“Trey has a deep commitment to helping others succeed, and he always upholds the highest degree of personal integrity,” Glenn said. “Trey demonstrates commitment to community by serving as a mentor to underclassmen. He also helps lead his classmates by serving as Senior Class President.”

When asked about his desire to help others, Trey humbly replied, “I want to see others succeed and not struggle through high school.”

Trey is well-qualified to tutor his peers and others as he has maintained a perfect 4.0 grade average throughout high school. He has also qualified for the National Honor Society list. This is a solid demonstration of two other requisites to receiving the Electrifying Student award - integrity and accountability.

Trey has worked with approximately 20 underclassmen since his Freshman year, helping them to overcome their obstacles in Mathematics and Science. He has given more than 100 hours of his time in the service of others here at the school.

When he’s not giving his time to others, Trey takes classes online through Oklahoma Panhandle State University in addition to his full course load of high school classes. He is also a member of student council, band and choir.

Trey is currently a senior at Tyrone High School. After graduation, he plans to major in Pre-Medicine at the University of Oklahoma to become a radiologist. Trey’s parents are Mike and Billi Dumler.

“Concern for community is one of our cooperative’s values and providing area youth with amazing opportunities such as these scholarships will help to develop them into tomorrow’s leaders,” said Zac Perkins, vice president-Corporate Services at Tri-County Electric.

Graduating high school seniors residing in Tri-County Electric’s service territory whose parents are members of the cooperative are eligible to apply for two scholarships. Tri-County Electric offers four $1,200 scholarships to Oklahoma Panhandle State University (OPSU). The scholarship is paid at $300 each semester for four semesters through the sophomore year at OPSU. Recipients are selected for this scholarship based on financial need and academic achievement. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is March 30.

In addition, Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, one of Tri-County Electric’s wholesale power suppliers, offers a $2,000 scholarship. This is paid at $500 for each of four semesters through the sophomore year of a college in Texas or Oklahoma. The deadline to apply for this scholarship is March 15.

Visit www.tri-countyelectric.coop for the scholarship applications and details. If you have questions regarding these programs, call Tri-County Electric at (800) 522-3315 and ask for Erin Moore at extension 826.

On Dec. 30, a mere 48 hours before the rule would have been effective, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit granted a motion to delay the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule pending a full challenge to the regulations.

The order is not a final verdict?the court asked parties in the case to submit proposed briefing schedules by January 17 that would enable it to hear the case in April.

As a cooperative, Tri-County Electric looks out for our members by working together to keep electric bills affordable. We previously announced that the rule could increase electric bills from 30 to 40 percent in 2012. Because we know such a significant increase would adversely affect the families and communities we serve, we initiated a letter-writing campaign to the EPA. Unfortunately, the threat of increased electricity prices in the near future remains because the stay of the rule is only a temporary delay in its implementation unless the challengers to the rule are successful.

As new information about if, when, and how the rule will affect our wholesale power suppliers becomes available, I will continue to keep you abreast of potential impacts to your electric bill and the reliability of the service you receive. For now, we will continue to monitor the court proceedings regarding the rule. In addition, we will continue to monitor other regulations concerning the supply of electricity we deliver to you.

As a member, I encourage you to vote for candidates who best represent your interests in these matters. You can also write a letter to the EPA expressing your concerns around this rule and others like it. That address is: Lisa P. Jackson, Office of the Administrator, Environmental Protection Agency, Room 3000, Ariel Rios Building, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20004.

I am committed to keeping you, our members and owners, informed of legislative issues that may affect our ability to provide safe, reliable electric service at the lowest price allowed by good management practices. If you have any questions regarding this rule or any other aspect of your electric service, please call us at 800-522-3315.

Gerald says one of the greatest challenges in his work is keeping up with and learning the new technology but it’s also what keeps his job fun and interesting.

“Learning new things about the metering system so I can answer questions from members is my favorite part of the job,” says Gerald.

Prior to joining the cooperative, Gerald worked in auto parts stores for 41 years, managing the Napa Auto Parts in Hooker for 33 years. When Napa changed hands, he chose to join Tri-County Electric because of the good working environment and excellent benefits.

Gerald grew up in Liberal, Kan., so he is familiar with our area. He graduated from Liberal High School. Gerald was the first volunteer firefighter in Hooker to also be a volunteer EMT. Gerald is now a retired volunteer of the Hooker Fire Department and Hooker EMS crews.

More important than his five-year anniversary with the cooperative, Gerald celebrated 45 years with his wife Caroline in September. They have one son, Kip Baugh, and three granddaughters. Their granddaughters are ages 14, 19 and 23. Gerald and his wife reside in Hooker.

This article was originally published in the January 2012 LiveWire member newsletter.

Myth #1: It takes less energy to have my thermostat maintain a comfortable temperature while I’m away than it does to have it heat up or cool down my house when I get home.

If you’re going to be gone for more than a few hours, then it is more cost-effective to turn heat or air conditioning on once you return than it is to maintain a comfortable temperature while you’re out.

ENERGY STAR, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy, recommends adjusting your thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter by 8 degrees Fahrenheit while you’re asleep or away from your house.

Myth #2: When I turn off electronics (like my TV, game console, or computer) they stop drawing power from the outlet.

Even when turned off, most modern electronics consume a small amount of electricity if they’re still plugged in. Chargers for mobile devices also consume electricity if plugged in, even when they are not actively charging the device. This wasted energy, sometimes called “phantom load,” accounts for as much as 10 percent of a home’s total electric use, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The solution: unplug your electronics when you’ve finished using them. Using a power strip can help you conveniently unplug multiple devices at once, while newer, “smart” power strips can automatically cut off phantom loads on their own.

Myth #3: Mercury from Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) poses a serious risk to the environment.

On the contrary, CFLs actually prevent the release of mercury into the environment by reducing the electricity needed from power plants. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about half of electricity in the U.S. is generated from coal. EPA estimates that coal combustion for power plants releases roughly 400 times the mercury into the environment than the cumulative mercury contribution from land-filled CFLs, assuming that no CFLs are recycled. However, it is still important to dispose of burned-out bulbs and clean up broken bulbs properly. Learn how at www.lamprecycle.org.

Myth #4: It is not worth my time or money to seal small air leaks around my windows and doors, or to make sure my home is adequately insulated. According to ENERGY STAR, air leaks around cracks and gaps throughout your home become the equivalent of leaving a window open all year long. Typical homeowners can save up to 10 percent on their total annual energy bill by sealing and insulating their home.

Todd Camnitz writes on energy efficiency issues for E-Source, a Colorado-based provider of energy business intelligence. For more information, please visit www.esource.com.

This article was originally published in the January 2012 LiveWire member newsletter.