Rocky Mountain Co-ops Get the Brand “Around the Town” and Beyond

The link between local electric cooperatives and the Touchstone Energy brand just got a lot stronger in Colorado. Tri-State G&T, along with its distribution co-ops, recently became the premier sponsor of a weekly half-hour television show that reaches 2.7 million cable and satellite TV subscribers. By sponsoring “Around the Town,” an entertainment magazine program that showcases things to see and do in and around Denver and the Rocky Mountain area, the co-ops are able to broadcast the Touchstone Energy brand on the Altitude Sports and Entertainment Network.

The Altitude network, which was launched last fall, is carried on numerous cable television systems and both DirecTV and Dish systems throughout all or part of 10 states in the West.  Along with being the broadcast home to a number of area professional and college sports teams, Altitude also airs a variety of general entertainment shows.

Besides having Touchstone Energy cooperatives as the show’s presenting sponsors (and incorporating their locally tagged commercials in this and other Altitude programming), “Around the Town” will include a weekly segment called Get Connected With…(insert name of local community), which will feature events and attractions in the service territories of the region’s Touchstone Energy cooperatives, said Jim Van Someren, communications manager at Tri-State G&T.

“It’s going to be a great way for our Touchstone Energy cooperatives to promote their sponsorships of music festivals, balloon festivals, rodeos, car races, air shows, bicycle races, sporting events, fairs, food festivals or any other kind of special occasion or celebration,” said Van Someren.

Wyoming Co-op’s Sponsorship Promotes Brand and "Cattle Brands"

In northeast Wyoming, Powder River Energy Corp. (PRECorp) is applying the Touchstone Energy brand to branding….cattle branding, that is. The co-op is participating in Easter Seals’ community art and fundraising event, "Herd is the Word." The herd consists of 20 artistically embellished life-sized fiberglass horses lining the streets of Gillette, Wyo. PRECorp's horse, a young filly, is decorated with the cattle brands of several PRECorp members.

"When I reviewed the project proposal, I thought it would provide a venue for PRECorp to promote the Touchstone Energy brand through sponsorship descriptions and events held in celebration of the project,” said PRECorp Communications Specialist Kristin Kelly. “Our membership base is strongly rancher oriented and with so many counties, we have to find alternatives to traditional advertising.  The "Herd is the Word" sponsorship combined art, fundraising, and brand exposure. With livestock a large part of our culture, we knew the Herd is the Word program would be a great fit."

CEO, Mike Easley agreed, "The project not only exposes the community to art, it helps raise funds to support and expand Easter Seals programs and services in Gillette."

The entire herd is displayed at sponsoring businesses until October for the enjoyment of residents and tourists.  Guide books, calendars, and brochures describing the horses and supporters add additional value to the sponsorship, said Kelly.

Co-op Connections Program Gears Up for 3rd Quarter Print Run, Adds List Serve

There’s still time to sign up for the third quarter Co-op Connections card print run and join the 53 other Touchstone Energy co-ops already participating in the program. To take advantage of the next print run, register by July 29 on www.advancingthebrand.coop. With more than 4,000 local deals and 14 premier national discount deals posted on www.connections.coop, Co-op Connections is growing fast and is a valuable benefit to provide to both commercial and residential members.

Sharing and obtaining information about Co-op Connections recently became much easier. Current Co-op Connections participants, or those just looking for more information about the program, can now take advantage of a list serve. The list serve is ideal for asking questions and sharing ideas about the program with co-op peers and Touchstone Energy staff. To sign up, just send an e-mail to join-co-opconnections@lists.touchstoneenergy.coop.  

For more information on the next print run and Co-op Connections, contact Cynthia Henthorn at cynthia.henthorn@nreca.coop, 703.907.5575.

Scholars of the Week Program Culminates in Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Year

Building on their 2004-2005 Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Week initiative, electric co-ops in eastern South Dakota and western Minnesota recently gave a final award to the Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Year. During a year-end banquet at Dakota State University, one lucky senior had her name drawn randomly as the Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Year and received a $1,000 scholarship.

"Because these students are the best of the best, we decided the only fair way to choose a Touchstone Energy Scholar of the Year was by having all the scholars put their name in a container and drawing one winner," said Jeff Nelson, general manager of East River Electric Power Cooperative (Madison, S.D.).

"Electric cooperatives have a long history of supporting local schools and other community-involvement activities. Our Scholar of the Year presentation is an exciting climax to our weekly scholastic-excellence recognitions and a good fit with our cooperative principle of fostering education for our members,” said Nelson.

During the school year, 35 students recommended by faculty were selected as Touchstone Energy Scholars of the Week.

Touchstone Energy Million Dollar Golf Shootouts Help Kids in South Carolina

Electric co-ops in South Carolina recently demonstrated their commitment to community and promoted the Touchstone Energy brand by sponsoring golf shootouts that raised money for children’s causes.

Most recently, golfers stepped up to the tee June 3-4 for a chance at $1 million and other prizes at the Palmetto Electric Cooperative/Touchstone Energy Million Dollar Hole-in-One Shootout. The cost to participate was $1 per ball or $10 for a bag of 12 balls. Following two days of qualifying rounds, each finalist had a chance to sink a hole-in-one for the big prize. While nobody took home a million dollars, the events were considered immense successes.

Golfers take aim at a $1 million at Palmetto Electric's shootout.

“This was the third year Palmetto Electric has sponsored the Touchstone Energy Hole-in-One Shootout, which raises money to provide inkless fingerprint ID kits for first graders in our area,” said G. Thomas Upshaw, president and CEO of Palmetto Electric in Hilton Head. 

The kits give parents a record of their children’s fingerprints, photos and other key information needed by law enforcement officers in the event that a child is missing. The kits have been instrumental in returning missing children to their parents, and the Child I.D. kit program is a joint effort of Touchstone Energy, the American Football Coaches Association and the FBI.

Laurens Electric Cooperative (Laurens) used the proceeds of its Touchstone Energy Million Dollar shootout, held April 23, to benefit For Our Children, a nonprofit fund-raising organization that promotes and sustains the Greenville, S.C., community’s commitment to the education, development and well-being of its children.

Berkeley Electric Co-op (Moncks Corner), like Palmetto, used the proceeds of its April 30 Touchstone Energy Million Dollar shootout to ensure kids in the communities it serves have child I.D. kits. Helping to raise awareness of the event and getting the co-op some significant media recognition was FBI Agent Cynthia McCants, who spoke about the important role Berkeley Electric was playing to protect children.

“A lot of people don’t like to think of a child being abducted but it can happen,” said McCants. “These kits make it easier for law enforcement to find lost children,” she said.

“The effort also underscores the community commitment of Berkeley Electric Cooperative and more than 620 other independent, consumer-owned Touchstone Energy cooperatives across America,” said Berkeley Electric Vice President of Public Relations and Marketing Eddie McKnight.

SitesAcrossAmerica Free to Co-ops, Free to ED Agencies in Co-op Country

SitesAcrossAmerica, the Web-based clearinghouse for available sites and buildings in communities served by electric cooperatives, continues to increase its inventory. This resource is not only free for co-ops to use to market properties and real-estate in their regions, but is also free to economic development organizations in cooperative areas. Co-ops are encouraged to take advantage of this resource and to promote SitesAcrossAmerica to local chambers of commerce and groups focused on bringing businesses into their areas. For more information on SitesAcrossAmerica, contact Kristine Jackson at Kristine.Jackson@nreca.coop, or 703.907.5633.

Web Sites That Wow

The Web Sites That Wow monthly feature showcases how a Touchstone Energy cooperative effectively uses its Web site in its brand-building efforts. This month's site (http://www.kiwash.coop/) belongs to Kiwash Electric Cooperative (Cordell, Okla.). This progressive electric co-op does an effective job promoting its community relations and member benefits efforts. These include the co-op’s scholarship awards to local students, the Co-op Connections program, and the Touchstone Energy All-College Basketball Tournament.

Quotable Quotes

"If this business were split up, I would give you the land and bricks and mortar, and I would take the brands and trademarks, and I would fare better than you."
John Stewart, Former CEO, Quaker

Editor, Marty Haught
marty.haught@nreca.coop
703-907-5986