Mar 9, 2023 | Community, Latest News
East River welcomes the public to support the 59th annual LifeScape Fundraiser on Wednesday, March 29. “The Employees’ Committee knows the importance of supporting non-profits in our area, such as LifeScape,” said Erica Fitzhugh, East River LifeScape Fundraiser chairperson. “We are selling raffle tickets for a Polaris Ranger and holding an online auction with items generously donated by businesses in our community.”
Proceeds from the online auction and raffle will benefit LifeScape, formerly Children’s Care Hospital and School and SD Achieve, whose mission it is to empower people to live their best lives. With more than $379,600 contributed to LifeScape over the years, East River’s annual fundraisers have helped provide for the very best in medical care, therapy, education, and other services for the children at LifeScape.
“East River Electric and their employees have been supporting kids for generations. This year more than 5,000 children across the region including all of South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, northwest Iowa, and northeast Nebraska will be impacted by the generosity of East River Electric’s commitment to kids. The community’s support makes a difference providing specialized healthcare, education, residential, and therapy services in children’s homes, daycares, schools, outpatient center, and the residential school facility,” said Jessica Wells, LifeScape Foundation president. “We are grateful and honored to be part of East River Electric’s culture that gives back and takes care of the community.”
For more information on the event, visit East River’s auction website at http://www.eastriverforlifescape.org.
PHOTO CUTLINE – LifeScape empowers people to live their best lives.
Dec 19, 2022 | Community, Latest News
The Madison Izaak Walton League received a $3,800 donation from East River Electric Cooperative in November. East River participated in CoBank’s Sharing Success Program and Basin Electric’s Charitable Giving Program, both of which provide matching grants, to raise the funds. Bob Sahr, East River CEO/General Manager, said, “East River appreciates the monetary support from Basin Electric and CoBank. The matching grants allow our cooperative to reach more nonprofit organizations and make a bigger impact.”
The Izaak Walton League is a national conservation club that prides itself on defending the soil, woods, and wildlife. The local chapter in Madison has around 60 members and hosts several hunting, fishing, and conservation events. The Casting for Kids event is a fishing learning experience that reaches over 100 children annually. They also sponsor and teach hunter safety courses twice a year. The league keeps up the Lake County Rifle Range and trapshoot area. They are also involved in the Missouri River Initiative, helping to raise funds to protect the waters and tributaries that flow into the Missouri River. Steve Rhoden, Madison’s Izaak Walton League president, expressed appreciation for the generous donation. “Thank you for choosing our group to receive the donation. We will use the funds for ongoing events such as Casting for Kids, 4-H and Boy Scouts events, and to repair damage from the spring derecho,” said Steve.
PHOTO CUTLINE – East River Electric employees present the check to members of the Madison Izaak Walton League. Left to right: Back row: Jeff May, Doug Spielmann, Alan Serfling, Randy Minnaert, and Michael Olson. Front row: Anne Hall, Steve Rhoden, Larry Brunsvig, and Erica Fitzhugh.
Dec 9, 2022 | Community, Latest News
East River Electric Power Cooperative was awarded a Workplace Excellence Award in the Community Impact category. The Sioux Empire Society for Human Resource Management Chapter (SESHRM) honors local companies for excellence in the categories of diversity, culture, and community impact.
“Our cooperative is committed to enhancing the communities we serve,” said East River chief human resources officer Liz Avery. “East River’s employees invest time, money, and expertise in guiding economic development projects, educating students about electrical safety, and leading community events and charities.”
The Rural Electric Economic Development, Inc. Fund (REED), a non-profit subsidiary of East River Electric, is staffed and operated within the organization and owned and governed by East River member cooperatives serving eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. It serves as a community development financial institution dedicated to providing financing and helping to leverage investment and making a difference in the region. Through funding, the REED fund promotes community growth, creates jobs, builds wealth and business creation, and improves infrastructure and programs in rural areas. Since its establishment in 1996, the fund has provided over $112,000,000 in funding and grants toward ag businesses, community infrastructure projects, education, and more.
East River has developed an employee committee dedicated to enhancing our staff’s lives and empowering them to enhance others’ lives. For the past 58 years, this committee has planned and implemented a fundraiser to support the LifeScape organization. The event includes a Rocky Mountain oyster feed, raffle, and online auction. Attendance and participation in the event attracts residents community-wide, and the legacy and tradition is multi-generational. In total, more than $379,000 in proceeds from the event have been donated to Lifescape to support children in the area.
Through the Co-ops in the Classroom program, East River dedicates a full-time staff member to educating kids in classrooms all over the region about electricity, electric cooperative principles and mission, and how to be safe around electricity. Other youth programs include our Who Powers You program and the Scholar of the Week program. These provide recognition, scholarships and awards to individuals and students who are making an impact in the region.
The cooperative model, where an organization is owned and governed by its members, provides a rare and unique position for direct community involvement because those same shareholders make up the communities and neighborhoods in which the co-op operates. This kinship and connection to community is powerful, and individuals take pride and ownership in the cooperative mission. As an organization, we value employees’ community involvement in clubs, committees and boards, sponsorships, events, fundraisers, and more.
Photo caption: (left to right) Liz Avery and Chelsea Gerdes accept the Workplace Excellence Award on behalf of East River.
Oct 12, 2022 | Community, Latest News
Prostrollo Auto Mall in Madison recently installed the first public DC fast charging station for electrified vehicles in the city. The charging station is capable of charging at 62.5KW per hour providing around 50 miles of range in 15 minutes. This station is compatible with all CCS1 and CHAdeMO types of vehicle connectors. This station will be available 24 hours a day and the payments are typically handled through a customer’s app on their phone.
“Range anxiety is one of the main drawbacks when a customer is considering an EV. This will allow the general public whether local customers or people passing through Madison an option of a rapid charge to get back on the road quickly,” said Nick Prostrollo.
East River Electric Power Cooperative recently purchased an all-electric Ford Mustang Mach E from Prostrollo Auto Mall. The Mustang has a top range of about 260 miles on a full charge.
“We appreciate the help from Prostrollo Auto Mall in securing our first modern electric vehicle,” said East River Electric’s Chief Member and Public Relations Officer Chris Studer. “As a wholesale electric provider for this region, we felt it was important to own an electric vehicle so we can help our members with their decision-making process when looking at an EV and learn more about what it’s like to own and drive an electric vehicle.”
East River staff recently tested the new DC fast charger at Prostrollo Auto Mall. “It’s a wonderful addition to Madison to have a DC fast charger here in town,” Studer said. “It gives EV drivers an opportunity to get a charge quickly and at an affordable price, and we excited that Prostrollo Auto Mall is the first to install a fast charger.”
Apr 13, 2022 | Community, Latest News
McKenna Sichmeller of Humboldt is the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from Basin Electric Power Cooperative based in Bismarck, N.D. She is the daughter of Casey and Annette Sichmeller.
Basin Electric awards over 185 scholarships per year to children of member cooperative employees and children of member cooperative consumers across the region. Sichmeller’s father, Casey, works as a Project Coordinator for East River Electric Power Cooperative in Madison, a Basin Electric member.
McKenna will attend South Dakota State University in Brookings to pursue a degree in nursing. After college graduation, she will go on to attend Mount Marty for their Nurse Anesthetist program. Throughout her years at West Central High School, McKenna was involved in volleyball, basketball, softball, band, FCCLA, FFA, National Honor Society and was the Class President. “Thank you for selecting me as the recipient for the Basin Electric Scholarship,” said McKenna. “It will help me on my journey to become a Nurse Anesthetist.”
“Congratulations to McKenna and her family on this wonderful honor,” said East River Electric CEO/General Manager Tom Boyko. “McKenna’s commitment to academics, athletics and her community shows her dedication to achieving her goals. We wish McKenna well as she continues her education at South Dakota State University.”
Since the scholarship program began, over 5,000 students in the Basin Electric system have benefited from this program. Recipients are selected on the basis of academic record, potential to succeed, leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, a statement of education and career goals and an outside appraisal by a teacher or adviser.
Cutline: (Left to Right) Tom Boyko, McKenna Sichmeller and Casey Sichmeller.
Apr 8, 2022 | Community, Latest News
East River Electric’s 58th annual fundraiser to support LifeScape was a success, raising over $44,600. LifeScape is an organization which promotes independence for over 2,500 children and adults with disabilities throughout South Dakota. This year, the event was held as an online auction and an online raffle. Many local businesses generously donated items to the auction and cash to the LifeScape organization.
“The online auction and raffle were very successful and a direct tribute to our employees fulfilling our Touchstone Energy Cooperatives principle of Commitment to Community,” said East River General Manager Tom Boyko. “I want to thank our employee committee for their outstanding work and long days of organizing the event, reaching out to donors and coordinating the auction. We also want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the local businesses and member cooperatives that donated items to the auction and money to LifeScape. Our fundraiser was a success because of your generosity!”
East River’s annual fundraising efforts have helped provide for the very best in medical care, therapy, education and other services for the children at LifeScape. Several local children and people from around the region are served by LifeScape.
The East River Employees Committee donated $1,000, a total matched by East River Electric at $1,000 and matched by Basin Electric at $2,000. CoBank also contributed $2,000 to the event this year. In the 58 years since the East River fundraiser began, more than $379,600 has been raised to help LifeScape provide services to children and adults in rural South Dakota.
PHOTO CUTLINE – LifeScape empowers people to live their best lives.
