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Author: Brooke Porter

UDWI REMC Awards Scotland Community Church Food Pantry With A Community Fund Grant in December 2024

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC Awards Scotland Community Church Food Pantry With A Community Fund Grant in December 2024

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (Jan. 3, 2025) — The Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC selected Scotland Community Church Food Pantry (SCCFP) as a recipient of a UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. grant, allowing the organization to increase food quantities handed out to the community each month.

The Scotland Community Church Mission Committee — made up of Ronnie Summerville, Perry Stone, Connie Berg, and Jerry and Anneita Vandeventer — work to maintain the food pantry throughout the year, helping coordinate the food distributions that take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month, beginning at 11 a.m. at the Scotland Full Gospel Church Fellowship Hall. Along with the committee members, those at Rebuilt Recovery and Discipleship, along with community volunteers, come each month to help with the distributions.

“Cars start lining up to receive the distributions as early as 10 a.m. so we advise you to get there early,” comments Anneita Vandeventer, discussing the organization’s food distribution process. She continues to discuss how community members come together on the day of the food drive, saying “There’s a sense of community pride as many come together. We want our community to know that anyone and everyone is welcome.”

During each food distribution, the SCCFP gives out food until they run out, replenishing its food supply with donations until the next month’s distribution. This has been going on for over 15 years when the food pantry was first started with the help of the Catholic Charities project. In their continual support of the food pantry, the Catholic Charities help to provide everyday staples for the organization to hand out to the local community. Supplying additional, nonessential staple food products are reliant on donations.

“With the help of the UDWI REMC Community Fund grant, and similar grants, we can provide staple foods such as canned goods, dry goods, and meat products to those in need,” explains Anneita Vandeventer. She goes on, saying, “We truly cannot thank UDWI REMC enough for their generosity in helping us achieve our mission of providing kindness to others, representing the hands and feet of Jesus. We hope that this project is providing strength, hope and growth to those who partake, whether you are helping serve or coming by and receiving the food items.”

The UDWI REMC Community Fund allows cooperative members to give back to their communities by rounding up to the nearest whole dollar on their electric bills. Throughout each quarter, the money accumulated in the Fund is used to provide grants to various local organizations, giving right back into members’ communities.

In the last quarter of 2024, the UDWI REMC Community Fund awarded $20,465 to ten organizations, including $1,000 to the Scotland Community Church Food Pantry. The December 2024 grant recipients include: Bloomfield Downtown Revitalization, Inc., Linton Stockton Band Department, Lyons Community Food Pantry, Metropolitan School District of Shakamak, Night to Shine, Pregnancy Choices, Scotland Community Church Food Pantry, Town of Bloomfield Swimming Pool, Worthington Community Improvement Committee, and Worthington Lions Club.

Applications for the first grant cycle of 2025 are now being accepted. All nonprofit businesses in UDWI REMC’s service area are encouraged to apply. Please visit www.udwiremc.com to learn more about the program and to start an application.

HHM Employees Donate Toys to Children in Need this Holiday Season

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on HHM Employees Donate Toys to Children in Need this Holiday Season

Bloomfield, Ind. (Dec. 23, 2024) — Hoosier Heritage Management employees gifted Crane Credit Union over 80 toys for local children this holiday season. 

Toys for Tots, a nonprofit organization started and run by the Marine Corps, has a mission to collect new toys and distribute them to children in need at Christmas time. By carrying out this mission, Toys for Tots hopes to bring the joy of Christmas to children across the county and send a message of hope to those in need in America. In southern Indiana, the local Toys for Tots chapter is at NSA Crane. 

“At HHM, we have a passion for our local community, and the Holiday Season is the perfect time to put that passion to good use, spreading Holiday cheer to children in need,” comments Nicole Gose, wife of Robert Gose, Operations Head at Hoosier Heritage Management. Nicole goes on to describe the reason why this cause is so near and dear to the hearts of HHM employees, saying, “One main reason we do this is that every child should have something under the tree on Christmas morning. We as parents more than likely have been there at one time or another. We do this as an act of love from one human to another.” 

For the past nine years, Nicole and Robert Gose have collected donations from fellow HHM employees, buying gifts to donate to the local Toys for Tots chapter. This fall and winter, HHM employees donated hundreds of dollars to the cause, allowing Nicole Gose to purchase and drop off over 80 toys to Crane Credit Union. 

“When we saw the extent of the donations, we could not contain our excitement,” commented an employee at Crane Credit Union. They continued, “These toys can go a long way in spreading joy to children in our area— it can make all the difference to families this time of year. We want to thank Hoosier Heritage Management for all that they have done in supporting our mission so consistently these last several years.” 
HHM is a vegetation management company that specializes in tree trimming services as a subsidiary of the Utilities District of Western Indiana, REMC. Established in 2013, the HHM team works to keep power lines clear of vegetation to help UDWI achieve safe, reliable power. Outside of their work for UDWI, HHM employees take pride in being active members of their communities and positively impacting those around them on and off the job. In the future, employees will continue to spread holiday cheer through their Toys for Tots donations. To learn more about HHM, contact UDWI REMC or visit https://www.udwiremc.com/hoosier-heritage-management/.

UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant Brings Rwandan Genocide Survivor to Shakamak High School

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant Brings Rwandan Genocide Survivor to Shakamak High School

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (Oct. 28, 2024) — Shakamak High School hosted a special student assembly featuring Rwandan genocide survivor Kizito Kalima on Oct. 7 in Jasonville. The event was made possible with the help of an $800 grant from the UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. program. 

Shakamak High School’s mission is to provide students with varied learning experiences while emphasizing academic, social, cultural, and physical growth that empowers and challenges all students to become educated, ethical, responsible citizens in a diverse ever-changing world. As part of their promise to fulfill this mission to students, Shakamak High School administration often seeks ways to expose their students to new, inspirational experiences.

“Although I wanted my students to hear Kizito Kalima’s story, it would not have been possible to bring all of my 7th through 12th graders to him in Indianapolis. With the UDWI REMC Community Fund grant, it became possible to bring Kizito Kalima to us, exposing five times the amount of students to his inspirational story than we could have if we had bussed students up to him,” comments Alexis Meyer, a teacher at Shakamak High School. She goes on to share how impactful this event was, saying, “As a Rwandan Genocide Survivor, Kizito Kalima has endured so much trauma, yet his story now offers a huge slice of hope, compassion, and inspiration. For students, our hope is that this event might inspire them, whether now or later, depending on what they have going on in their lives.” 

At the event, Kizito Kalima described how he lost family and friends and narrowly escaped death multiple times throughout the hardships of the Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsi — a 100-day massacre in 1994 in which around 800,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda. After surviving the event and being displaced from his home, Kizito came to United States in 1998 with his three daughters, two of whom are also genocide survivors that he adopted in the U.S. 

In response to hearing Kizito Kalima’s testimony and in an effort to give back to their own community, Shakamak High School students are spearheading a dual-mission fundraiser to donate essential household items to those in need. Donations will go towards both people in the local community as well as Kizito’s charitable organization, which aims to give assistance to a new influx of sub-Saharan refugees in the U.S.

“When we saw why Shakamak High School applied for a grant, we knew that the opportunity to bring a Rwandan Genocide survivor to speak to their students would be an unforgettable and educational experience that could not be passed up,” explains Doug Childs, CEO of UDWI REMC. He continues, “With the help of our members’ charitable donations to the UDWI REMC Community Fund, we hope to continue having a positive impact on local organizations and residents.” 

The UDWI REMC Community Fund allows cooperative members to give back to their communities by rounding up to the nearest whole dollar on their electric bills. The money accumulated is poured right back into local communities by awarding grants to various organizations. Throughout September, the Fund awarded $10,746 to eight local organizations including Shakamak High School. 

The latest round of UDWI REMC Community Fund grant recipients included: Bedford Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Bloomfield-Eastern Greene County Public Library, Bloomfield School District Police Department, Child Evangelism Fellowship of South-Central Indiana, Greene County Sheriff’s Department, Shakamak High School, Stone City Alliance for Recovery and Hope, Inc., and Worthington Lions Club. The UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. is now accepting applications for its next grant cycle. All nonprofit businesses in UDWI REMC’s service area are encouraged to apply. Please visit www.udwiremc.com to learn more about the program and to start an application.

Work Begins as Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC Partners with Mainstream to Expand Rural Broadband Access with Fiber-Optic Internet

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. 1 Comment on Work Begins as Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC Partners with Mainstream to Expand Rural Broadband Access with Fiber-Optic Internet

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (October 08, 2024) — The Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC and Mainstream Fiber Networks will begin building the infrastructure needed to serve the cooperative’s members with high-speed fiber-optic connectivity starting this month.

Mainstream and its construction and design contractors, Tango Fiber and Helix Engineering, will be in the area during the coming weeks to begin installation of an initial “loop” through Greene County, which will serve as the backbone for a fiber ring that will eventually allow members access to the new service. UDWI will provide advice and assist Mainstream in routes and strategic locations for the project.

Phase One construction will continue through 2025 and will put in place the framework to connect up to 4,000 meters in the county. During this phase, Mainstream expects to begin connecting members, and as the project progresses, members will receive more information as fiber becomes available in their specific area.

“Access to reliable internet is a fundamental necessity for today’s digital economy,” said Mainstream CEO Bryan Gabriel. “By continuing our focus on rural communities, we are not only creating new opportunities for economic growth and innovation but also fostering equality of opportunity for all Hoosiers. This collaboration with UDWI embodies our commitment to bridging the digital divide between densely populated areas and the numerous rural communities.”

Installing fiber in rural areas is challenging and costly, and this project allows UDWI and Mainstream to work together to bring multi-gigabit fiber broadband more quickly and efficiently. By partnering, each company can leverage its assets, making it possible to increase connectivity in hard-to-serve areas in the region. There is no cost to UDWI members for this project. If members decide to subscribe to the fiber service, it will be billed directly through Mainstream.

“Fiber access has been a longstanding and challenging issue in our area, and we made a public commitment to our members that we would work to find strategic and cost-effective ways to make high-speed internet available—this partnership is the next big step in making it happen,” said UDWI REMC CEO Doug Childs. “Mainstream and UDWI will use the electric distribution infrastructure already in place to significantly expand the number of members with access while keeping costs of building the fiber network down. We are setting the stage to make our residents, schools and businesses more connected and more competitive in today’s digital environment.”      

While Phase One will focus on portions of Greene County, the goal of the UDWI and Mainstream partnership is to eventually offer fiber access to the majority of unserved and underserved homes in the cooperative’s service territory. The progress of this project will span a total of five to seven years and will rely partly on continued grant funding and the time needed for construction across the multiple counties in the service territory. 

More information on Mainstream can be found at www.msfiber.com and www.udwiremc.com. Please follow UDWI REMC on Facebook for additional updates.

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About Mainstream Fiber Networks Founded in Nashville, Indiana, Mainstream Fiber Networks is a Fiber to the Premise (FTTP) internet service provider that understands the need for affordable, high-speed internet in Indiana’s rural communities. Mainstream’s success is based on its customer satisfaction and its partnership with the local communities we serve. To learn more, visit www.msfiber.net.

UDWI REMC Attends Lineman Rodeo for First Time

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC Attends Lineman Rodeo for First Time

(Left to right in image: Journeymen Michael Nail & Will Padgett and Apprentice Zane Anderson)

Bloomfield, Ind. (Aug. 28, 2024) — For the first time, UDWI REMC linemen Michael Nail, Will Padgett, and Zane Anderson participated in the Indiana Electric Cooperatives Lineman Rodeo at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds August 22 and 23.

The Indiana Electric Cooperatives Lineman Rodeo allows for electric co-ops across the state to come together and compete against each other, aiming for professional recognition among their peers. Throughout the rodeo event, the three linemen— made up of two Journeymen, Michael Nail and Will Padgett, and one Apprentice, Zane Anderson— competed in a variety of team events.

The team events, meant to display how the cooperative linemen are able to navigate high-pressure situations and solve crises, were Hurt Man Rescue, OCR Changeout, Phase Down Line Restoration, and Cross Arm Changeout. The UDWI REMC linemen took on these event challenges for the first time this year, and were able to navigate the competition smoothly, ending with scores in the middle of their competitors— an impressive accomplishment considering UDWI linemen have not competed in the Lineman Rodeo before.

“We are all very proud of our fantastic linemen and are proud of the skill and professionalism they displayed,” expresses Doug Childs, CEO of UDWI REMC. This sentiment is shared by all those at UDWI REMC who are thrilled that their linemen were represented in the rodeo.

“We were all very grateful that management gave us the opportunity to compete with other linemen throughout the state,” comments participant and Journeyman Michael Nail. He continues, “We felt that we did very well for our first time at the event, and we now know areas that we can improve. Hopefully we get the opportunity to compete again and show our improvement.”

In the future, UDWI REMC is looking forward to continuing to show off their skills through the Indiana Electric Cooperatives Lineman Rodeo. Thank you to all those who came out to Hendricks County Fairgrounds to cheer on the linemen; UDWI is excited to see supporters at the Lineman Rodeo again next year.

To stay updated on event news and other UDWI REMC announcements, follow UDWI on Facebook or visit their website at www.udwiremc.com.

Bloomfield’s ‘C2C’ Receives UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on Bloomfield’s ‘C2C’ Receives UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (July 25, 2024) — The Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC’s Community Fund donated $17,450 across 12 local organizations in June, including $2,500 to Crawling to Cramps.

C2C serves the local community by offering diapers, feminine hygiene products, and other resources such as formula and wipes at no cost to participants. Additionally, clients have access to a “free store” that provides used clothing, dishes, home decor, toys and other household items. The concept for C2C was born in 2022 after studying mission work of different religions, and the organization began distributing free resources in 2022.

According to the National Diaper Bank, around 33% of U.S. families experienced a diaper shortage in 2010. Ten years later, in 2023, that number rose to 47%. In addition to rising diaper insecurities for many U.S. families, the National Diaper Bank also reported that, on average, those experiencing diaper insecurity miss 5.1 workdays in a month or nearly $300 in lost wages for at minimum wage.

Samantha Edwards, operational director with C2C, discusses how donations contribute to the organization’s cause. “Without this kind of altruistic, kind, and thoughtful support from giving businesses and organizations like Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC, we would never be able to do the work that we do. There would be no C2C.”

The grant awarded by UDWI will be used to purchase diapers and wipes; it will continue to support the mission of providing resources for those in our community using a harm reduction and dignity-focused model. For those in need, distribution is located at 25 N. Franklin St. in Bloomfield. There, distribution occurs from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.

C2C is always in need of donations, community volunteers and financial sponsors. Visit the C2C Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/c2cGreene) to support its diaper program as well as the many initiatives C2C also leads throughout the year, including:

  • Colt’s Birthday Club – To honor Colten David Scott Whelchel, C2C makes sure that every child has the supplies they need to celebrate their birthday. 
  • Bike Giveaway- In June, C2C provides children with free, new bikes. 
  • Prom Dress Giveaway- In March, C2C provides free prom dresses, shoes, jewelry, suits, and other prom necessities at a fun event where prom goers can try dresses on, take pics with their friends in front of a pretty photo backdrop, enjoy some hors d’oeuvres and drink sparkling grape juice.
  • BacktoSchoolooza- In July, C2C provides local children with new shoes, underwear, and socks for free. 
  • Sharing Shanty– C2C supports a free cabinet that is open 24/7/365 and contains toiletries, food, cleaning supplies, and secondhand items like blankets, movies, books, dishes, fans, and more available at any time to those in need.
  • The Coat Giveaway– C2C joined another local organization to pass out coats of all sizes, gloves, hats, scarves, heaters, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, food, toiletry items, and much more.

“This donation means the world to C2C,” said Edwards. She continues to explain just how the UDWI REMC grant could impact the organization, adding “It means that babies will be diapered and healthy as parents go to school and work. It means families will be able to purchase food and pay utility bills. It means that Greene County and surrounding areas will have families that will have a more stable outlook about diapers and wipes for their children, and our local families can take a breath and feel dignity doing so.”

The grant was given as part of UDWI’s Community Fund, a non-profit organization created by the cooperative that provides members with an avenue to make a difference in their communities. The program allows members to round up their energy bills to the next whole dollar to create the funds. Then, the community fund board awards the amount collected to local organizations.

Other recipients of Community Fund grants in June included: Bloomfield First Baptist Church, Boy Scouts of America / Hoosier Trails Council, Eastern Greene Schools – Special Education Department, Extra Mile Ministries, First Baptist Church (Linton), Knights of Columbus Council #1166, Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, Monroe County Humane Association, Open Arms Christian Ministries, Inc., Pregnancy Choices, and the Scotland Festival Committee.

The UDWI Community Fund is now accepting applications for its next grant cycle. All nonprofit businesses in UDWI’s service area are encouraged to apply. Please visit www.udwiremc.com to learn more about the program and to start an application.

UDWI REMC Thanks the Cooperative Community for Support During June Storm Outages

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC would like to say “thank you” to all the cooperative members, employees, outside crews, and our communities for your support during last month’s supercell storm that ripped through our service territory. 

Messages from members were extremely encouraging as line and tree trimming crews worked day and night to replace nearly 100 poles, repair hundreds of lines, and restore 415 separate outages that affected 10,101 electric meters. This work accounted for 1,855 hours of labor throughout the week. We can’t thank you enough for your understanding, patience and kind words during this weather event. 

UDWI’s line crews also received assistance throughout the week from fellow cooperatives, contractors, and peers in the industry including: USC, Electricom, Intren, Hendricks Power, Boone County REMC, Henry County REMC, Parke County REMC, Clark County REMC, Daviess-Martin County REMC, Haley Brothers, and Hoosier Energy. In total, 57 outside employees stepped up to support UDWI which totaled 4,300 hours of contract labor, and we would like to express our gratitude to these crews for their hard work and sacrifice to assist us. 

Finally, our greatest appreciation to all UDWI team members from the line crews, Hoosier Heritage Management tree trimming, office personnel, dispatch, customer service representatives and more. You all played a major part in restoring power and providing excellent service to our members. CSRs answered more than 500 calls per day during the outage event, and leadership who worked nonstop to support crews in the field. This was a true team effort, and it does not go unnoticed. 

While we hope these outage events are few and far between, we stay prepared and ready to serve you, the member, when the next one hits.