FALL REMINDERS
By Derrick Rutherford
“Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.” – Catherine Pulsifer
While it is hard to say goodbye to summer sun, warmth, and fun, fall brings calmness before the end of the year and hope for the year to come. The days grow shorter, but life seems to slow down, allowing us time to ponder, reflect, and start creating a new path to experience. As we each look ahead, here are some reminders of what you can anticipate at DSO.
Director Elections - We will soon accept petitions for three board of directors seats. Our coverage area is divided into three districts. Individuals who wish to run for a director’s seat need to be active members of the cooperative and bona fide residents of the district they want to represent. Information packets for those seeking to be candidates will be available for pick up at our office in Solomon, as well as online, beginning December 1, 2023.
Scholarships - This program awards ten $1,000 scholarships to its members, or their dependents, who have chosen to pursue higher education in Kansas. We contact all the area high schools in our service territory annually to remind them about these scholarships. Check our website for more information. The application deadline is February 2, 2024.
Youth Tour - Every year, we award two “once in a lifetime” trips to two high school juniors whose parents are members of the cooperative.
One trip is to Washington, D.C., and it takes place in mid-June. Electric cooperatives across the country select students for this trip, and these students (roughly 1,800) experience a journey unlike any other. They visit Old Town Alexandria, attend a theater performance, and tour the Holocaust Memorial Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and the Smithsonian Museum. They also have meetings with legislators and their staff on Capitol Hill.
The second trip is to the Youth Leadership Camp in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, in mid-July. Students join fellow students from Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Wyoming selected by their respective cooperatives to attend the camp. Students visit Lookout Mountain and tour Trapper Coal Mine and the Craig Generation Plant during their stay. In addition to participating in various activities, students gain hands-on business experience by forming and operating their own cooperatives.
Contact our office today to learn more about these trips. The application deadline is February 2, 2024.
SmartHub - Our SmartHub online and mobile app provides many features to help you manage your account. SmartHub allows you access to your account information anytime and from anywhere you have access to the internet. Track your usage and take the guesswork out of your bill. Through detailed graphs, you can check your usage history (hour by hour), which can help you find ways to reduce and save. Go to your online app store and download it today!