa.

Pole top rescue training is designed to provide instructions andtraining for linemen who may need to rescue fellow lineman who areinjured and are left hanging on the pole or in a bucket. The speed andcare involved in this process could make the difference between the lifeand death of a co-worker who is unconscious.

The unconsciousness could be caused from contact with an ener-gized line or even because of some sudden illness such as a heart attack.The pole top rescue training simulates emergency rescues. How quicklyand accurately a lineman can perform the necessary procedures is crit-ical during this practice program.

The rescue training requires a lineman to call in the “May Day” emer-gency on the radio so that Iowa Lakes’ dispatchers know where to sendemergency help. The lineman must then get climbing gear from theirtruck, survey the scene for potential hazards, put on their climbing gearand climb a pole to lower a 200-pound mannequin down to the groundwith the help of a rope, known as the life-line.

After the mannequin is on the ground, the lineman must climbdown the pole, remove his high-voltage safety gloves and climbing gearand begin administering CPR. To complete the exercise successfully,the entire procedure has to be completed in less than four minutes toprevent potential brain damage to a victim due to lack of oxygen. Poletop rescues are not common, but they do happen. Safety First, Always!

POLE TOPRESCUETRAININGLineman Dennis Rodger

Fact or Fable:Conditioning Devices Save Energy

able to see power outage information on the In-ternet,” said Terry L. Bruns, President/CEO.When there are widespread power outages inIowa or isolated power outages impacting largenumbers of Iowans, your Cooperative will enterthe number of member-owners experiencingoutages onto the Web site. The Web site will au-tomatically refresh every 10 minutes, so it willreflect the most recently entered information. Please continue to report power outages bycontacting your Cooperative at 800-225-4532.

Electrical supply systems delivering power to farms, homesand businesses are grounded to the earth to make them as safeas possible and to ensure service reliability. Proper grounding ofthese electric systems is necessary. When not properly grounded,animals can respond to the voltage differences between twopoints, a condition commonly referred to as ‘stray voltage’.

Stray (extraneous) voltage occurs when electric current findsa pathway out of your electric system and into the ground, pipesor other conductive material. Your livestock may exhibit reluc-tance to enter a barn or other area, nervousness, reduced wateror feed intake, lower milk production, uneven or incompletemilk out, increased mastitis and/or somatic cell count. You mayexperience stray voltage such as a tingling sensation when show-ering or touching a faucet.

Causes of stray voltage include: � Faulty, improper or outdated electrical equipment and wiring � Bad water heater or livestock waterer elements � Poor grounding conditions � Dirty or damaged electrical boxes and devices � Unbalanced 120 volt loads � Undersized neutral conductors � Poor connections on neutral or ground � Incorrectly grounded trainers or fencers

Less likely sources are heavy loaded power lines, or power loadsat neighboring farms. If you suspect stray voltage, immediatelycontact Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative at (800) 225-4532 oryour local electrical contractor. Safety First, Always!

“After sharing these findings with Iowa Lakes Electric

Cooperative, we were thrilled to receive many more Jelly Cell

Mates to meet the needs of the many students we serve.

Thanks to your kindness and generosity, many of the teachers

and students in Des Moines Public Schools are benefitting

from the use of Jelly Cell Mates donated from Iowa Lakes

Electric Cooperative. The students and staff of the Des

Moines Public Schools are thankful for your generosity.

With Gratitude,Ronda Christensen, Occupational Therapist

Des Moines Public Schools

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J ELLY CELL MATESMAKE USEFUL TOOLDid you know that the Jelly Cell Mates given to member-owners haveproved to be very useful for more than their intended purpose? Specialeducation teacher, Kristi Wickre, used the Jelly Cell Mate her parentswere given to stabilize and position adaptive equipment that her studentsneed to increase their independence in accessing their educational pro-gramming. Kristi is the daughter of Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperativemember-owners, Wes and Dolly Huffman.

Nationwide animals are the third-leadingcause of electrical service interruptions. Themajority of problems occur on overheadpower lines, but problems can also occur insubstations. When an animal touches twowires at the same time they can create a shortcircuit and cause the equipment to shut downto protect the rest of the system from power

surges. Wildlife related power outages causeequipment loss and related replacement costs.To minimize damage to our distributionpower lines, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperativeregularly inspects our overhead lines, clearsright of ways, and trims trees back away fromthe power lines. Your Cooperative also in-stalls 24-inch tin shields on utility poles and

insulators on bushings, fuses and jumpers inlocations where problems have occurred. Ifyou see a live animal on the line, leave it aloneand it will probably find its way down. If theanimal is dead or has caused an outage, con-tact Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative at(800)225-4532. Safety First, Always!

Do you have a stray voltage problem?

Plentiful American Coal

Coal is our most abundant American fuel. America has more than 250 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves, the equivalent of 800 billion barrels of oil, more than three times Saudi Arabia’s proven oil reserves.

n B I R D O N A W I R E : W I L D L I F E R E L A T E D O U T A G E S

T H E L A T E S T H A P P E N I N G S A T Y O U R C O O P E R A T I V E

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I N T H E S P O T L I G H T :Operation Round-Up Funds Add Up to Big Benefits

n V O L U N T A R Y P R O G R A M A M O U N T S T O $ 6 , 7 5 0

OPERATION ROUND-UP recipients FOR 2008

Operation Round Up is a voluntary member-owner giving program. This program allows mem-ber-owners to “round up” their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar. The spare change is accu-mulated and distributed to organizations in need through an application process and approval fromyour Cooperative’s Board of Directors. In 2008, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative has donated a totalof $6,750 among various organizations throughout our eight county service territory.

Spencer Family YMCA ........................ $500Okoboji Camp Foster YMCA ............... $500Palo Alto County Sheriff’s Department ...................................... $500Spencer Police Department .............. $500

Faith, Hope & Charity ........................ $500Gruver Fire Department ................... $500Dickinson County Kinship .................. $250Royal Clay Lincoln Fire Department................................ $500

Alta Fire Department......................... $500Emmet County Conservation Board ................................................ $500Area Food Pantries ......................... $2,000TOTAL......................................$6,750

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board Member, Vernon Win-terhof (right) presents Alta Fire Chief, Gary Molgaard a $500donation. This donation will be used towards a new buildingfor the Alta Fire Department.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board Member, Jerry Beck(left) presents Royal Clay Lincoln Fire Chief, Mike Wimmer a$500 donation. According to Wimmer, this donation will beused towards the purchase of a new fire truck for the de-partment.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board Member, Alan Madden(right) presents Dan Harvey, Fire Chief of the Gruver Fire De-partment, a $500 donation that will be used to purchase up-dated safety equipment for the fire department.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board Chair, Kirby Range(left) presents Jan Ridenour, Executive Director of DickinsonCounty Kinship, Inc a $250 donation that will be used to-wards various community service projects.

Above, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board Member,Alan Madden (right) presents Dawn Peta of the EmmetCounty Upper Des Moines Opportunity office a $250 dona-tion to be used towards purchasing items for the EmmetCounty food pantry.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s Board Member Dick Hanson(left side of check), presents Eric Anderson (right side of check),Director of the Emmet County Conservation Board a $500 do-nation for the Emmet County Nature Center Foundation. Alsopictured in the photo from left to right are park attendantsHarvey Schroeder, Jim Bishop and Steve Schroeder.

Operation Round-Up Funds Dispersed During the Year

The steps to restoring power

Step 1. Transmission towers and lines supply power to one or more transmission sub-stations. These lines seldom fail, but they can be damaged by a hurricane or tornado. Tens ofthousands of people could be served by one high-voltage transmission line, so if there is dam-age here it gets attention first.

Step 2. A co-op may have several local distribution substations, each serving thou-sands of consumers. When a major outage occurs, the local distribution substations arechecked first. A problem here could be caused by failure in the transmission system supplyingthe substation. If the problem can be corrected at the substation level, power may be restoredto a large number of people.

urricanes and ice storms.Tornadoes and blizzards.

Electric cooperative members have seenthem all. And with such severe weathercomes power outages. Restoring powerafter a major outage is a big job thatinvolves much more than simply throwing aswitch or removing a tree from a line.

The main goal is to restore power safelyto the greatest number of members in theshortest time possible.

The major cause of outages is damagecaused by fallen trees. ThatÕs why your elec-tric cooperative has an ongoing right-of-way maintenance program.

This illustration explains how power typi-cally is restored after a major disaster.

Step 3. Main distribution supply lines are checked next if the problem cannot be iso-lated at the substation. These supply lines carry electricity away from the substation to a groupof consumers, such as a town or housing development. When power is restored at this stage,all consumers served by this supply line could see the lights come on, as long as there is noproblem farther down the line.

Step 4. The final supply lines, called taplines, carry power to the utility poles or under-ground transformers outside houses or other build-ings. Line crews fix the remaining outages based onrestoring service to the greatest number of con-sumers.

Step 5. Sometimes, damage will occuron the service line between your house and thetransformer on the nearby pole.This can explain why you haveno power when your neighbordoes. Your co-op needs to knowyou have an outage here, so aservice crew can repair it.

Co-opoffice

Localsubstation

Localsubstation

Local substation

Otherco-ops

Report your outage to the cooper-ative office. Employees or responseservices use every available phoneline to receive your outage reports.Remember that a major outage canaffect thousands of other members.Your cooperative appreciates yourpatience.

During a major outage, othercooperatives send line crews toassist with restoring power. Theseadditional crews, as well as commu-nications equipment and supplies,are coordinated through the coop-erativesÕ statewide organization.

After a major power outageArea enlarged: Consumers themselves

(not the co-op) are responsible for damage tothe service installation on the building. Yourco-op canÕt fix this. Call a licensed electrician.

Transmissionsubstation

Individual households may receivespecial attention if loss of electricityaffects life support systems or posesanother immediate danger. If you or afamily member depends on life sup-port, call your cooperative before anemergency arises.

Tap Line

Tap Line

DANGER!Stay clearof fallen

lines

Illustration by Katherine Fowler

Reprinted from Carolina Country, the magazine of the N.C. Association of Electric Cooperatives

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CALL IOWA LAKES ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE AT 800-225-4532 | TURN OFF MAJOR APPLIANCES | LEAVE A LIGHT SWITCH ON | BE PATIENT | MONITOR BY RADIO

Call the 800-225-4532 emergency num-ber. Keep this number in a convenientlocation – on or near your telephone.The customer service representative willask for the following information:

• Account number, which includes yourtownship, section and general location(for example #123-45-678)

• Correct spelling of the name on your ac-count

• Telephone number for the account anda call back number

• Estimated time the electricity went out

Turn off major appliances. Turning offmajor appliances helps to protect themfrom any high or low voltage conditionsand to decrease the load when the lines arereconnected.

Leave a light switch on to know when yourelectric service has been restored.

Be patient. Once you or your neighborhave called in an outage, please do not con-tinue to call for information about whenthe power will be restored. You will onlytie up the telephone lines making it impos-sible for others to report outages in otherareas. If the outage is widespread,use a battery operated radioto monitor the situation. If your neighbors’power is restored andyours remains off, thenyou should call to makeour office aware of thesituation.

What to do in a power outage Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative makes every effort to provide safe and reliableelectric service. While we use sound engineering practices and regular preventativemaintenance such as tree trimming and pole treating, it is impossible to completelyprotect our distribution system from outages. If your electricity goes off during badweather for 15 minutes or more, please follow the steps indicated below.

What happens during a power outage? Restoring your electricity after a thunderstorm, tornadoor ice storm involves much more than just flipping a switch ata substation or pulling a tree off a downed power line. If yourCooperative’s distribution system is affected by a severe storm,listed below are the steps your Cooperative’s line crews followto restore your electricity. At each step, the primary goal isgetting the greatest number of member-owners back in servicein the shortest time possible, safely.

3Check the substationsYour Cooperative has several distribution substations thateach serves hundreds of member-owners. When a major out-age takes place, these substations are checked first to see if theproblem is in the transmission lines that feed the substationor the substation’s equipment.3Check the distribution linesIf the problem cannot be isolated at the local distribution sub-station, the next step is to check the distribution lines thatcarry electricity from the substation to groups of member-owners.3Check the supply linesLine crews work on outages that are more isolated or localizedby inspecting the distribution lines that carry electricity to util-ity poles outside member-owner homes, farms and businesses.

STEPSYOU CANTAKE

Another Great Year at the Clay County Fair!Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative would like to thank

everyone who visited us and made it another great yearat the Clay County Fair. Employees had the opportu-nity to visit with member-owners about energy efficientproducts, renewable energy sources and the importantchallenges the utility industry is facing today. Thebooth had a number of interactive electric gadgetswhich included the Van de Graaff generator that pro-duces static electricity to give those who participated a

“hair raising” experience, a r2d2 droid from the Star Wars films that responds tovoice commands and some visitors even braved trying to ride the self balancingSegway® Personal Transporter, a two-wheeled scooter. The 2008 Clay County Fair attendance slipped slightly from 319,307 visitors in2007 to 316,373 in 2008. Although the number of coupons redeemed was downthis year compared to 2007, over 640member-owners received their free, bat-tery operated mini fan by filling out thefair coupon located in the Summer ILECQuarterly News. The fans are customizedwith our new logo and have a lighted LEDmessage that flashes “The Power of Many,Working as One” and our website addresson the fan blades. Congratulations to the winners of thedaily drawings who received an energy efficiency kit. Winners were: Tom Brekke,Spirit Lake; Harold Rustad, Wallingford; William Lawson, Sheldon; Craig Smith,Storm Lake; Lyle Williams, Webb; Charles Berg, Terril; Stanley Berkland, Fenton;Paul Rebhuhn, Fonda; John Anderson Jr., Palmer. Jim Sonius of Spencer was thegrand prize winner receiving a Convect Air heater donated by Michael Riedman,Electric Technology Coordinator, Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Thanks againto everyone who stopped by the booth and hope to see you all again next year!

N e w s Y o u C a n U s e

Secur i ty Se rv i ces

I LEC NEWS

6

Heartland Security of Melrose, Minn., along with Co-operative Response Center, Inc. (CRC) of Austin, Minn., ispleased to announce their sponsorship of a project fea-tured on ABC’s hit television show Extreme HomeMakeover. The Extreme Home Makeover team rolled into AlbertLea, Minn., September 30,2008, to build an extreme homefor a family in the Albert Lea community. Heartland Secu-rity has committed to make this family’s new home a safeplace to live and call home now, and in the future. Heartland Security, donated an electronic home secu-rity system and installation of the system for the family.The security system installed included intrusion and fireprotection. “Heartland Security is excited to have the opportunityto give back to the community through the Extreme HomeMakeover project,” says Guy Adams, General Manager ofHeartland Security. “Providing this deserving family thepeace of mind that a security system offers will help maketheir new home very comforting,” Adam adds.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is one of 13 electric coop-eratives in Minnesota and Iowa who are owners of Heart-land Security Services. Heartland Security offers medicalalarm pendants in this area as well as residential and com-mercial alarm systems with 24-hour monitoring.

Heartland Security Provides Security forOne Lucky Extreme Family

Sometimes your Cooperative has to call inthe reserves. When an entire substation must betaken off line for repairs or construction, or whena small substation needs to serve more powerthan it was built to handle, Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative can call on one of three mobile sub-stations owned by one its wholesale powerproviders, Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative(NIPCO). NIPCO, of Le Mars, Iowa, has three mobile-substations on wheels. The newest and largest –a 12-MVA mobile substation – arrived this sum-mer. This 106,000-pound machine is powerfulenough to stand in for the largest substationsserving power to industrial customers, such asethanol plants or manufacturing companies. A typical farm/home is served by a 15 kVA-transformer, which is 15,000 volt-amperes. Incomparison, NIPCO's 12 MVA mobile substa-tion (transformer) is 12 million volt-amperes,enough power to serve 1,000 farms/homes.NIPCO’s two smaller mobile substations arerated 1.5-MVA and 5-MVA, respectively.

While the new largest mobile substation isreserved for industrial sites with heavy electricuse, the smallest unit goes out more often. The1.5-MVA unit can provide temporary con-struction power while a new substation is built,or it can be installed in a smaller substation toboost the power output until the existing sub-station can be permanently upgraded. The mobile 5-MVA substation most oftensubstitutes for a substation taken off line for up-grades, repairs or replacing a transformer. While the mobile substations are only usedtwo to four times a year, they provide assur-ances that member-owners will not have to suf-fer through an outage while repairs or upgradesare made. Terry L. Bruns, President/CEO said, “Weknow our member-owners appreciate havingsafe and reliable electric power. By your Coop-erative having mobile substations availablefrom NIPCO, we can provide that reliability.”

Mobile Substations | Power on Wheels

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NIPCO’s newest mobile substation will handle enoughpower for large industrial customers should a perma-nent substation need to be off line. NIPCO’s fleet ofmobile subs enhances the reliability of electric coop-eratives throughout western Iowa and Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative.

Storm Lake Service Center Crew

ANTIQUES AND COLLECTIBLESFor Sale: Oliver 2 row cultivator, 1940 model.712-446-2104AUTOS AND AUTO PARTSFor Sale: 1984 Honda 4-wheeler, two wheel drive,in running condition. 712-296-3290.For Sale: 1978 Ford Pick-up F150 Series; V-8 en-gine; automatic transmission; needs rear brakes.$300. 515-272-4891.For Sale: Ford F150 Series Construction Rack (forhauling lumber, ladders, etc.) $75 firm. 515-272-4891.For Sale: 1996 Plymouth Grand Voyager. PS, PB,PW, PDL, AC, Rear air, 2nd sliding door, roof rack.177,000 miles - oil changed every 3,000 miles.$2800 OBO. Call 712-262-4370.For Sale: Four(4) used ultra 14x6 AluminumWheels with center cap and lug nuts. 712-732-5228.For Sale: 1974 Ford ¾ ton Canadian HiBoy 360Auto. $800. 712-335-3712.For Sale: 1997 Dodge Caravan SE. 712-336-5017,leave message or 712-330-4998.FARM EQUIPMENTFor Sale: 2006-610 KAWA Mule, full enclosed cab,winch/snow blade, 4 whl dr. less than 100 hrs.$8,000. 712-837-5436

For Sale: WD Allis Chalmers Tractor, narrow frontend with heat houser and chains. 515-272-4891For Sale: JD 220 Flex bean head--good shape.515-320-0220 after 5pm.For Sale: 8" 60' feterl auger w/electric motor orpower take off. 515-320-0220 after 5pm.For Sale: AB 8 Electric Farm Fans; AutomaticBatch Dryer w/holding bin. 515-320-0220 after5pm.For Sale: Farm Fans Grain Dryer, 24" fan & heater.Approx 14 yrs old. Rebuilt control box w/newtimer clocks. $2,000. 712-284-1913.For Sale: 740 Brent Grain Wagon $12,500. AlwaysWashed & Shedded. 712-848-3215.For Sale: Machine to poison gophers. 712-843-2085.FARM PRODUCTSFor Sale: Grass hay in large, net wrapped roundbales. Delivery available. 712-320-4603.For Sale: Grass hay in small square bales. Shed-ded. 712-225-5811.HOUSEHOLDFor Sale: Single Craftmatic bed with headboard.515-924-3690.PETS & LIVESTOCKFor Sale: 2 Appaloosa and 2 Quarter Mares. 712-864-3684.For Sale: Bred Heifers, Purebred Angus AI’ed for

February calving. Clean up bull Easy calving Pure-bred Angus. Also For Sale bulls and Open Heifers.Call for details. 712-260-8068.FREE! Free puppies! 5 black and 4 brown lab/col-lie. Mom: 3 year old pure bread choc. Lab; verygood hunter; calm . Dad is part collie and mix.Born 7-20-08; ready 9-15-08. Gene 712-857-3432.For Sale: Dog pen approx. 14 1/2' x 5 1/2' x 6' tallwith top. Extra strong, built from steel corn cribmaterial, $200. 712-296-4405.PROPERTYFor Sale: House in Laurens, near main street, 2bedrooms, main floor laundry, updated bath,steel siding, a/c & electric furnace, located 113 S5th St., Laurens. REASONABLE. 712-358-0179.RECREATIONALFor Sale: 1988 Palomino Stallion Pop-Up Camper.Sleeps 5 adults, refrigerator, built-in cooler, fur-nace. Great starter camper! $1000 OBO. Call 712-262-4370.RENTALFor Rent: One 12,000 bushel and one 13,000bushel grain bin for rent, west of Estherville. 712-209-2472.WANTEDWant to buy: 6600 JD combine parts or goodsnow blower for 1450 cub cadet. 712-852-9307.

n We would like to thank you for the electric space heater that you presented to us because of the drawing at the Clay County Fair. It is great that ILEC participates at the Clay County Fair and many other local events. - Thanks again, Jim & Cindy Sonius

n Just a note to say a “Big thank you” for leveling the dirt, planting grass seed, and cutting down the dead tree. We appreciat- ed it very much. - Lavonne & Ken Meyn

n Iowa Lakes Electric Thanks to the guys for doing such a neat and careful job in our yard. It was noticed and appreciated. - Lee & Mary Demers

n Thank you for helping the Cavalier 4-H Club realize a dream! With every little

thing done, great things are able to happen! Thank you, - Cavaliers 4-H Club

n Friends, Once again it is time for the Marcus Fair Livestock committee to say thank you for your continued support of the Marcus Fair livestock shows. This year we paid premium money for 60 sheep, 78 hogs and 67 cattle. This would not be possible with- out your generous support. Thanks again, Ronald Schmillen, Clark Rainboth & Marvin Simons

n Thank you for the Energy Efficiency Kit we won at the fair drawing. It has come in handy. - Charles and Mary Berg

n Thank you for your donation of a $250 hole sponsor for the 2008 Abben Cancer Center Golf Classic. Your generosity is touching the lives of people dealing with cancer who live in northwest Iowa and southern Minnesota. - The Abben Golf Classic Committee, Co Chairs Mickey Harrington & Mike Gathma

n Thank you to All: We wish to express our thanks to all who were involved in providing or organizing the 2008 Oahe Basin electric Tour. The tour was not only educational, but also very enjoyable. We would especially like to commend Cathie Shively for her trip organization. We would recommend the tour to all members of ILEC. Sincerely, Dale and Joyce Doescher

L E T T E R S F R O M O U R M E M B E R - O W N E R S

15

Ads are printed in the order in which they are received. The ILEC NEWS publication is published quarterly. Classified ads are published only in the ILEC News quarterly newsletter. Pleasemail or email your classified ads by the 20th of the month prior to the ILEC News publication. Ads are limited to 25 words or less. Please, no real estate, commercial business or competingproduct ads. Iowa Lakes accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy or condition of the items listed below. In addition, Iowa Lakes does not warrant or express any opinion whatsoeveras to the fitness or appropriate usefulness of any item as listed by owner. Email classified ads to maryd@ilec.coop or mail to 702 S. 1st St., Estherville, IA 51334.

6

QUIZ CORNER

1. At the time of this publication, how many outage hours have Iowa Lakes’ member-owners experienced so far in 2008? ______________________________________________________

2. In what month do we expect the wind turbines and blades to arrive at Iowa Lakes’ two the wind farm sites? ________________________________________________________________

3. What is the date set for Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s 2009 Annual Meeting?__________________________________________________________________________________________

Name ________________________________________________________________________________

Account Number ______________________________________________________________________

Iowa Lakes will continue to draw fourlucky members each quarter who will re-ceive $25 credits towards their electricbills. This quarters $25 winners were:Dean Budd, MallardRoger Schaefer, Buffalo CenterPat Morgan, Storm LakeGregg & Noreen Bohl, Graettinger

Please continue to send in your completed Quiz Corner forms by the 15th of the month prior to thenext quarterly publication.

!

Sign up to receive Smart Choices, our monthly e-newsletter. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative offersSmart Choices as a way to keep in touch with you, our members-owners, about energy efficiency newsand important local information. Smart Choices readers also find out about drawings for prizes, spe-cial promotions and more. Go to ILEC’s homepage www.ilec.coop and enter you email address, clickJoin Now! and start receiving Smart Choices.

Sign up to receive Smart Choices

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAIDSIOUX CITY IA

PERMIT 138

702 South 1st St. • Estherville, IA 51334

OFFICE HOURS:8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mon- Fri)Contact Iowa Lakes 24hours/day, 7 days/weekwith the following toll-freenumbers:

Customer Service:(800) 225-4532 (24 hr.)(Primary and Emergency) Internet Services: Sales (800) 225-4532Tech Support:(888) 326-5196

Customer and InternetServices Fax: (712) 362-2819

Call Before You DigIowa One-Call (800) 292-8989

Visit Us Online: www.ilec.coop

E-Mail: ilec@ilec.coop

Newsletter Editor: Tresa Hussong

inside

The ILEC NEWSis a quarterly publicationfor ILEC member-owners.Look to the ILEC NEWS forCooperative news andevents, industry updates,helpful hints and specialfeatures.

Our MissionIowa Lakes ElectricCooperative is dedicated to leadership, growth and environmentalresponsibility by providingreliable, competitively-priced energy while offering valuable servicesto benefit our members,our customers and thecommunities we serve.

Summer 2008Iowa Lakes Electric CooperativeILEC NEWS

President/CEO Comments . . . . . . . . . .2Bruns Responds to Recent Des MoinesRegister Editorials

Energy Cost Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . .3

Salute to Our Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Dau Graduates Management Program

Salute to Our Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Operation Round Up Donations . . . . .4

Annual Meeting Recap . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Substation Dedicated to Range . . . . .6

Youth Tour Winners Selected . . . . . . .6

2008 Scholarship Winners . . . . . . . . .6

Treacherous Storm Damage . . . . . . . .7

Pole Inspections Begin . . . . . . . . . . . .7

Start the Dialogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

2008 Member Appreciation Days . . .9

Students Learn Electrical Safety . . .10

Safety Urged Around Utility Roadway Work Zones . . . . . . . . . . . .11

Corn Belt Power to Increase ItsPurchase of Renewable Power . . . .12

Spotlight on Excellence Award . . . .13

Energy Efficient Landscaping . . . . .14

Buy, Sell, Swap Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

factor in siting each wind proj-ect is the average, long-termwind speeds in Iowa. NorthwestIowa, where your Cooperative’stwo wind projects will be locat-ed, has one of the highest aver-age wind speeds in Iowa. It isno wonder that Iowa ranksfourth in the nation in windenergy production, with morethan 1,000 wind turbines cur-rently in operation.

For the most part, IowaLakes has identified the specificlocation where each of the four-teen, 1.5-megawatt turbines willbe erected. The Cooperative hasalso entered into agreements tolease the land from our mem-ber-owners at market price.WANZEK Construction, locat-ed in Fargo, N.D. has beenawarded the construction con-tract to install the GE wind tur-bines for Iowa Lakes.

A geotechnical review andsoil test was recently conductedat each of the proposed windturbine sites by the geologicconsulting firm MinnesotaGeoServices, Inc. located in St.Paul, Minn. Based on theground conditions and soil

Progress is now underway as we prepare to build two separate windfarms with each site having seven General Electric (GE) 1.5-megawatt tur-bines. The two wind farms produce approximately 71 million kilowatt hoursof wind generated electricity each year, which is the equivalent to servingalmost 3,700 of our member-owners’ farm/residential homes for one year!

To give a reference to the magnitude of a 1.5-megawatt wind turbine, thetowers, without the rotor blades, will stand 262 feet tall – about the sameheight as the Statue of Liberty (as shown below). Add to this a 128 foot rotorblade for an overall height of 390 feet. In fact, these turbines are so massiveit will take 25 semi tractor-trailers from South Carolina to deliver just onewind turbine.

These turbines will be strategically located near two existing ethanolplants that Iowa Lakes currently serves. One of the wind farm sites is north-west of the ethanol plant next to the town of Superior, Iowa, called SuperiorEthanol, LLC and the other wind farm site is predominately south of theethanol plant near the town of Lakota, Iowa called Global Ethanol.

Locating both ofthese wind projects next toan existing ethanol plantserved by your coopera-tive takes advantage of theexisting substation infra-structure. This eliminatesadding a transmissionlevel connection, whichcan be extremely expen-sive. Another important

Rick Olesen, Vice President ofOperations & Engineering, updatescooperative member-owners aboutthe wind farm projects at a recentmember appreciation meeting.

Wind Farm Projects Underway

Clay Palo Alto

EmmetDickinson Kossuth

PocahontasBuena VistaCherokee

continued on page 3

ILEC’s Turbines RotorHeight 262 Feet

Ms. Carol Hunter, Editorial Page EditorThe Des Moines RegisterBox 957, Des Moines, IA 50304

The June 2, 2008, Voices and Commentaryopinion page interview reveals how complexenergy issues were answered by Iowa UtilitiesBoard commissioners in a meeting with the DesMoines Register’s editorial board.

As a utility executive of an electric coopera-tive in Northwest Iowa, my priority is makingsure that the member-owners of Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative receive the electricity theyhave come to expect, and the June 2 editorial,“Electricity options limited,” troubles me.

Any Iowan who flips a switch to turn on theirlights, powers up a computer or counts on theirrefrigerator to keep food from spoiling expectsreliable electricity. I believe that Iowa UtilitiesBoard commissioner Darrell Hanson shares thatsentiment with me, but I believe that the per-spective he expressed with his answer to theRegister's editorial board about not needing asmuch electric generation reserve or margincapacity to meet consumer’s electricity demandseriously undervalues the electric reliability thatIowans currently enjoy.

Lowering the electricity generation reservecapacity would significantly increase the risk ofbrownouts or blackouts if a generation powerplant fails due to a system emergency or unex-pected mechanical failure. That's bad for Iowaand potentially harmful to Iowa's citizens.

I also hope that Iowa Utilities Board chair-man John Norris appreciates the value of replac-ing a 20 or 30-year-old inefficient heating systemwith a 300 percent energy efficient groundsource heat pump that provides heating andcooling for just pennies a day by using the earthas a gigantic renewable energy resource. I could-n’t tell by his comments, but since the IowaEnergy Center Web site says “a geothermal heatpump is the most efficient heating and coolingsystem available, returning up to $4 of heating orcooling energy for every $1 of energy con-sumed,” I think it’s safe to conclude that he doesapprove the use of this energy-efficient technol-ogy to help Iowans save money on their homeenergy costs.

Iowa’s electric cooperatives, which providepower in each of the state’s 99 counties toapproximately 650,000 Iowans, have an out-standing record of energy conservation andenergy efficiency for its member-owners sincethe 1930s, and I don’t believe the value that hasbeen provided to rural Iowa since then was ade-quately reflected in the editorial.

Sincerely,

Terry L. Bruns, CPAPresident/Chief Executive OfficerIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative

Terry L. BrunsPresident/CEO

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative

2

Bruns Responds to Recent Des Moines Register Editorials toProvide Cooperative Perspective

Below is the editorial response as submitted by Terry L. Bruns to The Des Moines Register on June11, 2008. Bruns responded to the Voices and Commentary opinion page interview, “ElectricityOptions Limited” on June 2, 2008. The Register's editorial board invited the Iowa Utilities Boardmembers to an interview to discuss their decision and overall energy policy for Iowa.

3

n ENERGY COST ADJUSTMENT (ECA)As some of you might remember from 30 years ago, generation plants at that time wereat capacity and we needed to build new generation plants if we were going to continue tomeet the consumers growing electricity needs. That time is here again when the electricutility industry needs to add more generation resources. The generation resources willrequire a significant financial investment, which are passed through to your Cooperativeas increases in our wholesale power costs. Since we expect yearly increases in wholesalepower costs over the next few years, one way to pass on just the energy cost increases weare experiencing is through an energy cost adjustment (ECA). An energy cost adjustment(ECA) is a line item charge on your monthly bill that may fluctuate on a monthly, quar-terly or annual basis depending on the increases in your Cooperative’s wholesale powercosts. Therefore, as your Cooperative’s wholesale power costs increase or decrease, so willthe energy cost adjustment line item charge on your monthly billing statement. Whileyour Board of Directors has not determined any specific rate adjustments at this time,your Cooperative wanted you to be aware of the possibility of an energy cost adjustmentcharge on your billing statement as early as January 2009.

Ms. Carol Hunter, Editorial Page Editor

The Iowa View editorial in the June 7,2008 Des Moines Register is puzzling anddoesn't accurately represent the challengesthat Iowa's electric cooperatives and manygrain elevators face in dealing with thenation's railroads that have little or noactive regulation or oversight.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative'swholesale power supplier, Basin ElectricCooperative, faces $1 billion over the next20 years in coal shipping costs because theU.S. Surface Transportation Board (STB)in Washington, D.C. isn't doing it's job ofproperly regulating the nation's railroads.

The 1980 Staggers Act exempted thenations, then more than 40 railroads, fromantitrust enforcement and today with onlyfour major railroads, allows the unre-strained monopoly power of the railroadsto regularly set their own rates and servicedelivery rules without any oversight.

The United States rail system is brokenand rural America is paying the price for aregulatory process that has been corrupt-ed. One only has to look at the fact thatmost every former STB Commissionerand many former STB Senior Staff havegone on to very lucrative careers with therailroads when these Commissioners were

appointed to regulate or the fact that sincethe year 2000 that 13 of 14 rate casesbrought before the STB have been ruled infavor of the railroads. That’s a 93% suc-cess rate!

Captive rail customers, such as Iowa'selectric cooperatives, ask that the RailroadCompetition and Service ImprovementAct of 2007 (H.R. 2125) provide soundlegislation that 1.) ensures fair competi-tion in the rail industry, 2.) enables railcustomers to obtain reliable rail service,and 3.) provides those rail customers witha reasonable process for challenging rateand service disputes.

This is what the STB should be doingand has miserably failed to do! Let's have areal common sense approach: Regulatethe nation's railroads as originally intend-ed by the 1980 Staggers Act and restore areal sense of fairness and transparency to aflawed STB hearing process and an STBBoard that clearly fails to regulate the rail-roads.

Terry L. Bruns President/CEOIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative

Future Railroad Regulation Needed

Below is the editorial response as submitted by Terry L. Bruns to The Des MoinesRegister on June 13, 2008. Bruns responded to an editorial by State Sen. MattMcCoy (D- Des Moines), "Don't entangle railroads with more regulation,” published in the Des Moines Register on June 7, 2008.

parameters obtained from the soil testings,the geotechnical engineer will provide thedesign recommendations and constructionof the turbine’s foundation.

Iowa Lakes anticipates both wind energyprojects to begin generating energy some-time during the early part of 2009. Corn BeltPower Cooperative, one of yourCooperative’s wholesale power suppliers,will purchase all of the wind energy generat-ed at avoided cost. However, the renewableenergy credits (RECs) also referred to as“green tags” will be sold separately by IowaLakes from the energy to support the eco-nomics of our two projects.

RECs represent the purchase of 1,000kilowatt hours of electricity from a renew-able or “green” source. This carbon credit or“offset” represents a one metric ton reduc-tion of emissions into the atmosphere.Green tag values range from $0.002 toalmost $0.005 per kilowatt hour with somemarkets in the Northeastern part of theUnited States reaching as high as 5 cents perkilowatt hour for these green tags. IowaLakes anticipates that the future of the greentag market will provide an ongoing revenuestream that will help meet the financial goalsof your Cooperative going forward.

Iowa Lakes will be the first distributionelectric cooperative in the United States todevelop a wind farm of this size and magni-tude. In addition, Iowa Lakes’ wind projectwill be the first application of its kind in thenation to use the wind energy generated toserve another renewable energy source –existing ethanol plants near Superior andLakota, Iowa. This project is truly renew-ables serving renewables and stronglydemonstrates Iowa Lakes’ strong commit-ment to our communities, Iowa’s energyindependence and our environment.

Wind Farm Projects Underway, cont.

ssaalluuttee ttoo oouurr tteeaamm

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Managerof Information Technology & TechnicalSupport, Doug Dau, has completed an inten-sive program in electric utility management atthe University of Wisconsin Fluno Center forExecutive Education. Dau is one of only a fewelectric cooperative management staff that willgraduate from the Management InternshipProgram this year.

The Robert I. Kabat ManagementInternship Program (MIP) is a series of work-shops offered by the National Rural ElectricCooperative Association (NRECA) in con-junction with the University of WisconsinCenter for Advanced Studies in Business. Theprogram guides participants through all facetsof the electric utility industry, including themany changes occurring around the nation.MIP participants go through three, 10-day ses-

sions designed to challenge and educate partic-ipants in new, innovative management tech-niques. Participants leave with a better under-standing of what member-owners expect andhow to ensure they get it.

By covering the unique principles that gov-ern the operations of electric cooperatives, theprogram also helps the cooperative analyzeother business ventures it may want to enter aswell as enhancing the core organization.

Only senior level management from elec-tric cooperatives throughout the United Statesparticipate in the MIP program. Dau hasjoined the elite graduates of this program nowin its 38th year. There are over 1,200 MIP grad-uates currently working with electric coopera-tives today. It is one of the most sought aftereducational programs in the nation for electriccooperative management.

n Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative Board Member,Jerry Fuerstenau (left), presentsPalo Alto County Sheriff, DennisGoeders, a $500 donation thatwill be used towards establishinga K-9 Division for the Sheriff’sDepartment.

Doug Dau Graduates Management Internship Program

Pictured (left to right): NRECA ExecutiveVice President of External Affairs,Martin Lowery; Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative Manager of InformationTechnology & Technical Support, DougDau; and NRECA Director of UniversityBased Programs, Gary Phann.

4

S A L U T E T O O U R M E M B E R - O W N E R S

n Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative Board Chairman,Kirby Range (right) presentsTeresa Goehring of CampFoster YMCA, a $500 donationto be used towards an indoorhorseback riding arena.

I o w a L a k e s E l e c t r i c C o o p e r a t i v eDistributes Operation Round Up Funds The funds for this donation were collected through Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s voluntarymember-owner giving program, Operation Round Up. This program enables member-owners to“round up” their electric bills each month to the nearest dollar. The spare change is accumulatedand distributed to organizations in need through an application process.

n Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board Member, Jerry Beck(right) presents Becky Labarre, executive director of the SpencerFamily YMCA, a $500 donation to be used towards the expansion ofthe child care facilities at the YMCA.

5

M e m b e r - O w n e r N e w s

PEAK DEMAND ALERT: HELP CONSERVETo help stabilize wholesale power costs during those hot and humid summer days by conserving electricity and reduc-

ing the demand for electricity during times of peak demand that is normally between 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. By simply delay-ing the use of your electric appliances, such as dishwashers, clothes washers, dryers and any other electric appliances until

after 8 p.m. will help reduce the peak demand for energy. Help us to help you!

DON’TFORGET!

t 2 0 0 8 A N N UA L M E E T I N G

ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, A DELICATE BALANCE2 0 0 8 A N N U A L M E E T I N G R E C A P

affordable and it is environmen-tally friendly, it also saves allmember-owners the costs ofpurchasing additional electrici-ty,” Range said.

Treasurer Hultgren highlight-ed the Cooperative’s solid finan-cial position, few key operatingstatistics and any significanttransactions throughout 2007.Hultgren reviewed the growth inrevenue and noted that IowaLakes recorded $39,328,800 ofoperating revenues during 2007as compared to $30,580,403 in2006. The majority of thisgrowth in revenue is attributableto Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative’s 30 percent growthin kilowatt hour sales and alsothe rate increase that was imple-mented in January 2007.Hultgren also stressed that IowaLakes’ expense related to pur-chase power has grown from64.69 cents of each dollar collect-ed from energy sales in 2006 to69.69 cents of the dollar in 2007. In his address, Hultgren alsodrew attention to the $2 millionin deferred revenue that was

approved by the Board ofDirectors to help stabilize yourfuture electric rates. TheCooperative plans to recognizethese deferred revenues begin-ning 2009-2010 or later depend-ing upon the forecasted increasesof wholesale power costs.Hultgren also reviewed thefinancing of the Cooperative’stwo wind energy projects. TheCooperative was awarded $43million in Clean RenewableEnergy Bonds (CREBs) inDecember 2007 from theInternal Revenue Service.CREBs are a federal financingresource, established by theEnergy Policy Act of 2005, whichis similar to the production taxcredits that investor-owned utili-ties receive for developingrenewable generation projects.

President/CEO Bruns mes-sage focused on yourCooperative innovative, com-munity-based wind projects.Bruns emphasized that IowaLakes’ wind project will be thefirst application of its kind in thenation to use the wind energy

More than 350 member-ownersand guests attended Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative’s AnnualMeeting held on Saturday, April 12,2008, at the Clay County RegionalEvents Center in Spencer, Iowa.Member-owners listened to reports byBoard Chairman L. Kirby Range,Board Treasurer Jim Hultgren andPresident/CEO Terry L. Bruns.

Chairman Range’s message to themembership focused on climatechange and the political pressure thatis mounting for lawmakers to dosomething about climate change -both at the state and federal levels.Range warned that climate change isnot the only energy issue the nation isfacing but that we are also experienc-ing increased electricity demand anddecreasing generation capacity tomeet this growing demand. Rangeencouraged all electric cooperativemember-owners to call on their elect-ed officials and ask the tough, but crit-ical question, “What are they doing tomake sure we’ll have the power weneed in the future?”

Range advised member-owners touse energy as wisely as possible. “Itnot only helps to keep electric prices

generated to serve another renew-able energy facility – existingethanol plants located near thetowns of Superior and Lakota,Iowa. Each of your Cooperative’stwo wind facilities will have seven1.5-megawatt turbines that willproduce approximately 71 millionkilowatt hours of wind generatedelectricity each year, which is theequivalent to serving almost 3,700member-owners’ farm/residentialhomes for one year!

Bruns stressed that even asnew, renewable wind energyresources is being added to ourwholesale power supplier’s genera-tion portfolio each year, the windindustry cannot produce enoughwind turbines to meet the nation’sgrowing electricity demands. Lastyear alone, the United States con-sumed over 4 trillion kilowatthours of electricity in 2007. Usingthese figures, if the Federal govern-ment would mandate a 15 percentrenewable portfolio standard by theyear 2020, this would require one1.5-megawatt wind turbine to bebuilt every 45 minutes.

continued on page 11

ANNUAL MEETING

‘08

6

DedicationElectrical Substation Dedicatedto Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative Board Chairman

A new substationwas named in honor ofyour Cooperative’s cur-rent Board Chairmanand longtime boardmember of Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative, L.Kirby Range.

"Iowa Lakes wouldnot be the Cooperative it is today without theleadership of Kirby Range. This substation is atribute to the dedication of a man who has beenextremely important to our cooperative,” saidTerry Bruns, Iowa Lakes’ President/CEO.

Kirby Range’s association with Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative began on March 13, 1976,when he was elected to the D.E.K. Board ofDirectors. After serving nearly ten years as a boardmember, Range was elected as the first Presidentin January 1986 of the newly formed Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative through the consolidation ofIowa's Buena Vista County REC, PocahontasCounty REC, and D.E.K. REC, and later the merg-er of Cherokee County REC in 1989.

"I have been blessed to work with an excellentboard of directors over the years. It's an honor tohave a substation named after me and I appreciateit very much,” Range said during the dedication.

Since the formation of Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative, Range has exclusively served as yourCooperative’s Board President and/or Chairmanfor over 22 consecutive years. “Through Kirby’svisionary leadership as the Cooperative’s BoardChairman, Kirby has ensured Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative succeeded with strength and today isa financially sound, operationally efficient cooper-ative,” said Bruns.

In addition to serving on the board for IowaLakes, Range has served on the Corn Belt PowerCooperative Board of Directors since April 7,1992 and has also served on the Iowa Associationof Electric Cooperatives Board since January2008.

The substation named in Range’s honor isNortheast of Milford and will serve the continualload growth in the Lakes Region. The new substa-tion is owned by Corn Belt Power Cooperative,one of Iowa Lakes’ two wholesale power suppliers.

I N T H E S P O T L I G H TSubstation Dedication | Youth Tour and Scholarship Winners Announced

Two exceptional students were awardeda $1,000 college scholarship provided byyour Cooperative and Basin Electric PowerCooperative located in Bismarck N.D. Thetwo students were chosen from 16 applica-tions received from dependents of a mem-ber-owner for the 2008-2009 school year.

Sarah Chrestiansen, 2008 graduate ofEstherville-Lincoln Central High School,plans to attend the University of SouthDakota this fall majoring in Biology. Sarahis the daughter of Bruce and LoriChrestiansen, Estherville.

Victoria Heldt, 2008 graduate ofEmmetsburg High School, plans to attendeither Iowa State University or MarquetteUniversity majoring in business.

2008 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Victoria is the daughter of Stevenand Colleen Heldt, Emmetsburg.

Iowa Lakes is proud to show itssupport of the outstanding academic,extra-curricular and leadershipachievements of area youth throughthe Cooperative’s college scholarshipprogram. Congratulations to Sarah andVictoria!

Sarah Chrestiansen and Victoria Heldt

Thank you for providing this oneof a kind opportunity. The chance tovisit our nation’s capital and viewthe breath taking sites of our pasthave had an impact on our educa-tion and understanding of whattakes place in D.C. We appreciatethe funding and spending cash pro-vided by the Cooperative – it madethe trip even more enjoyable! Wewill never forget the landmarks wesaw and the friends we’ve made!

- Katelyn and Reuben

Congratulations to Katelyn Warburton, ajunior at Okoboji Community High Schooland Reuben Wenell, a junior at Laurens-Marathon Community School who both wonall-expense paid trips to Washington, D.C.from June 13-19, 2008, sponsored by IowaLakes Electric Cooperative.

What makes electric cooperatives differentfrom other utilities is that “giving somethingback to the community” is part of their busi-ness plan. Why does Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative pay for two high-school juniors toWashington? Because your Iowa Lakes Boardof Directors believes it is important to give ouryoung people the opportunity to learn aboutthe political process to interact with our gov-ernment.

During the week-long trip to our nation’scapitol, students gain a personal understand-ing of American history and their role as acitizen by meeting their representative andsenators and explore the sights around thenation’s capital.

Warburton and Wenell were chosen basedon an application/questionnaire, a short inter-view with three Cooperative employees andtheir academic achievements. Warburton is thedaughter of Joe and Deane Warburton ofMilford and Wenell is the son of Lynn andJerolyn Wenell of Albert City.

2008 Youth Tour Winners Return fromWashington D.C.

TREACHEROUS STORMS DAMAGE AREA

Don’t Post Signs onElectric Utility Poles

Posting signs, hanging banners or tyingribbons and balloons onto utility poles canendanger linemen and often is a violation oflocal ordinances forbidding placement ofanything on poles.

Help protect those who work to provideelectrical service. Remember that anythingon a pole can cause climbing hazards forlinemen. The clamped, safety boots worn bylinemen to climb poles are especially vulner-able to becoming snagged and caught on sta-ples and nails embedded in poles.

Such practices endanger more thanthose who keep your lights on. The para-phernalia on the poles becomes a public safe-ty hazard by distracting people as they drive,which is a safety hazard for everyone.

Thank you for your help assistance withthis safety issue! Help us to help you. Safetyfirst, always! 7

I L E C N E W S

Tornados and high winds tore through Northwest Iowa on the evening ofJune 11, 2008, leaving behind heavy damage and causing numerouspower outages. Compared to devastation these storms caused in other

parts of Iowa, your Cooperative escaped with only 20 outages reported through-out our service territory, which affected approximately 46 member-owners.Iowa Lakes lost only four poles and the rest of the outages were due to fallentrees and tree limbs in the distribution power lines and lightning damage.

Crews from the Cherokee, Emmetsburg, Estherville and Spencer servicecenters were dispatched to help restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Remember, after the storm is over, fallen limbs and debris can be hiding haz-ards such as downed electrical wires. If you see dangling or fallen lines, assumethey are electrical wires and are energized. Warn others to stay away, and whenit is safe to use a phone, call Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative at 800-225-4532 or911. Safety First, Always!

For over 20 years, your Cooperative has had in place a pool inspection andmaintenance program that inspects and treats each of the Cooperative’s 85,000wooden utility poles located throughout the eight county service territory over a tenyear period.

This year, residual ground-line pole treatment will take place in the southernpart of Palo Alto County and northern Pocahontas County performed under theservices of the Pole Maintenance Company (PMC), LLC.

In June 2008, PMC’s knowledgeable and professional crew began inspectingand treating an estimated 6,000 of the Cooperative’s utility poles, which should takeabout 10-16 weeks complete.

This cost-effective, reliability-based inspection and pole management programcan extend the useful life of the pole almost indefinitely when applied at regular ten-year intervals. Your Cooperative places increasing emphasis on cost-effectivelyextending the life of existing facilities while maintaining exceptional levels of safe-ty and reliability. This program is a critical component in maintaining a high levelof electric service reliability.

If you have any concerns about the pole treatment crews or this process pleasecontact Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative staff at 1-800-225-4532.

Pole Inspections Begin in PaloAlto and Pocahontas Counties

Damage done to a member-owner’s property on Highway 71.

K I L L A WAT TIt’s not always easy to save energy, espe-

cially if you don’t know how much you’reusing. With the Kill A Watt™ electricity usagemonitor, you can discover how much elec-tricity your household appliances like thatbig screen television or that old, spare refrig-erator in the basement is using and whichappliances continue to consume electricityeven when turned off.

Simply plug the Kill A Watt™ monitorinto any household outlet and plug yourappliance into the Kill A Watt™ and the mon-itor will display how much electricity is beingconsumed, regardless of whether the appli-ance is turned on or off.

Member-owners can borrow the Kill AWatt™ monitor from the Cooperative freeof charge for a one week time period.Simply stop by the office in Estherville orcall your Cooperative at 800-225-4532 to“check-out” a Kill A Watt™ monitor foruse in your home for a one week period.Call today and start saving!

IT’S TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND CHANGE OUR FUTURE.

We have an energy challenge, America.

When it comes to finding solutions, we must meet climate change goals

while keeping costs down and electricity available. America needs

a plan. Immediately. Because we all know that our energy needs keep

on growing—every day.

Now is the time to have a candid conversation with your elected officials.

Together, we can find answers and take action.

Start the conversation today at www.ourenergy.coop.

NAME _____________________________________________________________________________

HOME ADDRESS ____________________________________________________________________

CITY ____________________________________ STATE ___________ ZIP ______________________

HOME PHONE ( ________ ) ____________________________________________________________

EMAIL ____________________________________________________________________________

I AM A MEMBER OF _____________________________________________________________ CO-OP

SIGNATURE ________________________________________________________________________

For more information visitwww.ourenergy.coop

WE NEED YOUR HELP. Send your postcard to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative today!

!

Join the thousands of American con-sumers who have already sent208,000 letters and emails to electedofficials asking about our nation'senergy and climate policy.

Fill out the postcard and return to IowaLakes Electric Cooperative. We willcompile the postcards and send themto your Congressmen/Senators. Alongwith the postcards, we will ask yourelected officials these questions to getthe dialogue headed in the right direc-tion:

1) Experts say that our nation's growing electric-ity needs will soon go well beyond whatrenewables, conservation and efficiency canprovide. What is your plan to make sure wehave the electricity we'll need in the future?

2) What are you doing to speed the develop-ment of new technology which will allow meto have the electric power I need while meet-ing our national climate policy goals?

3) How much is all this going to increase myelectric bill and what will you do to make itaffordable?

We have an energychallenge, America.

When it comes to findingsolutions, we must meet climate change goals whilekeeping costs down and electricity available. Americaneeds a plan. Immediately.Because we all know that ourenergy needs keep on growing — everyday.

Now is the time to have acandid conversation with yourelected officials. Together, wecan find answers and takeaction.

Start the conversation todayat www.ourenergy.coop orwww.ilec.coop

IT’S TIME TO COME TOGETHER AND CHANGE OUR FUTURE.

We have an energy challenge, America.

When it comes to finding solutions, we must meet climate change goals

while keeping costs down and electricity available. America needs

a plan. Immediately. Because we all know that our energy needs keep

on growing—every day.

Now is the time to have a candid conversation with your elected officials.

Together, we can find answers and take action.

Start the conversation today at www.ourenergy.coop.

I L E C N E W S

8

t 2 0 0 8 M E M B E R A P P R E C I AT I O N DAY S

Thank you to all our member-owners who joined us in June for the Member Appreciation Events. It was great to see you!

9

Nearly 720 member-owners andtheir families attended this year’s 2008Member Appreciation Day events inJune. While attendance at all four loca-tions was down this year from last year(which we believe was due mostly to thesevere weather Iowa experienced inJune), we still consideredthese events a success whenthe Cooperative’s employeeteam and the Board ofDirectors has the opportu-nity to interact with themember-owners.

After the complementarydinner, President/CEOTerry L. Bruns called onmember-owners to getinvolved, warning that thenation is facing a looming energy crisisthat could significantly impact the relia-bility and affordability of electricity inthe future.

Bruns urged member-owners inattendance to sign a “Start the Dialogue”postcard (shown on page 8) that author-izes your Cooperative to send letters to

Congress on your behalf. These letterswill ask lawmakers how they plan tomeet our growing energy needs while atthe same time addressing climatechange. Without a balanced, commonsense approach, our elected leaders risknot only the reliability of our electric

grid system, but also theability for all utility con-sumers to be able toafford their electric billsin the future.

Iowa Lakes is happy toreport that we collected416 signed “Start theDialogue” postcardsduring the MemberAppreciation Events,which now brings our

total to 666 signed postcards! However,we need more signed cards. If you wereunable to attend Member AppreciationDays or the Annual Meeting, please fillout the postcard on page 8 and send italong with your monthly bill back toIowa Lakes and we will take care of therest for you.

Also during the evening, member-owners heard an update on the progressof the Cooperative’s two wind projects.For an up-to-date progress report on thewind farms, please refer to the WindFarm Presentation article on page 1.

Throughout the evening’s presenta-tions, eight member-owners won eitheran energy efficient basket of goodies or a$50 credit on their electric bill. Plus, atthe end of the evening, one lucky mem-ber-owner won the grand prize of a $100off their electric bill!

In addition to the bill credits andenergy efficient baskets, HeartlandSecurity Services drew one lucky winnerfor a free fire extinguisher at each meet-ing. Every member-owner in attendancereceived a LED Holiday Light Set as athank you gift.

2008 Member AppreciationMeeting WinnersSPENCER - Judy Sorenson, GeorgeSimon, Denzil Stacy, John Mills, BoydNorthey, Jerry Gross

POCAHONTAS - Lavern Spaulding,Richard Foster, Raymond Woodin,Robert DeWall, Frances Leners, KennethWright, Rodney Meyer, Floyd Myer

ESTHERVILLE - Michael Janssen,Lowell Jacobsen, Sandra Sykes, BrentHopp, Walter Brunsvold, MerlynThornburg, Carroll Tindall

ALTA - Dale Sorenson, Delores Clymers,Harvey Koth, James McClaetchey,Lorence Ploeger, Howard Rupp, DavidNielsen

Bruns Urges Member-Owners to Get Involved at Member Appreciation Days

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s longtime Operations Supervisor forSupport Services, Kirby Berhow of Milford, Iowa, was recently promoted toProject Manager for the Cooperative’s wind generation operations. Berhow willlead the development of the Cooperative’s wind projects.

In the newly created position, Berhow will be responsible for overseeing theconstruction of the wind generation resources along with the ongoing manage-ment of the wind resources projects once the construction is complete.

“We are very confident we made the right decision in choosing Kirby,”statedPresident/CEO, Terry L. Bruns. “His 30 years of leadership, dedication and com-mitment to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative made him the clear choice to leadthe Cooperative’s two wind generation projects.” Congratulations to Kirby!

KIRBY BERHOW PROMOTED TO PROJECT MANAGER

America’s ElectricCooperativesinitiated the

important “Startthe Dialogue”

campaign.

Iowa Lakes is a certified CFL recycling drop-off center for our member-owners. Because there is a very smallamount of mercury in each CFL bulb, member-owners can voluntarily bring their used CFL bulbs to Iowa Lakes’office in Estherville and we will ship these bulbs to a fluorescent environmental disposal service center that willrecycle and dispose of these used CFL bulbs properly. At this time, Iowa law does not have CFL recycling require-ments. Even though the state of Iowa does not require that CFL bulbs be recycled, Iowa Lakes would like toencourage everyone to drop off your used CFL bulbs to be recycled and let us help you do the right thing envi-ronmentally!

A surefire way to save energy this summer isto kick that thermostat up a few notches. If justthe thought of doing that makes you start sweat-ing, read on: You can keep your cool at thathigher temperature by turning on a ceiling fan.

The fan circulates the air, and you can feelthe movement on your skin. Your room won’tbe any cooler, but you will feel cooler in thatroom.

Ceiling fans aren’t the bland fixtures theyonce were. Blades now come in painted, metal-lic or wood finishes to match your décor. Somemanufacturers make two-sided blades that youcan flip over whenever you want a new look.

[ Don’t mess with hard-to-reach cords.Connect your fan and/or light to a walllight switch or remote control.

[ If your room has high ceilings, buy anextension “downrod” to lower the fan. Forshort ceilings, some manufacturers offer“close mount” fans.

[ The bigger the room, the longer the bladesshould be. A rule of thumb: For a roomsmaller than 100 square feet, like a bath-room, buy a fan with 32 to 36-inch blades.For a medium-sized bedroom or kitchen—up to about 225 square feet— you’ll needblades measuring 42 to 48 inches. Largemaster bedrooms and dining rooms up to485 square feet require 50 to 56-inchblades. Rooms larger than 600 square feetwill need blades measuring 60 inches ormore.

On April 18, 2008, 107 fourth graders and adults from theSpirit Lake Elementary School had the opportunity to learn howelectricity is made and how to avoid the dangers this powerfulforce presents in their daily lives.

During the first part of the day, Iowa Lakes’ Energy AdvisorJack Schoon presented students with a safety demonstration atthe Cooperative’s Spencer service center. “Lightning Liz” and“Neon Leon” were the stars of the realistic program demonstra-tion that uses real electricity to allow the children to witness howelectricity travels through conductors like metal, human bodies,tree limbs and kites. These figures, two glass dolls fitted with fil-aments inside, light up as Energy Advisor Schoon demonstratedeach of them becoming victims of a variety of electrical accidents.

After lunch, the students toured Wisdom Station, a coal firedgeneration station owned by one of your Cooperative’s wholesalepower suppliers, Corn Belt Power Cooperative. There the stu-dents got the opportunity to see the coal yard, the control centerand operating floors. At the end of the day, each student receiveda Touchstone Energy lip balm as a gift.

[TIP:Install fans 7 to 8 feetfrom the floor

Students Learn Valuable Electrical Safety Lessons

10

Circulate the Cool

Stop by and visit the Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative booth at the Clay CountyFair September 6-14 in Spencer, Iowa! We are located in the Agriculture Building.

Electric utility vehicles and workersoften share streets and roadways withmotorists in order to access overhead

power lines and other electrical equipment.Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative urges allmotorists to slow down and pay close atten-tion to these work crews while driving.

“Power poles and electrical equipmentline our streets and highways; narrow right-of-way areas often require crews to placetheir equipment in traffic lanes,” MollyHall, director of Safe Electricity said. “Theirwork activities benefit all of us, and likeeveryone, they deserve a safe workplace.

“Be alert to utility crews and other workzone workers for their safety as well asyours,” she said.

According to statistics from the FederalHighway Administration (FHWA), the num-ber of persons killed in motor vehicle crashesin work zones has risen in recent years, and

now averages more than 1,000 deaths eachyear. In addition to the fatalities, more than40,000 people are injured each year in motorvehicle work zone crashes. Many of theseaccidents could be prevented if motoristssimply slow down and pay attention.

Fatal work zone crashes, regardless ofwhether a large truck was involved or not,occurred most often in the summer and thefall. More than twice as many work zonecrashes happen on weekdays compared toweekends, so be extra cautious when driv-ing to and from work.

Help prevent fatalities and injuries thisyear by following these steps:

uDon’t tailgate: Most crashes in workzones are rear-end collisions.

uKeep a safe distance between your vehi-cle and traffic barriers, trucks, construc-tion equipment and workers.

uBe patient: Traffic delays are sometimesunavoidable.

uMerge early and be courteous to otherdrivers.

uTurn on your headlights at dusk.uKeep up with the traffic flow: Don’t

become distracted just because yourvehicle is stationary for a moment.

uMinimize distractions: Avoid using acell phone or radio. The most common crash in a roadway

work zone is the rear-end collision, soremember to leave two seconds of brakingdistance between you and the car in front ofyou.

For more information on work zone safe-ty, visit the Federal Highway Administrationweb site at www.fhwa.dot.gov. Find informa-tion on safety around electrical facilities atwww.SafeElectricity.org. Safety first, always!

N e w s Y o u C a n U s e

Safe Electricity Urges Caution around Utility Roadway Work ZonesDriver inattention, carelessness, cause safety hazards for both motorists and workers

11

Looking for ways to save on energycosts? Choose Energy Star appliances and comparethe annual savings for yourself:

I L E C N E W S

Guest Speaker Doug Rye Shares Energy Efficiency Ideas

Doug Rye shared numerous energy saving tips during hisentertaining and educational presentation. Rye is a nationally rec-ognized energy consultant with a straight to the point speakingstyle, who has helped people all across the United States lower theirutility bills by as much as 50 percent!

Now you can tune-in to hear Doug Rye, the King of Caulk &Talk, on KUQQ 102.1 FM Radio every Saturday morning from 9a.m. to 10 a.m. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, along withOsceola Electric Cooperative, sponsor Rye’s radio program,“Home Remedies.” So tune in each Saturday morning and learnhow to save on your energy costs!

ELECTION RESULTSn District I, incumbent Peter Hansen of Ruthven was electedn District II, incumbent Steven Williams of Storm Lake

was re-electedn District III, Linus Solberg of Cylinder was elected to replace

long time board member Hans Clausen, who retired in April 2008 after 16 years of dedicated service.

n District IV, incumbent Richard Hanson of Estherville wasre-elected.

A copy of the Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative 2007 Annual Report canbe found online at www.ilec.coop or call us for your complimentarycopy.

2 0 0 8 A N N U A L M E E T I N G R E C A P, C O N T.

12

Corn Belt Power Cooperativehas announced that it will add50 megawatts of wind power toits generation mix to help meetfuture electricity demand.

Ken Kuyper, executive vice president

and general manager, Corn Belt Power,

says, “Adding renewable energy

resources to our generating portfolio is

an important part of Corn Belt Power’s

plan to continue to serve our member

cooperatives reliably and affordably.

Wind energy, along with increased ener-

gy efficiency measures and additional

baseload power from highly efficient coal

generation, will help us meet the project-

ed 50 percent increase in electric demand

we anticipate.”

The 50-megawatt Enterprise Wind

Energy Project will use 20 Liberty 2.5-

megawatt wind turbines to be supplied by

Clipper Windpower. The project will be

sited in west central Iowa, north of

Manning in Carroll County near existing

Corn Belt Power transmission lines.

Corn Belt Power also purchases ener-

gy from the Hancock County Wind

Energy Center, owned and operated by

FPL Energy near Duncan, Iowa; the

Crosswind Energy project, owned by

local farmers in Palo Alto County, Iowa;

and the Western Area Power

Administration, which generates

hydropower with several dams on the

Missouri River.

CORN BELT POWER TO INCREASE ITS PURCHASE OF RENEWABLE POWERFOR MEMBER COOPERATIVES

WIND WIND

WINDWIND WINDWIND

ENERGY

ENERGY

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’sPresident/CEO Terry L. Bruns presentedBruce L. Radtke, Estherville GoodSamaritan Center’s Administrator with acheck for $258,000 to assist in the expan-sion and extensive renovation of the exist-ing Special Care Unit at the EsthervilleGood Samaritan Center.

“The remodel and addition of theSpecial Care Unit will allow for theEstherville Center to provide a very highquality environment for Special CareResidents for years to come,” Radtke said.

“By supporting a rural developmentproject of this type, these funds help createjobs, economic opportunity and essentialservices in rural areas that strength ourlocal economy,” Bruns said.

The funds are being provided throughUSDA Rural Development’s RuralEconomic Development Loan and Grantprogram that provides loans and grants toRural Utilities program borrowers, likeIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative, which in

turn provide loans to rural businessesand communities in their serviceareas. Funding of individual recipi-ents is contingent upon their meetingthe conditions of the loan or grantagreement.

Iowa Lakes Supports Good SamaritanCenter Expansion in Estherville

Pictured (left to right): Bruce Radtke,Administrator at the Estherville GoodSamaritan Center, and Terry L. Bruns,President/CEO, Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative.

wind factsWind turbines are available in a variety of sizes, and there-fore power ratings. Typical commercial wind facilities are 1.5MW. The largest machine has blades that span more than thelength of a football field, stands 20 building stories high, andproduces enough electricity to power 1,400 homes. A smallhome-sized wind machine has rotors between 8 and 25 feetin diameter, stands upwards of 30 feet, and can supply thepower needs of an all-electric home or small business.

Source: www.windeis.anl.gov/faq/index.cfm

13

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative recentlyreceived recognition in the 2008 “Spotlighton Excellence” national awards program,

sponsored by the Council of Rural ElectricCommunicators and the National RuralElectric Cooperative Association (NRECA).Your Cooperative received an Award ofExcellence, equivalent to first place, in the BestExternal Newsletter Category for the ILECNews quarterly newsletter.

“One judge summed it up by describingthe overall quality of work as simply outstand-ing,” said Maggie Tilley, administrator ofSpotlight on Excellence. “In quality of writing,clarity of presentation, and level of creativitythese professionals are excelling at serving thepeople with whom they are communicating.”

ILEC News is a full-color, multiple-pagenewsletter that is published four times a yearand mailed directly to Iowa Lakes’ more than10,000 member-owners. This is the third con-secutive year Iowa Lakes has won a Spotlighton Excellence award.

In 2006, Iowa Lakes received an Award ofMerit, which is equivalent to second place, forBest Total Communication Program for the

Automated Meter Reading (AMR)Deployment Communications Campaign.

In 2007, Iowa Lakes received an Award ofMerit Best Newsletter Category for the ILECNews quarterly newsletter. “These award-winning pieces demonstrate yourCooperative’s commitment to communicat-ing quality content to you, our member-own-ers,” said Terry L. Bruns, President/CEO.

Participants in the awards competitioncompeted with electric cooperatives of similarsizes in 19 categories. Electric cooperativecommunicators and marketing professionalssubmitted more than 910 entries in theSpotlight on Excellence program, now in its20th year. Faculty members from theUniversity of Missouri – Columbia, Universityof North Carolina – Chapel Hill, and theUniversity of Southern Mississippi judged theentries.

The Spotlight awards competition is anannual event recognizing the top-rated com-munication and marketing efforts by electriccooperatives and related organizations.Congratulations to Cooperative NewsEditor/Vice President Tresa Hussong!

S P O T L I G H T O N E X C E L L E N C E 2 0 0 8 AWA R D S P R O G R A M

The ILEC News is full of helpfulinformation — tips on lowering yourelectric bill, safety advice, specialpromotions and director activities tobe aware of. Look to this newsletterfor feature articles about our members, the latest industry updatesand news about your Cooperative.

The million-plus visitors to the Iowa State Fair will be able tonavigate the fairgrounds and quickly check event time and locationsthanks to a project sponsored by Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperativeand the other Touchstone Energy Cooperatives in Iowa.

The signs are in six locations, including three entry gates andthree additional internal sites, displaying a full-color map of the fair-grounds, six interchangeable sections with the Iowa State Fair’sschedule of events and a sponsor logo area announcing the supportof the service by the Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Iowa. Theeight-foot wide signs are permanent fixtures at the fairgrounds andalso display information during the 200-plus interim events heldyear round.

Boy Scout Andy Hill, a student at Valley High School, West DesMoines, saw the need for the signs and decided to pursue the projectto complete his Eagle Scout designation in 2004. Andy explains hismotivation for the project, “I saw the large maps at AdventurelandPark and went to the fair the same week, where I got lost. Whenlooking for an Eagle Project the next spring, I remembered thosemaps and put two and two together and that's what sparked my ideafor the project. I really enjoy knowing I'm part of something of sucha large scale like the Iowa State Fair. ”

Dates for the 2008 Iowa State Fair are Aug. 7-17, 2008. The themeis “U Gotta Love It.”

Touchstone EnergyCooperative to sponsor directories at Iowa State Fair

I L E C N E W S

Name: ____________________________________

Address:____________________________________

City, State, Zip: ______________________________

Email:______________________________________

Phone: ____________________________________

Acct. #: ____________________________________

Bring this coupon to theIowa Lakes ElectricCooperative Booth

in the Agriculture Buildingand receive a specialMember-Owner Gift(one gift per member-owner

while supplies last)

Iowa Lakes Electric CooperativeMember-Owner

Clay County FairSeptember 6-14, 2008

Your Cooperative is dedicated to finding themost cost effective and environmentally friendlyways to serve you. One of the ways you can helpyour Cooperative meet this goal is by participat-ing in the electric water heater load managementprogram called Watts Smart. Watts Smart is anenergy efficient and environmentally friendlyprogram that remotely interrupts the flow ofelectricity to electric water heaters during timeswhen the price and demand for electricity is at itshighest. By shifting the time when you use elec-tricity from those times of very high electricitymarket prices to lower market price times, theWatts Smart program can help stabilize yourCooperative’s wholesale power costs.

If your electric water heater was purchasedfrom Iowa Lakes, a representative from yourCooperative will be contacting you later this sum-mer or early fall to talk to you about the benefitsof enrolling in this environmentally friendly WattsSmart load management program.

14

C O N S U M E R T I P

ENERGY-EFFICIENT

LANDSCAPING

Customer Energy News

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

E N E R G Y S A V I N G T I P S

Tree planting is one way to help reduce yourenergy costs. By adding shade trees into your land-scape design, you can help reduce your summer cool-ing costs by blocking solar heat that can be absorbedthrough windows and roofs.

Trees can be selected with appropriate sizes, den-sities, and shapes for almost any shading application.To block solar heat in the summer but allow much ofit in during winter, plant deciduous trees. Deciduoustrees with high, spreading leaves and branches shouldbe planted on the south side of your home to providemaximum summertime roof shading. To providecontinuous shade or block heavy winds, use denseevergreen trees or shrubs.

Trees with crowns lower to the ground are moreappropriate to the west, where shade is needed fromlower afternoon sun angles.

Tree-planting safety tips:• Plan for appropriate distances from ALL electric

utility lines, those along the street or right-of-way, as well as those running to your home andoutbuildings.

• Call Iowa One Call at least 48 hours before youdig at 1-800-292-8989 or 811 for assistancebefore digging so that the location of under-ground utilities can be marked.

• Call Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative if a tree ora large branch is touching or falls on an electricline. Tree sap, surprisingly, is an excellent con-ductor of electricity, so a downed branch on aline is an electrocution hazard as well as a firehazard.

• Never trim trees that grow very close to powerlines that is a job for professionals! Contact IowaLakes Electric Cooperative for assistance.

• Don't allow children to climb trees or build treehouses in trees that are growing close to powerlines.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency andRenewable Energy

What can you do to help at home or at work?• Set your thermostat to 70 degrees in the winter and 76 degrees in

the summer.• Shut off lights that are unnecessary.• Use task lighting as opposed to area lighting.• Shut off or unplug equipment that is not being used.• Use the energy saving features on your personal computer, printer

and copier.• Use the sun – shut off lights on sunny days and use shade/blinds to

keep out heat or cold.• Use cold water rather than hot water.• Make a switch from incandescent lights to compact florescent (CF)

or LED bulbs.• Purchase/use ENERGY STAR products whenever possible.

Source: Iowa State University Facilities Planning and Management

Tip of the MonthA well-designed landscape not only adds beauty to your home, but itcan also reduce heating and cooling costs. On average, landscapingfor energy efficiency provides enough energy savings to return aninitial investment in less than eight years.

ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLESFor Sale: Gas Station (66) 30 gal. tank, andhand pump. $50. 712-843-5788.For Sale: 1908 Doctor’s buggy – 1 seat, goodcondition. 712-425-3340.APPLIANCESFor Sale: Maytag washing machine—coulduse as a machinery parts wash (cleaner). $25.712-843-5788.For Sale: “Little John” wood burner w/2fans. Can be piped into furnace ducts to heatentire house. Very good condition. 515-886-2593.AUTOMOBILESFor Sale: 2006 Ford 500 4 door, PS,PB,AC,auto CD, PSeats, 15,400 mi. $15,500 OBO.712-858-4647.For Sale: 1995 Ford Crown VictoriaPS,PB,AC, new tires & front end alignment,good mechanical condition, white w/blueinterior $3,800 OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 1981 VW Pickup, diesel, newbrakes, struts & exhaust, PS,PB,AC, $1,200OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 1960 Ford Falcon, 4dr, 6cyl, stick,

new brakes, white $1,200 OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 1964 Corvair convertible, 6cyl, 4speed, no title parts car $800. OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 1979 Ford Ranchero, body straight,some rust, needs engine. $1,200 OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 1965 Ford Ranchero, body straight,some rust, needs engine $1,200 OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 1966 Ford Mustang, for restoration$2,000 OBO. 712-858-4647.For Sale: 2003 Chevy Silverado 271, bedlin-er, tow package, white w/gray bottom, ext.cab, 4 doors, after market 18" rims w/newtires, billet grill, power door locks, win-dows,and driver's seat. 71,000 miles, veryclean, garaged, non-smoker. $13,000. 712-209-3464.FARM EQUIPMENT /PRODUCTSFor Sale: Fast Sprayer good condition with60 ft. wheel boom, 440 raven monitor,hydraulic pump, foam marker and 13.6/38”tires. 712-859-3784.

For Sale: Four(4) 70 gallon liquid fertilizertanks from 800 Int’l planter (good condi-tion). 712-213-9608.For Sale: Wesling Dorf gear and gravity box.$700. John Deere 4 row corn planter, fertil-izer boxes, has stainless steel planter shoes.$80. 712-843-5788.For Sale: Set of fancy harness for Welshponies. 712-425-3340.For Sale: 1950 JD G Tractor, 1952 JD ATractor w/237 mounted picker, 3 gravitywagons, 2 JD plows. 712-426-3577.For Sale: 4 large round bales of good grasshay. 712-425-3340.RV’sFor Sale: 1979 20’ Majestic Travel Trailer,self contained, w/awning, air, microwave.712-336-5017 leave message.MISCELLANEOUSFor Sale: Quantity of old iron. 712-425-3340.PETSFor Sale: Reg. yellow pointing lab puppies,$150. Ready July 1. 712-296-4411.

15

Ads are printed in the order in which they are received. The ILEC NEWS publication is published quarterly. Classified ads are published only in the ILEC News quarterly newslet-ter. Please mail or email your classified ads by the 20th of the month prior to the ILEC News publication. Ads are limited to 25 words or less. Please, no real estate, commercialbusiness or competing product ads. Iowa Lakes accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy or condition of the items listed below. In addition, Iowa Lakes does not warrant orexpress any opinion whatsoever as to the fitness or appropriate usefulness of any item as listed by owner. Email classified ads to maryd@ilec.coop or mail to 702 S. 1st St.,Estherville, IA 51334.

n Iowa Lakes Electric,To the guys who were out

here working to get our powerback on, working here till 3:30a.m. in wind, rain and light-ning, on the morning of May30: THANKS! It was appreciat-ed. I admire your dedicationand willingness to work in suchnasty conditions and all hoursof the night. Sid Peterson

n Iowa Lakes Electric,Please thank the

Pocahontas crew for getting ourlights back on Sunday, June 8thduring some pretty nastyweather. Thank you,James and Margaret Tiernan

n I want to thank the guysthat trimmed my trees underthe electric lines. The trim-mings were all left in a very neatpile and no problem for me tohaul away. I appreciate beingan ILEC member for thedependable service always!Sincerely, Dorothy Smith,

Havelock

n Thank you for all the usefulelectrical and miscellaneousgadgets that were inside thelarge flowerpot that we won atthe member appreciation sup-per in Alta. The evening wasvery informative and enjoyableand the meal was delicious.Thank you! Harold & MarileePeterson, Aurelia

n Thank you for the supportgiven to the Emmetsburg HighSchool junior class for PostProm activities. Your generosi-ty was instrumental in the suc-cess, safety and enjoyment ofmany students participating inthe After Prom Event.

With Sincere Appreciation, EHS Class of 2009

n Thank you for selecting meas Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative’s recipient of the2008 Basin Electric ScholarshipAward. It is an honor to receivethis award and I will put it togood use as I studyInternational Business at IowaState University. Sincerely, Victoria Heldt

n Of behalf of CherokeeCounty Farm Bureau andCherokee County Extension,we would like to express ourgratitude and appreciation foryou participation in the “AgSafety Day 08” program. Thisrewarding day would not bepossible for our students if itweren’t for your generosity. Itis through your willingness anddonations that we are able toprovide students with a uniquelearning experience where theymeet and share valuable infor-mation with people from theirown community. You havegiven these students a wonder-ful gift. Sincerely, Kim George – OA,Cherokee County Farm Bureau

L E T T E R S F R O M O U R M E M B E R - O W N E R S

OFFICE HOURS:8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mon- Fri)Contact Iowa Lakes 24hours/day, 7 days/weekwith the following toll-freenumbers:

Customer Service:(800) 225-4532 (24 hr.)(Primary and Emergency)

Internet Services: Sales (800) 225-4532Tech Support:(888) 326-5196

Customer and InternetServices Fax: (712) 362-2819

Call Before You DigIowa One-Call (800) 292-8989

Visit Us Online: www.ilec.coop

E-Mail: ilec@ilec.coop

Newsletter Editor: Tresa Hussong

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAIDSIOUX CITY IA

PERMIT 138

702 South 1st St.• Estherville,IA51334

QUIZ CORNER

1. In what two counties will Iowa Lakes' two wind energy projects be strategicallylocated? ________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is an Energy Cost Adjustment? __________________________________________________

3. What are the dates you can stop by and visit your Cooperative's booth at the Clay County Fair?________________________________________________________________________

Name: ______________________________________________________________________________

Account Number:____________________________________________________________________

Iowa Lakes will continue to draw four lucky memberseach quarter who will receive $25 credits towards theirelectric bills. This month’s $25 winners were:Carl Badje - Blue Earth, MNFrank & Janann Popp - Newell, IAMark Kollasch - Spirit Lake, IACharles & Heidi Small - Newell, IA

Please continue to send in your completedQuiz Corner forms by the 15th of the monthprior to the next quarterly publication.

!

Basin Bus Tour Winners Announced Congratulations to the following member-owners selected to attend the 2008 Basin Bus Tour.

Members will tour Basin Electric’s Antelope Valley Coal Generation Station, the Freedom Coal Mineand the Great Plains, Synfuels Plant in North Dakota. Cooperative members also tour the Oahe Damat Pierre, South Dakota.

July 9-11Bernard & Sally VerbruggeRobert Hartwig

July 23-25Roger & Marcia StephasBoyd & Lois Northey

August 6-8Dale & Joyce DoescherJames & Maxine Antoine

ANNUAL MEETING

‘08

inside

The ILEC NEWSis a quarterly publicationfor ILEC member-owners.Look to the ILEC NEWS forCooperative news andevents, industry updates,helpful hints and specialfeatures.

Our MissionIowa Lakes ElectricCooperative is dedicated to leadership, growth and environmentalresponsibility by providingreliable, competitively-priced energy while offering valuable servicesto benefit our members,our customers and thecommunities we serve.

Spring 2008Iowa Lakes Electric CooperativeILEC NEWS

Iowa’s electric cooperatives make an impressiveeconomic impact in each of Iowa’s 99 counties –a statistic that not many private sector organiza-

tions can claim. The study shows that in 2006, electriccooperatives generated about $1.1 billion of outputinto Iowa’s local economy. This is up 23 percent from2003, and represents the growth that occurred inIowa’s Gross Domestic Product, just from Iowa’selectric cooperatives.

The findings are the outcome of a study of theeconomic impact Iowa’s electric cooperatives haveon community and business development programs,charitable donations, community investments andvolunteer activities.

Over the past five years, your Cooperative hasassisted in promoting economic development proj-ects through RUS-REDLG economic developmentlow-interest loans and/or grants in excess of $1.26million throughout Northwest Iowa.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is dedicated tofostering growth and development in the communi-ties of Northwest Iowa. “The availability of safe, reli-able and affordable electricity is the most importantkey factor in businesses determining where to locateand expand,” said Terry L. Bruns, President/CEO.“We are pleased Iowa Lakes has participated in proj-ects that have helped several businesses locate orexpand in Northwest Iowa.”

Iowa’s electric cooperatives invested money backinto their communities, contributing over $17 mil-lion statewide to support business and communitydevelopment programs. In addition electric coopera-tives:w Managed a $679 million business that directly

affected the jobs of 6,900 and generated$176 million in local incomew Leveraged $6.8 million in grants and loans

into a $220 million impact on local business investments

w Provided financial and technical support for 44 wind turbines in their local areas with a capacity to generate 38 megawatts of power. Regionally, Iowa’s electric cooperatives provided some economic support for 350 megawatts of power

w Invested $11.7 million in energy efficiency programs and services and saved member-owners more than $18 million

“Contributing to the growth and development ofthe communities we serve is a part of the coopera-tives’ core business structure,” said Brian Kading,executive vice president of the Iowa Association ofElectric Cooperatives (IAEC). “We have strength innumbers and work together to grow and develop theregions we serve.”

The Power of Many, Working as One!

Iowa’s Electric Cooperatives Add $1.1 Billion to Local Economies

I N T H E S P O T L I G H T :Plan to Attend Your 2008 Annual Meeting April 12

You are invited to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s Annual Meeting onSaturday, April 12 at the Clay County Regional Events Center in Spencer,Iowa. Enjoy a delicious continental breakfast beginning at 9 a.m., followedby a morning mix of business and pleasure! With interesting displays onhand, a popular guest speaker on the agenda, and your chance to win doorprizes, this is an event you won’t want to miss. As a member-owned coop-erative, you will be participating in the important election of candidates torepresent you on the Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative Board of Directors.Find a complete annual meeting schedule and director candidate’s biogra-phies beginning on page 7.

President/CEO Comments . . . . . . . . . .2Environmental ResponsibilityMeets Reality

2008 Capital Work Plan . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Salute to Our Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4Hearing on Proposed Generation

Plant in Sutherland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

2008 Annual Meeting . . . . . . . . . . . . .62008 Director Candidates . . . . . . . . . .7

Bruns Elected to NRTC Board . . . . . . .9

Damaging Winter Storm Just Misses Us! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Planning A New Grain Bin? . . . . . . . .11

US Bio Albert City Honored . . . . . . .12

Basin Electric Plans New Wind Farm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Auto Bill Pay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Safety Instruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Beward of Phantom Loads . . . . . . . .14

Buy, Sell, Swap Ads . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

Oahe/Basin Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15

Nearly every respected utility analysis, suchas the North American Electric ReliabilityCorporation’s (NERC) most recent study, findsthat the United States is running out of power!As a result, there is a strong chance that electric-ity consumers somewhere in the United Statescould experience brownouts or blackouts in thevery near future if we don’t make some strategic,coordinated decisions and lifestyle changes.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy(DOE) demand for electricity will nationallyincrease by 40-percent over the next 20 yearseven with a 9-percent reduc-tion in electricity use due toenergy efficiency initiatives.

Electric cooperatives areand have always been leadersin promoting energy efficien-cy (conservation) along withthe wise use of energy. Safe,reliable and affordably pricedelectricity are yourCooperative’s primary coop-erative corporate goals.

Every energy decision thatis made has an impact on theenvironment and an inherent cost that everyoneis paying for the freedoms and lifestyle choicesthat are made by each of us every day. It is onlythrough increased personal awareness, bettereducation and a change in everyone’s personalbehavior can we make progress in reducing green-house gas (GHG) emissions that are considered tobe the leading cause for global warming.

Do you know what your carbon footprint isby using your Cooperative’s electricity?

The amount of energy that you use(and greenhouse gasses that you emit)by driving, flying, and turning on thelights is known as your carbon foot-print. Here’s how to calculate your car-bon footprint from your electricity use:

The national yearly average of electricityconsumption for a two-person household is16,290 kWh’s per year and for Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative member-owners this yearlyaverage consumption is 19,740 kWh’s per year.

Compare your total score with the nationalaverage, which is 7.5 CO2 per person per year.

You can also calculate your carbon footprintfor your gas and water utilities as well as yourdriving habits at web sites such as www.epa.gov.

Next time that you make a purchase, thinkbeyond the initial price tag or purchase cost.

Consider how this itemarrived at its final destination(American vs. Imported, InState vs. Out of State) andwhat is the real cost for thisproduct in terms of the ener-gy expended and the environ-mental impact created inorder for you to make thispurchase.

Consider whether the ulti-mate cost is warranted for thispurchase or is there somethingthat you can do personally to

make a difference in order to slow the emissionof greenhouse gasses (GHG).

As part of ten Cooperative Corporate Goalsis our Cooperative’s environmental responsi-bility goal:

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative shall pro-mote energy conservation methods and renew-able energy resources that are reliable, technicallyfeasible and cost effective for our member-owners.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative practices andthe social policy that we support, shall continue itslongstanding environmental leadership by bal-ancing the desire for more efficient methods ofenergy production and delivery system with anobligation to protect Northwest Iowa’s economicdevelopment potential with affordable electricrates and service reliability.

In pursuit of these objectives, the Cooperativeshall vigorously educate its member-owners,employees, the general public and public policy-makers about the opportunities and challengessurrounding existing and future environmentalpolicies.

Terry L. BrunsPresident/CEO

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative

2

Environmental Responsibility Meets Reality

The amount of energythat you use (and

greenhouse gasses thatyou emit) by driving,flying, and turning onthe lights is known asyour carbon footprint.

CALCULATE YOUR CARBON FOOT-PRINT

_______________ kWh per month X 1.37 CO2

X 12 mos./year= ______________ Total Carbon

3

In February 2008, your Board of Director’smet to review, analyze and then approve the2008 Capital Work Plan. This plan outlines

and provides direction for the Executive Teamto move forward with capital expenditures andstrategic initiatives for the year.

The Operations and Engineering budgetwas the largest in your Cooperative’s historyrepresenting a proposed $4,683,195 of expendi-tures. This significant increase from prior years’activity is mainly due to price increases fortransformers, poles and wire along with anincrease in transportation costs due to the ris-ing cost of diesel fuel combined with vehiclemaintenance and repairs expense. (Total milesdriven for 2007 was 573,740 as compared to593,567 miles for 2006).

Before approving a new Capital Work Plan,it is always important to review the past year’saccomplishments. As my father would alwaysremind me “You don’t know where you aregoing, if you don’t know where you have been.”The following Cooperative Corporate Goalsare used to internally benchmark yourCooperative’s annual performance.

n SAFETY GOAL: To complete each yearwithout a lost time work accident by providinga safe work environment while constructingand maintaining the electric utility plant inaccordance with good engineering practices.

The Cooperative experienced one lost timework accident in 2007.

n COMPETITIVE PRICING GOAL:To maintain the base price for energy cost

within 20% of Iowa’s investor-owned utilities’average. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’sfarm/residential rate is very competitive whencompared to Alliant Energy (Interstate Powerand Light) while not as competitive withMidAmerican Energy.

However, the $300,000 2006 margin rebate(which was applied as a bill credit to member-owner’s bills in 2007) and the $750,000 2007margin rebate (which was a $40.06 bill creditfor the average farm/residential member-owner for 1,600 kWhs monthly usage), reducesthe 2008 monthly utility bill by $3.33 permonth.

Your Cooperative has returned over $3million in margin rebate bill credits since 1994which has the overall affect of reducing mem-ber-owners annual utility bills when the mar-gin rebate is taken into consideration.

n SERVICE INTERUPPTIONS GOAL: Tolimit service interuptions to an average of 1.5hours or fewer per customer per year.

2007 Total Outage Hours Per Customer Including a severe 10-day storm in

Feb/March ‘07 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2.626 hoursWithout severe storm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .0.834 hours

n ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GOAL:To establish and maintain a strong and

active economic development program forNorthwest Iowa that will be supported by ded-icated Cooperative staff and through fundingfrom Iowa Lakes Development Corporationand other available resources.

Iowa Lakes successfully worked and part-nered with many economic development proj-ects in 2007 and U.S. Bio Energy, Albert City,Iowa was recognized by the Iowa AreaDevelopment Group (IADG) in Des Moines,Iowa as the Cooperative’s 18th Venture Awardrecipient.

nSALES GROWTH GOAL: To increase totalenergy KWh sales by 5% annually.

Iowa Lakes load growth for 2007 was30.5% and was the highest in the Cooperative’s21 year history as a member-owned utility.

n ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITYGOAL: To promote energy conservation meth-ods and renewable energy resources that arereliable, technically-feasible and cost effectivefor our member-owners. Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative shall continue its longstandingenvironmental leadership by balancing thedesire for more efficient methods of energyproduction and delivery with an obligation toprotect Northwest Iowa’s economic develop-ment potential with affordable electric ratesand service reliability.

In pursuit of these objectives, theCooperative shall vigorously educate its mem-ber-owners, employees, the general public andpublic policymakers about the opportunitiesand challenges surrounding existing and futureenvironmental policies.

The Cooperative expended $1.09 milliondollars for energy efficiency measures whichprovided $1.08 million dollars in participantsavings to Cooperative member-owners.

In addition, the Cooperative was awardedby the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $43 mil-

lion dollars in Clean Renewable Energy Bonds(CREBs) for two wind turbine farms inDickinson and Kossuth Counties.

n CUSTOMER RELATIONS GOAL:To establish and maintain a strong and suc-

cessful Customer Relationship Program. Thisshall be accomplished by combining the effortsof our coordinated customer services, call cen-ter, billing, collections and customer communi-cations into a seamless function designed topromote and exemplify superior customerservice and relations.

Your Cooperative scored a 94 surveyindex rating (up from an 88 index score in2006) from the most recent AmericanCustomer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) surveywhich rates Iowa Lakes in the top 3% of coop-eratives nationally for customer service andsatisfaction.

n CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP GOAL:To strongly encourage all employees and

directors to take an active part of the commu-nity in which they live and work by contribut-ing a combined minimum of 3,500 hours peryear to local civic, government or volunteergroups while supporting community better-ment programs through budgeted work planexpenditures and Operation Round Up.

The employee team and directors donated3,541 hours towards community bettermentand providing multiple donations to worth-while local area organizations from theOperation Round Up fund.

n COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GOAL:To be an active participant in community

development activities within the Cooperative’seight county electric service area. This focus willbe primarily on providing assistance throughthe support of surveys and special projects aslocal community needs are identified.

Your Cooperative provided the EsthervilleIndustrial Development Corporation (EIDC)with a donation to support Estherville’s com-munity development/betterment programidentified as Excel Estherville and to otherlocal economic development organizations.

It was and continues to be an honor andprivilege to serve the member-owners of IowaLakes Electric Cooperative efficiently andresponsibly. On behalf of the Board ofDirectors and employee team we thank you foryour continued business and local support.

2008 Capital Work Plan Approved

ssaalluuttee ttoo oouurr tteeaamm

Employee safety and training arefundamental cooperative values forIowa Lakes Electric Cooperative andBrad DeWall of Pocahontas, Iowa hassuccessfully completed the highestlevel of training an electric linemancan achieve. Over the last four years,DeWall has completed the MerchantJob Training and Safety Program(MJTS) which includes 576 hours ofacademic training for an apprenticelineman to advance to journeymanlineman status.

The MJTS Program is adminis-tered to utility line personnel through-

out the world and is comprised of 17key competency topics required forutility journeyman lineman person-nel. In order to complete the pro-gram, DeWall needed to completeeach instructional topic, pass each sec-tion test and take a comprehensiveexamination that tests knowledge overall four years. Successful completionof the MJTS Program, concurrentwith a structured on-the-job trainingprogram, demonstrates that DeWallhas the knowledge and experiencenecessary to become a journeymanlineman. Congratulations Brad!

For the second year in a row, Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative’s Spencer service center team won theOutage Award with the lowest amount of member-owner outage hours in 2007! As illustrated on thegraph, the Spencer service center’s area had only209.72 outage hours during the year, whichincludes the 10 days of outages your Cooperativeexperienced from the major winter ice storms inlate February and early March 2007 that accountedfor nearly 75 percent of the total outages experi-enced last year.

Each year, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’sseven local service center crews compete for thelowest amount of outage hours both monthly andannually. “We are proud of each of our servicecenters that has had the honor of winning the out-age award over the last 14 years that we have hadthis competition,” said Rick Olesen, Vice Presidentof Operations and Engineering. “However, thisyear the Spencer service center held on to their titleby winning the Outage Award for the second con-secutive year!”

DeWall Earns Journeyman Lineman Status

Picture Caption: Rick Olesen (right), Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative’s Director of Operations presents BradDeWall (left) his Journeyman Lineman Certificate.

4

S P E N C E R T E A M W I N SOutage Award Again!

S A L U T E T O O U R C O O P E R A T I V E E M P L O Y E E S

2007 YTD Outage Hours

434.73

209.72

382.95298.86

628.19

Esthervilleand Swea City

Emmetsburg& Pocahontas

Storm Lake Spencer Cherokee

Pictured left to right: Kirby Berhow, Supervisor of Operations Support Services; SteveDeterman, Lineman; Shane Helmich, Operations Field Technician; Clay Carstens,Crew Foreman; Steve Loken, Linemen; Scott Whitaker, Lineman; Joe Caven, Lineman;Burce Lingbeck, Lineman

While they hope and pray it is a skill they neverhave to use, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s linemenparticipated in Pole Top Rescue Training during theCooperative’s monthly Safety Meeting on October 9,2007 at the Spencer Service Center in Spencer, Iowa.

Pole Top Rescue Training is designed to provideinstructions for linemen who may need to rescue a fel-low lineman who may be injured and is still on the poleor in a bucket. The speed and care involved in thisprocess may make the difference between the life anddeath of a co-worker who is unconscious.

This unconsciousness could be caused from contactwith an energized line or even because of some suddenillness such as a heart attack. The Pole Top RescueTraining simulates emergency rescues. How quicklyand accurately a lineman can perform the necessaryprocedures is critical during this practice program.

The rescue training requires a lineman to call in the“May Day” emergency on the radio system so that dis-patchers know where to send emergency help. Thelineman must then get climbing gear from their truck,survey the scene for potential hazards, put on theirclimbing gear and climb a 40-foot pole to lower a 200-pound mannequin down to the ground with the help ofa rope, known as a life-line.

After the mannequin is down, the lineman mustclimb down the pole, remove his high-voltage safetygloves and climbing gear and begin administeringCPR. To complete the exercise successfully, the entireprocedure has to be completed in less than four min-utes to prevent brain damage to a victim due to lack ofoxygen. Pole top rescues are not common, but they dohappen. Safety First, Always!

We take safety seriously!

P o l e To p R e s c u e Tr a i n i n g

IUB HEARING ON PROPOSED NEW COAL GENERATION PLANT IN IOWA

ILEC lineman, Shane Helmich,

demonstrates hispole top rescue skills

during annual training.

5

M e m b e r - O w n e r N e w s

Two directors of Corn Belt PowerCooperative, power supplier to IowaLakes Electric Cooperative expressedtheir support for Interstate Power andLight’s (IPL’s) Sutherland GeneratingStation Unit 4, which is proposed forMarshalltown during a public commentsession that kicked off a week-long IowaUtilities Board hearing at the IowaVeterans Home’s Whitehall Auditoriumon January 14, 2008.

Corn Belt Power, although not a for-mal part of the hearing proceedings, hasannounced it will be a joint owner of theplant along with IPL (a subsidiary ofAlliant Energy), Central Iowa PowerCooperative and North Iowa MunicipalElectric Cooperative Association.

Don Feldman, Corn Belt PowerPresident and Butler County REC direc-tor, and Charlie Gilbert, Corn Belt PowerTreasurer and Midland PowerCooperative director, were two of themore than 30 people who were allowed tospeak for two minutes each in support ofthe plant. The two-hour public commentsession alternated a speaker in favor ofthe plant followed by a speaker opposedto the plant. Supporters of the Sutherlandplant were still waiting to speak after theopponents’ lineup was finished after anhour and five minutes.

Feldman explained that, as a farmerand a Cooperative director, he is a witnessto the changes in the Iowa landscape withthe development and growth of renew-able fuels production. He stated thatCorn Belt Power’s member cooperativesproject a 50 percent increase in electricdemand over five years to serve theethanol and biodiesel industries.

To meet that growing demand, heexplained, Corn Belt Power is addingrenewable energy sources, encouragingenergy efficiency and adding highly effi-cient coal generation such as theSutherland plant.

Gilbert’s presentation captured theattention of those attending by includingseveral hats - literally - that Gilbert wearsin his life. Donning his farmer hat, heexplained that he and his neighbors areexperiencing record high corn and soy-bean prices, which is contributing to aprosperous rural Iowa economy.

Changing to his HawkeyeRenewables hat, Gilbert said the ethanolindustry is still expanding, which willrequire more electricity. Finally, Gilbertput on his Midland Power Cooperativehat to explain how the growth of electric-ity demand is affecting the cooperativeshe helps lead.

He concluded, wearing a seed corncap, “The seed for a highly efficient, cleancoal plant has been planted. I ask the IUBboard to put on your ‘grow Iowa’ capsand help grow rural Iowa by approvingour Iowa Sutherland Unit 4 plant.”

The hearings continued throughFriday, January 18, 2008, with the three-member Iowa Utilities Board calling wit-nesses to collect information the boardwill use to decide whether to grant AlliantEnergy’s request for a certificate to buildthe plant. A final decision on the plant isexpected by July 2008. The plant’s projectis also contingent on the IowaDepartment of Natural Resources granti-ng the necessary environmental permits.

Speakers line up in support of the proposed Sutherland Unit 4 power plant at the Iowa UtilitiesBoard hearing Jan. 14 at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. Don Feldman and CharlieGilbert presented the Corn Belt Power perspective of why the plant is necessary. Photo courtesyof Marshalltown Times Republican/Ryan Brinks photographer.

6

S AT U R DAY, A P R I L 1 2 T H E V E N T

9 am Doors Open (Registration Begins)• Continental breakfast served• Visit with members, employees and directors• Display area opens. Check out the great deals available on

WildBlue™ High-Speed Wireless Internet, Heartland Security Systems, Energy Efficient Water Heaters and more!

10 am Business Meeting• Secretary’s Report• Nominating Committee Report• Chairman’s Report • Treasurer’s Report• President/CEO Report • Guest Speaker, Doug Rye, “King of Caulk and Talk”• Director Election• Prize Drawing

Doug Rye“King of Caulk & Talk”Annual Meeting Guest Speaker

Doug Rye, known as the“King of Caulk and Talk,”hosts a popular weekly radiotalk program “HomeRemedies” which has beenon the air for 15 years in 14states. Each week during theradio program, Doug pro-vides energy saving tips and

answers questions from listeners across the country. Doug Rye is probably the best known residential

energy consultant in the nation. Doug graduatedfrom the University of Arkansas with a degree inarchitecture and began his career in 1968 at theFarmers Home Administration (FmHA). It was dur-ing the Arab oil embargo that he was assigned to findways to help low-income families reduce their soar-ing electric bills. “We had people in Arkansas wholost their homes during the oil embargo because theycould not pay their bills,” Doug recalls.

Upon resigning from the FmHA, Doug began hisown business and combined his skills as a licensedarchitect, his knowledge of energy, and his apprecia-tion of environmental conservation.

Doug works with people and contractors allacross the United States building and remodelinghomes and other buildings designing the most ener-gy efficient structures possible. His techniquesinclude the use of cellulose insulation, geothermalheat pumps, and energy efficient hot water heaters.

Tune-in to hear the King of Caulk & Talk!Iowa Lakes Electric

Cooperative, alongwith Osceola ElectricCooperative, are bring-ing the popular King ofCaulk & Talk to you bysponsoring Doug Rye’s radio program, “HomeRemedies” on KUQQ 102.1 FM Radio every Saturdaymorning from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Tune in eachSaturday morning and learn how to save on yourenergy costs!

Gran

d A

ve

360th St.11th St. SE11th Ave. SW

West 4th St East 4th St

Spencer

Spencer Country Club

Clay CountyFairgrounds

West 18th Street

Clay Co. RegionalEvents Center800 West 18th St.Spencer, Iowa

Annual Meeting Location Map

I N T H E S P O T L I G H T :Plan to Attend Your 2008 Annual Meeting April 12

ANNUAL MEETING

‘08

REMEMBER to bring yourOfficial Registration Card.It will allow you to be eligiblefor the door prize drawings.You must be present to win.

DON’TFORGET! N

12

3

11

Bin Height (ft.)

Add 5 feet to allow for displacement of electric wires due to wind.

Minimum bin set back requirements from electric wires (ft.)

Wire Height (ft.)

Contact your Energy Advisor before you purchase the binor add any new motor load to ensure that your load functionsproperly and does not compromise the quality of theCooperative’s electrical service delivered to others.

Individual motors of 25 horsepower (HP) or larger requirean engineering analysis and may require the installation of “softstart” equipment to reduce voltage problems.

According to the Iowa Electric Safety Code found in IowaAdministrative Code Chapter 199 – 20.4(15) b., an electricalutility may refuse or disconnect service without notice in theevent of “customer use of equipment in a manner whichadversely affects the utility’s equipment or the utility’s service toothers.”

Your Cooperative has a “Shared Power” program thatrequires large, seasonal loads of 25 KVA or larger to share in theannual costs for transmission and distribution capacity. Inorder to determine the annual Shared Power requirement, thetransformer is sized to meet your highest expected demand dur-ing the year. The Shared Power program is a cost-effective andconvenient program that offers you the flexibility and local con-trol of your farming operation.

Remember, when you communicate EARLY with the pro-fessionals at Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative we can help youplan for a safe and cost effective new grain bin. Help us to helpyou!

CALL BEFORE THE GRAIN BIN PAD IS POURED | CALL BEFORE THE BIN SITE IS CONFIRMED | CALL BEFORE YOU PURCHASE OR ADD ANY NEW MOTOR LOAD

Before planning for a new grain bin (orto move an existing bin), make sure thatyou contact your Cooperative’s EnergyAdvisor to review the specific safety clear-ances along with the electric servicerequirements and associated charges. Inorder to meet your expectations and toprovide you with the electricity when andwhere you need it, please allow a mini-mum of six to eight weeks lead-time byfollowing the guidelines listed below.

Contact your Energy Advisor beforethe grain bin pad is poured to ensure it islocated a safe distance from overheadpower lines.

Your local Energy Advisor will provideyou with the assistance you need for a safeenvironment for those living and workingnear or around the grain bins. The State ofIowa requires specific clearances for over-head electric lines around grain bins, withdifferent standards for those filled byportable or permanent augers, conveyorsand elevators.

Electric wires should be at least 15 feetfrom the non-loading side of the grain bin;at least 18 feet from the highest filling orprobing port on the bin; and a clearance ofat least the bin height plus 18 feet from theloading side of the grain bin. Electric serv-ice cannot be provided to a grain bin instal-lation that does not meet these specificclearances.

According to the Iowa Electric SafetyCode found in Iowa Administrative CodeChapter 199—25.2(3) b. An electric utilitymay refuse to provide electric service to

any grain bin built near an existing electricline which does not provide the clearancesrequired by The American NationalStandards Institute (ANSI) C2-1997“National Electrical Safety Code,” Rule234f. This paragraph “b” shall apply only tograin bins loaded by portable augers, con-veyors or elevators and built afterSeptember 9, 1992, or to grain bins loadedby permanently installed augers, conveyorsor elevators built after December 24, 1997.

To promote safety, it is also suggestedthat you post warning signs indicating“loading” and “non-loading” sides of thebin. Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative hasfree warning decals available that can beused to alert others around grain bins.Safety First, Always!

Contact your Energy Advisor beforethe bin site is confirmed to ensure thereare adequate electrical facilities in placeto handle the new electric load.

Your local Energy Advisor will deter-mine the electric service requirements (sin-gle or three phase service) relative to thegrain bin’s motor size and review with youthe associated service extension charges.

SERVICE EXTENSION CHARGESMember-owners are charged a contri-

bution in aid of construction to extend orupgrade the Cooperative’s existing servicefacilities to your bin site. The serviceextension charges are based on the distanceand the additional KVA capacity of loadinstalled.

Planning a New Grain Bin?

Introducing Kill A Watt™What Are YourAppliances Consuming?

Are you aware of how much ener-gy that big screen television or thatold, spare refrigerator in the base-ment or garage is using? With theKill A Watt™ electricity usage moni-tor, you can discover how much elec-tricity your household appliancesconsume and which appliances con-tinue to consume electricity evenwhen turned off (phantom loads).

Simply plug the Kill A Watt™ monitor into anyhousehold outlet and plug your appliance into the KillA Watt™ and the monitor will display how much elec-tricity is being consumed, regardless of whether theappliance is turned on or off. The Kill A Watt™ displaywill count electricity consumption by the kilowatt hour(kWh) enabling you to calculate your electrical operat-ing costs by the day, week, month, even an entire year.

Member-owners can borrow the Kill A Watt™monitor from the Cooperative free of charge for aone week time period. Simply stop by the office inEstherville or call your Cooperative at 800-225-4532 to “check-out” a Kill A Watt™ monitor for usein your home for a one week time period.

N e w s Y o u C a n U s e

I L E C N E W S

Local Building Professionals and Energy ManagersAttend Energy-Efficient Building Conference

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s energy advisor Larry Walthartrecently attended the Momentum Is Building conference in DesMoines, Iowa, along with Comfortec Inc., President, Jesse Jones andSpirit Lake manager Mark Herrig. The two-day conference, sponsoredby Iowa’s electric cooperatives, is focused on energy-efficient buildingpractices and materials, green building, and best practices in the indus-try and is partially funded by a grant from the Iowa Energy Center.

The sessions were well attended, with home building professionalsand cooperative staff from across Iowa present. “Energy efficiency is acritical factor in the success of builders in today’s market,” says LarryWalthart, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s Energy Advisor. “Buildingtrades professionals know that the consumers they serve want the mostenergy-efficient home possible. We support the Momentum Is BuildingConference as a way to help our local trade professionals and the con-sumers in our area.”

Even though Iowa Lakes’ service terri-tory narrowly missed the major iceand winter storm that hit southern

Iowa in early December 2007, that didn’tstop your Cooperative’s line crew fromassisting in power restoration efforts follow-ing this winter storm.

Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative dis-patched 10 linemen (Pat Walsh, foreman,Jason Thorson, Chris Hoffman, DaveGrothaus, Joe Caven, Shane Helmich, ScottWhitaker, Brian Scott, Dennis Rodger,Jeremy Madden), two basket trucks, threedigger trucks and two pole trailers toSouthwest Iowa REC and Clarke ElectricCooperative to help restore power to theirmember-owners who were without electric-ity caused by the ice, snow and strong winds.

For over seven days, Iowa Lakes’ stormcrews worked long hours, averaging 13-14hour work days to help restore power to asmany member-owners as quickly and safelyas possible. It was reported that at one point,

Southwest Iowa REC, headquartered inMount Ayr, Iowa, had 100 percent of theirmember-owners without electricity.

According to Pat Walsh, who lived inMount Ayr, Iowa and worked as a linemanfor Rideta Electric Cooperative for approx-imately five years before it merged andbecame part of Southwest Iowa REC, “Thewidespread outages were due to the icebuild-up on trees causing the heavy, ice-coated branches to snap, taking down thepower lines.”

Even though Mother Nature was on thecrew’s side as the temperature warmed-upinto the 30’s later that week, much of therestoration efforts required them to usetheir climbing hooks and gear due to theinability to get trucks through rough ter-rain and hilly areas.

Iowa’s electric cooperatives have amutual aid agreement to assist each otherduring times of crisis and the cooperativewhich suffered the storm damages pays the

DAMAGING WINTER STORM JUST MISSES US!

cost of the repair work. Iowa Lakes would liketo thank the storm restoration team for volun-teering for this difficult assignment, workinglong days, away from their homes and underadverse circumstances to restore electricity tofellow electric cooperative member-owners inIowa.

Pictured left to right: Pat Walsh (foreman), ScottWhitaker, Brian Scott, Shane Helmich, JasonThorson, Chris Hoffman, Dennis Rodger, JeremyMadden, Dave Grothaus, Joe Caven

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Your Cooperatives’ President/CEO, Terry L. Bruns, was recentlyelected as the Chairman of theNational Rural TelecommunicationsCooperative (NRTC). Terry hasserved on the NRTC Board ofDirectors for the past ten years, withtwo of those years serving as NRTC’sVice Chairman and the previous twoyears serving as the Secretary-Treasurer. Terry was electedChairman during NRTC’s 2008Annual Meeting held in Anaheim,California, on February 24, 2008.

NRTC leads and supports morethan 13,000 member organizations bydelivering technology and telecom-munications solutions to strengthenmember businesses, promote eco-nomic development and improve thequality of life in rural America.

Terry is a native of Storm Lake, IAand graduated from Buena VistaCollege in Storm Lake, IA. Terry is aCertified Public Accountant (CPA)and was formerly a partner withRingsdorf & Associates with a localaccounting firm until he joined theCooperative in February 1986 as itsDirector of Finance and OfficeServices and assumed thePresident/CEO position in July 1996.Terry is a member of the AmericanInstitute of Certified Public Accounts(AICPA), Iowa Society of CertifiedPublic Accountants (ISCPA) and a1991 graduate of the NRECAManagement Internship Program(MIP). Congratulations Terry!

BRUNS ELECTEDCHAIRMAN OF NRTC BOARD

Energy News

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8

I N T H E S P O T L I G H T :Plan to Attend Your 2008 Annual Meeting April 12

L.J. (LINUS)SOLBERG

CYLINDER, IA

LEO STEPHAS

RUTHVEN, IANEAL HELDT

MALLARD, IA

Education: 1 yr. at Iowa State University,Farm Operations

Occupation: Farmer

What are your strengths: Knowthe community, familiar with theorganization, eager to help accomplish goals.

Short Term Goals: Make sure wecontinue to have affordableelectricity.

Long Term Goals: Produce moreenergy with renewable resources.

Biggest Concern: The economics of our area.

Other organizations and activitiesyou are/have been active in:Trustee of Trinity Lutheran Churchin Mallard, Mallard Volunteer FireDepartment, Trustee of EllingtonTownship, Vice President of localchapter of Thrivent

Education: Iowa State Univ.– Farm OperationsOccupation: Farmer, Seed and Chemical Dealer

What are your strengths: Active in community affairs; will-ing to get involved; willing to listen to other people’s ideasand suggestions with an open mind and try to representthem to the best of my ability; honest; and willing to spendtime to research any issue.

Short Term Goals: ILEC is a strong company, with greatemployees and a great history. I want to help the companymaintain its status as a profitable, yet low-cost, provider ofservice to its customer members. Further, I want to helpdevelop plans for the future while remaining true to theREC historical mission.

Long Term Goals: I believe that ILEC should continue to bea leader in economic development for our communities,while building a new customer base and also exploring anddeveloping alternative energy for rural America while keep-ing the environment a top concern.

Biggest Concern: Profitability – it’s a balancing act of try-ing to stay competitive and keep rates down while dealingwith a dwindling customer base and usage. This balancingact means that there must be a focus on ensuring qualityservice to all customers – including remote and small usersthat are critical to rural Iowa.

Other organizations and activities you are/have beenactive in: Lakeside Lutheran Home, National SPF SwineAccrediting Agency, Representative (for County Attorney’sOffice) – Palo Alto Co. Civil Service Commission, President– St. John’s Lutheran Church (1995 – 1999), President –Palo Alto Co. Pork Producers, President – Palo AltoCounty Fair Board, Chairman – 4-H and FFA AdvisoryCommittee, Member – Iowa Food Policy Council

Education: BS Degree at Iowa State Univ.

Occupation: Farmer

What are your strengths: Ability tolisten, make decisions based on facts,good communication skills

Short Term Goals: Maintaining thestrong viable organizations that ILECis presently.

Long Term Goals: Continuedgrowth and service to ILEC cus-tomers.

Biggest Concern: Over regulationof the industry based on emotionsrather than scientific facts.

Other organizations and activitiesyou are/have been active in:Zion Lutheran Church, Ayrshire, IA,Served 15 years on Iowa LakesCommunity College Board, PorkProducers, Past President Palo AltoCounty Farm Bureau

n D I S T R I C T I I I C A N D I D A T E S ANNUAL MEETING

‘08

Save the Date!2008 Member Appreciation DaysJune 11 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Regional Wellness Center, EsthervilleJune 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Summit Evangelical Church, AltaJune 17 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pocahontas Expo Center, PocahontasJune 18 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Regional Events Center, Spencer

JUNE 2008S M T W T F S1 2 3 4 5 6 78 9 10 11 12 13 14

15 16 17 18 19 20 2122 23 24 25 26 27 2829 30

Join your fellow members at Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s 2008 AnnualMeeting. The Annual Meeting will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2008. Themeeting will take place at the Clay County Regional Events Center located onthe Clay County Fair Grounds in Spencer, Iowa. The purpose of the meetingwill be to elect board directors and conduct regular annual meeting business.Please join us for a free continental breakfast, business meeting and drawings!

RICHARD HANSON(Incumbent Running Unopposed)ESTHERVILLE, IA

STEVEN WILLIAMS(Incumbent Running Unopposed)STORM LAKE, IA

PETER HANSEN(Incumbent)RUTHVEN, IA

PAUL E. BENSON

SPENCER, IA

O N E M E M B E R , O N E VO T EDirector Elections for All Four Districts

Education: Iowa Lakes Community College

Occupation: Farmer – seed sales

What are your strengths: Problem solver,independent thinker, outgoing

Short Term Goals: Promote economic development within the county

Long Term Goals: Promote memberinvolvement in local co-ops

Biggest Concern: Losing small familyfarms to large corporations.

Other organizations and activities youare/have been active in: Enjoy golfing and fishing

Education: B.S. Iowa State UniversityOccupation: Farmer

What are your strengths: I think I am rea-sonable and willing to look out for member’sinterest and the purpose of this cooperative.

Short Term Goals: The maintenance of theentire ILEC system is challenged by escalat-ing costs but it is vital to keep it up to our standards.

Long Term Goals: Keeping electric service atthe lowest possible cost and reliability high.

Biggest Concern: How do we modernize thecooperative business model while maintainingthe basic principle of one vote per member?

Other organizations and activities youare/have been active in: Ruthven UnitedMethodist Church, Masonic Lodge

Education: 1 year collegeOccupation: Farmer

What are your strengths: Ability to objec-tively view a problem and find ways to thesolution. Always questioning and lookingfor answers.

Short Term Goals: Provide competitivelypriced electrical power to the customer/owners of Iowa Lakes. Search for innova-tive ways to provide electrical service thatwill serve future needs.

Long Term Goals: Looking for opportuni-ties that will maintain ILEC’s strong future.Dealing with environmental concerns.

Other organizations and activities youare/have been active in: Attend St Mary’sChurch Storm Lake, Newell Children’sCenter Board of Directors; Past: Newell-Fonda School Board, Farm Bureau (countyand state) and Chairman Buena VistaCounty Pork Producers

n D I S T R I C T I C A N D I D A T E S n D I S T R I C T I I

n D I S T R I C T I V

What are your strengths:Organized, dedicated, motivated, innovative

Short Term Goals: To workwith the Board of Directorsand staff of ILEC to deliver service and reliability at thelowest cost to the consumer.

Long Term Goals: To seekways of purchasing cheaperenergy whether through environmentally friendlygreen power or base load generation and to continue toseek industrial load.

Biggest Concern: Inflation,energy efficiency and conservation

Other organizations andactivities you are/have beenactive in: ChurchEducation: 2 yrs., Iowa Lakes

Community CollegeOccupation: Retired and seed sales 7

powerYou’ve got the

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The Iowa Area Development Group(IADG), on behalf of Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative, honored US Bio Albert Citywith the 2007 Iowa Venture Award fortheir significant contributions in diversi-fying and developing Iowa’s rural econo-my. US Bio Albert City was one of 10distinguished Iowa companies to receivethe prestigious 2007 Venture Award.

US Bio Energy began production inDecember 2006 with a 100 million gallonper year production ethanol plant East ofAlbert City, Iowa. The Albert Cityethanol plant consumes roughly 37 mil-lion bushels of corn, produces more than600 million gallons of ethanol annuallyand created more than 40 jobs for thelocal economy. US Bio Energy was found-ed in 2004 and in November 2007, theyannounced a merger agreement withVeraSun Energy Corporation whichcombined would make them the globalleader in ethanol production at 1.6 billiongallons of ethanol production capacity bythe end of 2008.

“The Iowa Venture Award has a richand prestigious history. Since 1988,IADG has recognized Iowa’s leadingcompanies that have helped sustain andgrow the Iowa economy. Iowa AreaDevelopment Group and our memberelectric cooperatives and municipal elec-tric systems are grateful to have theopportunity to honor and recognize theseoutstanding Iowa companies,” said IADGPresident, Rand M. Fisher. “Each year aswe honor business leaders and entrepre-neurs with the Iowa Venture Award wealso thank these accomplished companiesfor their commitment to Iowa throughcapital investment and job creation,”added Fisher. Since 1985 the PowerfulPartnerships and economic developmentefforts of IADG and their sponsoring util-ities have helped generate over $5.5 bil-lion dollars of capital investment and over37,000 jobs for Iowa. US Bio Albert Citywas Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative’s18th Venture Award recipient.

US BIO ALBERT CITY HONORED WITH IOWA VENTURE AWARD

US Bio Albert City, of Albert City, Iowa, received the 2007Venture Award recognizing the company for its expansionand contribution to Iowa’s economy. Iowa Secretary ofAgriculture, Bill Northey, presented the award on behalfof the Iowa Area Development Group L.C., (IADG).Pictured left to right: Bill Northey; Jed Skogerboe; IowaLakes Electric Cooperative; Doug Vlasman, Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative; Pete Krull, General Manager, US BioAlbert City; Tresa Hussong, Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative; Rand Fisher, President of IADG.

ECONOMICGROWTH NEWS

Basin Electric PlansNew Wind Farm

Look for a lot more of your electricity to come from wind power by 2010.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative, the wholesale energy provider for IowaLakes Electric Cooperative, has begun plans to build and open a 77-turbinewind farm near Minot, N.D., by 2010. It will be the first major wind farm underBasin Electric’s ownership although the cooperative currently has about 136megawatts of wind power in its portfolio. The new wind farm will add 115.5megawatts (MW).

In 2002, Basin Electric erected two wind turbines near Minot, and anothertwo near Chamberlain, S.D. The electricity generated by these wind resourcesis marketed under the name PrairieWinds – Energy in Motion.Now cooperative employees are preparing to own, operate and maintain thefull-size wind project near Minot. Each wind turbine will stand 80 meters tallwith an installed cost of the more than $3 million each, totaling $240 millionfor the entire cost of the project.

Most of Basin Electric’s current wind power comes from turbines ownedand operated by FPL Energy, an energy company based in Florida. This newproject at Minot is the first wind project wholly owned by a Basin Electric sub-sidiary. Basin Electric is also exploring the possibility of building a second windproject, similar to the one in North Dakota, to be located in South Dakota.

Hans Clausen has faithfully representedIowa Lakes’ member-owners from District IIIfor 16 consecutive years as a board director.Clausen will complete his final four year termon April 12, 2008 at Iowa Lakes ElectricCooperative’s Annual Meeting.

Iowa Lakes Board of Directors andemployee team would like to congratulateHans Clausen for providing his leadership as adirector and for representing District III well.

LONG-TIME BOARD DIRECTORRETIRES AFTER 16 YEARS OF SERVICE!

WIND WIND

WINDWIND WINDWIND

ENERGY

ENERGY

THANK YOU FOR YOUR DEDICATION

FAS

T • E A S Y • F R E E • F A S T • EA

S Y •

FR

EE •

FAST • EASY • FREE •

AUTOMATIC BILL PAYMENT

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Members Helping MembersWhat is RECare?

RECare provides local community action agencieswith funds to help low-income families pay for winterheating bills and weatherize their homes. This programallows you to help other less fortunate electric coopera-tive member-owners.

Through RECare, you may make a one-time contri-bution or a monthly pledge that will automatically beadded to your monthly electric bill. Even one ($1.00)dollar a month will help others. To participate, pleasecomplete the form below and return it with your month-ly billing statement to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative.Thank you for your support of this worthwhile program!

Members Helping MembersR E C a r e P a r t i c i p a t i o n F o r m

Yes, I want to be part of “members helping members” and contribute to RECare.m I will make a one-time contribution to RECare. My check is enclosed.m I will contribute $____per month to RECare. I understand that this amount will be automatically added to my monthly electric bill.

Name: ________________________________________________Address:________________________________________________City, State, Zip: __________________________________________Acct. #: ________________________________________________

Please return reply form with your Iowa Lakes billing statement

Members Helping Members

!

!

The Free and Easy Way to PayYour Monthly Electric Bill!Let the bank pay your electric bill with AutomatedClearing House (ACH). No more worries whether your elec-tric bill was paid or if it reached your Cooperative on time.ACH is a convenient way to pay your monthly bill. If yousign up for ACH, your monthly electric bill payment isautomatically deducted from your bank account.Member-owners no longer need to write a check and mailit or worry about forgetting to pay your bill on time.

All you have to do is fill out and sign the Automatic BillPayment Form (on the right) along with a voided checkand return to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative.

The amount of your electric bill will be deducted fromyour specified account on the 20th of the month. (If thatday should fall on a weekend or holiday, the deductionwill be processed on the following business day.)

If you have any questions about Automated Payment,please call Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative at 800-225-4532 for more information.

qI hereby authorize Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative to initiate variabledebit entries to my account at the financial institution named below for pay-ment of my monthly electric bill. I will continue to receive a monthly bill. Thebill will state in the bottom right-hand corner “Bank Draft DO NOT PAY”.The amount of my bill will be deducted from my account on the 20th of themonth. (If that day should fall on a weekend or holiday, the deduction willbe processed on the following business day.)

It is also understood that I agree to be bound by the operating rules andguidelines of the National Automated Clearing House Association and shallhave rights set forth here with respect to all entries initiated by Iowa LakesElectric Cooperative pursuant to this agreement.

It is understood that this agreement may be terminated by me (or eitherof us) at any time by written notice to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative. Anysuch notifications to Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative shall be effective onlywith respect to entries initiated after receipt of such notification.

Bank Account InformationName of Financial Institution: ______________________________Routing Number:__________________________________________Bank Account Number: ____________________________________Type of Account: q Checking q Savings

SignatureAuthorized Signature (Primary): ____________________________Authorized Signature (Joint): ________________________________Date: __________________________________________________Electric Account InformationElectric Account Number(s): ________________________________Name (as it appears on electric bill): ________________________**Please attach a voided check.

Beware of Phantom Loads in Your HomeYou may turn off the TV, hang up the cordless phone, let your computer go

to “sleep” and power down your DVD player, but all of these appliances—andmany others—continue to draw electricity, costing you energy dollars.

Energy use is multiplied in any appliance that has a lit display clock, mem-ory chip, or remote control. These include TVs, DVD and CD players, cableand satellite boxes, cordless phones, microwaves, water coolers, video gameplayers, burglar alarms and much more.

According to the Department of Energy, 40 percent of all electricity used topower home appliances is consumed when the appliances are turned off. It’salso estimated that these energy “vampires” use 5 percent of our total electrici-ty and cost U.S. consumers more than $3 billion annually, according to theAlliance to Save Energy. And it may become even more of a problem, as it isestimated that by 2015, electronics and small appliances will account for nearly30 percent of all home energy use.

So what can you do to save money?s Look for the Energy Star label on all appliances that you purchase. Energy

Star appliances may use as much as 50 percent less than other appliances.

s Purchase appliances—such as computers and monitors—that will go into sleep (also called power management or stand-by mode) when not in use.

s Anytime you purchase an appliance (such as a microwave) with a continually lighted display and/or clock, you will pay for the constant-on feature. If you can live without these features, your energy costs will

decrease.

s If you keep items in your entertainment center powered through power strips, you can turn off—and back on—all the equipment at once.

s To calculate the electricity used by various appliances when on and when

14

S A F E T Y F I R S T

SAFETY INSTRUCTIONimportant FOR STUDENTS

Customer Energy News

G E N E R A T E A B A C K U P P L A N

YOUR SAFETY IS OUR PRIORITYBecause we care about the safety of you and your

family, Iowa Lakes Electric Cooperative is active ineducating about and promoting electrical safety. Weprovide educational programs, have developed anumber of safety web sites and have tips to share withyou.

EDUCATIONAL AND SAFETY PROGRAMS:• Professional training. Our employees work

with organizations such as countywide fire departments and emergency teams to update them on changes and updates related to electrical fires and emergencies.

• Educational programs. We also visit schools inthe area and would be happy to visit your school or organization to demonstrate the importance of electrical safety. To schedule a demonstration for your school or organization,contact Ann at 800-225-4532, ext. 6704.

WE OFFER ONLINE RESOURCES:Visit www.ilec.coop for how-to information on

indoor and outdoor electrical projects and case stud-ies of tragedies and how to avoid those same mistakes.We provide links to sites that includes safety at work,at home and for educators, as well as seasonal safetytips and brochures. Our Kids Korner link is a greatresource for children to explore energy sources, effi-ciency, and safety and perform experiments, try outactivities and play games and activities. Finally,SafeElectricity.org offers tips, news articles, videosand much more. Safety First, Always!

Larry Walthart, Energy Advisor, demonstrates anelectrical safety program to students at EsthervilleLincoln Central.

12345

If you’re considering buying a home generator to use as a backup power source incase a storm knocks out your electricity, you’ll need to know a few things first.

It’s not safe to connect your generator directly into your home’swiring because it could “back-feed” electricity onto the electriclines that feed into your home. That electricity can make itsway into the power lines that your Cooperative’s line crewbelieve are “dead,” and can severely harm or even kill someoneas we try to safely restore the power.

Installing a generator is not a do-it-yourself job. Hire a licensed electrical contractor to install a disconnect switch that ensures your

generator will not send electricity back onto a power line andinjure someone on the other end of the line.

Plug only a few can’t-live-without-them appliances into your generator during a power outage. If you overload your generator by

trying to draw more electricity than it is designed to pro-duce, it can damage your valuable elec-tronics and appliances.

Store your generator outside in a well-ventilated area—not in the home or in the garage. Like any other gasoline-powered device, a generator produces carbon monoxide, which is not safe for your family to breathe. Keep the generator dry.

Turn your generator off and let it cool down before refueling it. If youspill gasoline on hot parts of the generator, it can ignite and create a fire.

ANTIQUES/COLLECTIBLESFor Sale: Sunbeam Shavemaster shaverfrom 1970's. Unused, in original case andbox with replacement head and blade set.Use or keep as a collectible. $150. 712-843-5565.FARM EQUIPMENTFor Sale: 2001 873G Bobcat, cab, heat,1500+ hours, 3 buckets, 1 set pallet forks,one owner. 712-260-8218.For Sale: 2 wheel utility carts $20 ea.; 4wheel dollies $10 ea.; Electric motors—1/2to 2 hp; Assorted size pneumatic cart tires;Sears yard trailer—like new $65. 8am-2pm712-362-5759.For Sale: Steal Fence posts, excellent con-dition. 712-363-1600.For Sale: Hiniker snow blade with electriccontrols. Excellent condition, used very lit-tle. Fits Dodge Ram & others. 712-859-3635.

For Sale: Tractor Chains for M Farmall,$175; Wheel Weights full plus half set, $15each;1949 Farmall $1,000; 250 ampLincoln welder ac/dc $400; HydraulicPump for M Farmall, $150. 712-362-5759.For Sale: 18-4-38 tires, 9 hole hub, 85%rubber, off 8430 JD, very good. Rock carri-er, fits MX tractors 230, 240, 255. 712-843-5767.For Sale: 8"-71' Sudenga auger; onlyaugured 20,000 bu. 8"-20' roof augerw/single phase electric motor. 712-262-7410.For Sale: 7000 8 RN JD pull planter; AWJD 14' tandem disc; 400 JD 16' mountedrotary hoe. 712-426-3577.For Sale: 16.9R28 Goodyear MFWA tires.Used about 40%. 712-229-0706.

RECREATIONFor Sale: Reloading equipment for pistols

and rifle. Dies, press, powder measure,scale, tumbler, & selection of brass. 712-362-5759.For Sale: 2 person ice-house, 4" x 7", fits instandard bed pickup, $50. 712-262-3420.For Sale: Western and Creeps Paperbacks.Large selection. 712-362-5759.

MISCELLANEOUSFor Sale: Cemetery lot: 2 adjacent spaces inBuena Vista Memorial Park Cemetery,Storm Lake, IA 712-336-1937.For Sale: Seasoned Maple and Elm firewood. $50 per pick-up load--you haul.712-262-3420.

WANTEDWANTED: JD 7000 planter. 6 row, 30inch.712-240-2977.WANTED: Snow blower for 1450 Cub

15

Ads are printed in the order in which they are received. The ILEC NEWS publication is published quarterly. Classified ads are published only in the ILEC News quarterly newslet-ter. Please mail or email your classified ads by the 20th of the month prior to the ILEC News publication. Ads are limited to 25 words or less. Please, no real estate, commercialbusiness or competing product ads. Iowa Lakes accepts no responsibility as to the accuracy or condition of the items listed below. In addition, Iowa Lakes does not warrant orexpress any opinion whatsoever as to the fitness or appropriate usefulness of any item as listed by owner. Email classified ads to maryd@ilec.coop or mail to 702 S. 1st St.,Estherville, IA 51334.

n Dear Mr. Walthart,Thanks you for coming to the middle

school to show us what not to do with elec-tricity. I’m not going to fly a kite aroundwires, or touch wires ever. That was thebest thing I ever saw in my whole life.That was an awesome experiment. I hopeyou come back again. It was really awe-some when you made sparks come off ofthe stick you had.

Sincerely, Jayden Ferrell

n Iowa Lakes Electric,Marlene and I want to thank you for

the opportunity to go on the Oahe Basintour. Cathy was a great hostess, tour direc-tor, she kept us informed, entertained and“well fed”. We can appreciate all theinvestment and work of the people whoprovide us with electric power at the flip ofa switch. All the accommodations, busride, motel rooms and meals were all A-1.

Thanks, Wayne Parker

L E T T E R S

OFFICE HOURS:8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Mon- Fri)Contact Iowa Lakes 24hours/day, 7 days/weekwith the following toll-freenumbers:

Customer Service:(800) 225-4532 (24 hr.)(Primary and Emergency)

Internet Services: Sales (800) 225-4532Tech Support:(888) 326-5196

Customer and InternetServices Fax: (712) 362-2819

Call Before You DigIowa One-Call (800) 292-8989

Visit Us Online: www.ilec.coop

E-Mail: ilec@ilec.coop

Newsletter Editor: Tresa Hussong

PRSRT STD US POSTAGE

PAIDSIOUX CITY IA

PERMIT 138

702 South 1st St.• Estherville,IA51334

QUIZ CORNER

1. What was the name of the business honored with the Iowa Venture Award in 2007?____________________________________________________________________________________

2. If you are planning a new grain bin, whom should you contact first?____________________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the date of the 2008 Annual Meeting? ____________________________________

Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Account Number ____________________________________________________________________

Iowa Lakes will continue to draw four lucky memberseach quarter who will receive $25 credits towards theirelectric bills. This month’s $25 winners were:Doug Whitesell, Armstrong; Betty Nelson, CherokeeEugene & Rita Rippentrop, Swea CityPatricia Anderson, Emmetsburg

Please continue to send in your completedQuiz Corner forms by the 15th of the monthprior to the next quarterly publication.

!

Website Makeover www.ilec.coopIowa Lakes’ web site has a fresh, new look! We’ve kept all yourfavorite pages and links and also added new features. While youron-line enter the monthly drawings for free prizes, sign up forthe automatic bill payment option or learn more about our ener-gy efficiency programs, services and rebates. Our new web sitechanges should make it easier to navigate with drop down menuslocated along the top of the page. We encourage you to checkout our web site makeover and we look forward to your feed-back. Check us out at www.ilec.coop.