The Power of Local Control

COOPERATIVEconnection Valley FROM THE PRESIDENT & CEO Rural Electric The power of local control Cooperative, Inc. The following is the second of three editorials that will focus on the cooperative difference. IN LAST month’s editorial, unique needs explains why having local I highlighted a few key control is best for each locally owned principles that govern elec- and governed electric co-op. tric cooperatives. This But although Valley sails its own One of 14 electric month, I want to tell you ship, so to speak, we are not sailing cooperatives serving Pennsylvania and about another one. alone. Our co-op belongs to a statewide New Jersey Valley Rural Electric association, the Pennsylvania Rural Cooperative is an inde- Electric Association, and the National pendent organization, yet Rural Electric Cooperative Association Valley Rural Electric we’re not alone in our mis- (NRECA). We’re also a member of Cooperative, Inc. by Wayne Miller sion to deliver a safe, reli- Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives, an 10700 Fairgrounds Road President & CEO able and affordable supply alliance of more than 700 electric cooper- P.O. Box 477 of power to rural residents. atives nationwide. Huntingdon, PA 16652-0477 814/643-2650 There are 12 electric distribution cooper- These umbrella groups provide sup- 1-800-432-0680 atives like us in Pennsylvania and more port as well as products like Penn Lines www.valleyrec.com than 850 nationwide. Despite our obvi- magazine and valuable safety courses ous similarities, each co-op is different for our employees. Touchstone Energy BOA RD O F D IRE CT O RS — first and foremost because the areas gives us access to marketing campaigns James Stauffer we serve are unique. on a variety of topics. And our Chairman Each co-op boasts its own history statewide association and NRECA advo- Leroy Barnes and serves a distinctive mix of residen- cate for us with lawmakers in Harris- Vice Chairman tial, industrial, commercial and agricul- burg and Washington, D.C., keeping tural members. Co-ops make their own these public officials aware of how their Kevin States Secretary business decisions independently, as votes can impact our electric bills. described in the Fourth Cooperative Despite these benefits, none of these Clair McCall Principle, “Autonomy and Indepen- groups tells us what to do. Decisions Treasurer dence.” It’s one of the seven unique about how to deliver your electricity at Robert Holmes guidelines that govern cooperative oper- the lowest possible cost are left to our Allegheny Director ations. board of directors, who are elected by David Wright Electric cooperatives are generally you, our members. PREA Director subject to less oversight by federal and On occasion, we may need a large state utility regulators because our amount of capital to pay for expansion. Cindy Bigelow Mervin Brumbaugh members regulate us. This independ- We can borrow it from a number of Earl Parsons ence, embodied in the laws of most sources including the federal Rural Util- states, rests on our historic commitment ities Service and the National Rural Util- C OR P ORA T E O FF I CE H OUR S to the communities we serve. ities Cooperative Finance Corporation. Monday - Friday Remaining autonomous and inde- Of course, while we enter into any 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. pendent allows us to best serve the agreement with a great deal of delibera- H UN T IN G D ON / M A RT IN S BUR G /S H AD E G A P needs of you, our owners. That’s tion, no deal gives a third party control O FF IC E HOU R S because what might be a sound decision over our operations. Monday - Thursday 7 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. for one co-op, say, with a relatively small Leaders of our co-op, who are also number of members spread out over an members just like you, know this area extremely rural area, might not work and its needs well. Our ability to make for another that has a larger number of our own decisions allows us to serve members in a more suburban setting. you in the most efficient way possible. Local service and attention to your And that’s the way it should be. l OCTOBER 2010 • PENN LINES 14a Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. SMOKE on the WATER ABOVE: Brandon Corvin of Doan’s Bones Barbecue, with restaurants near Petersburg and in State College, prepares cuisine for the judges. “IT’S AN ART. It’s a hobby. It’s a way of life ...” That’s how Brian Nevel describes his passion for barbecuing. And that’s also what prompted him to work with the Huntingdon County Visi- O T O tors Bureau to organize the first-ever BBQ at the H P Y Beach competition, held Sept. 18 and 19 at Valley S E T R REC-served Seven Points Recreation Area at U O Lake Raystown, Huntingdon County. C Sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society (KCBS), categories were judged in Sunday’s sanctioned competition: the weekend competition drew both amateur and profes- chicken, pork ribs, pork and finally beef brisket. Teams sional barbecue teams from all over the country and as far were required to follow a stringent set of rules and regula- away as Canada. Teams like 3 EYZ Barbecue of Maryland tions provided by the KCBS that explained how the meat and Ontario-based Diva Q, both recently featured on TLC’s must be inspected, cooked, seasoned, garnished and pre- television series BBQ Pitmasters, were “pitted” against sented. Entries that made the cut were scored on appear- hometown favorites such as Midnite Smokers of Willow ance, taste and tenderness. Street, Pa., and Doan’s Bones Barbecue, with restaurants in The Chix, Swine & Bovine BBQ team from Maryland the Petersburg area and State College. smoked the competition, claiming the title of grand champion, a $1,000 prize and a custom-made mini smoker. Firing up Reserve grand champion went to 3 EYZ BBQ, along with a During the two-day event, open to the public for a $5 $500 prize. First, second and third place winners in each admission fee, teams squared off in a variety of grilling meat category received cash prizes as well. Medals were challenges. Saturday, they showed their backyard expertise given to winners up to 10th place. in a burger, pizza and chef’s choice competition. Midnite Smokers took first place in the opening day’s informal event Meat methods and the evening concluded with a live performance from the Barbecuing encompasses four distinct types of cooking rock band Shallow 9. techniques: smoking, baking, braising and grilling. The The stakes got higher Sunday as local volunteers and cer- original technique is smoking — cooking using smoke at tified judges from the KCBS took their places at the tables lower temperatures (usually around 240 F) and significantly for a long afternoon of taste-testing and scoring. Four meat longer cooking times. 14b PENN LINES • OCTOBER 2010 Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. Beach barbecue competition at Lake Raystown KE draws teams from all over North America B y Susan R. Penning R Director of Member Services LEFT: Event organizer Brian Nevel of Huntingdon Co. Customs (center) and Ed Stoddard (right), membership services director for the Huntingdon Co. Visitors Bureau, congratulate BBQ at the Beach Grand Champion Chix, Swine and Bovine (in red) and Reserve Grand Champion 3 EYZ BBQ (left). BELOW: Steve Wise, of Slumpbuster BBQ in York, prepares ribs for competition Sept. 19. ABOVE: Judges mark their scores on appearance for a chicken entry. quickly; otherwise, foul-tasting creosote will build up on the meat, giving it a bitter flavor. A chef begins the barbecue process by starting a fire using starter chips or small parts of soft wood. Once the flame is burning hot, the chef may take pieces of harder wood like hickory or maple and place them into water to soften. The wet hardwood is then added to the flames. The smoke adds flavor to the meat while the moisture cools the heat of the flame. The chef must always keep a balance Smoking can be done with wood or charcoal, although between heating and cooling to cook the meat properly. many common commercial smokers use a gas, such as Popular woods used for barbecue are hickory, mesquite, propane, to heat up a box of wet wood chips enough to oak, pecan, alder, maple, apple, cherry and plum. Most bar- cause smoke. (For a sanctioned KCBS competition, the fires becue connoisseurs would agree that the key to a good bar- used by barbecue competitors must be wood, wood pellets becue is the slow-cooking method and the seasoning of the or charcoal. Gas and electric heat sources are prohibited.) meat (with sauces and/or rubs). The heat from the fire helps cook the meat while the Organizers of the BBQ at the Beach hope to host another smoke adds its unique flavor. Smoking is often referred to competition at the lake next year. as “low and slow.” During the smoking period, the barbecue “We’ve received great feedback and we want to do it lid or smoker door is closed, causing a thick, dense cloud of again. We’ll definitely need more volunteers and more spon- smoke to envelop the meat. The smoke must be able to move sors to make it happen,” says Matt Price, executive director freely around the meat and out of the top of the apparatus at the Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau. l OCTOBER 2010 • PENN LINES 14c Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. More money available for energy efficient home improvement projects Members may borrow All ERC loans will still be offered at an k Clock thermostats interest rate of 5 percent.

Load more