PowerLines October 2024

Celebrating National Co-op Month with a Commitment to Safety & Community

October is National Cooperative Month, which is the perfect time to celebrate the cooperative spirit that powers our communities. To that end, I’m shining the light on two important milestones DMEA has recently achieved.

First is safety, our most important core value that drives our actions and decisions every single day. DMEA participates in a rigorous national-scale safety program called the Rural Electric Safety Achievement Program (RESAP), which provides us with the tools, resources, and benchmarks to continually improve workplace safety. Through RESAP, we receive regular assessments, access to best practices, and safety training, ensuring that our employees have the right tools for the job and always work to protect each other, our members, and our communities.

DMEA recently completed its formal RESAP assessment, during which independent safety auditors spent three days at our facilities inspecting our tools, storage spaces, cash handling processes, hazardous materials procedures, and more. I’m excited to report that our results are outstanding! The criteria are reputationally tough and of the 18 categories assessed, DMEA received 17 blue ratings of Satisfactory Performance and one rating of Strong Performance. The consistency of those ratings are the top two scores available and are extremely difficult to achieve. I couldn’t be any prouder and hope you share the same sentiment.

The audit team noted specifically that our line crews were well-equipped to do their jobs safely and efficiently and that our team’s pride in caring for our facilities and equipment was obvious. These results not only reflect DMEA’s unwavering commitment to safety but also highlight our team’s dedication to maintaining the highest standards in everything we do. This reinforces we have each other’s backs, including yours.

Next, I’d like to highlight our community impact. In September, we kicked off the first event in our new Friday Night Lights series. We hosted a community appreciation night under lights in the Redhawk stadium at Montrose High School, inviting our members to attend the football game, support our local student-athletes, and celebrate community spirit. The energy and enthusiasm were electric–pun intended! It was a privilege for all of us at DMEA to give back to our schools. The events continue this month as we visit each local high school. Please join us to cheer on your own hometown team Sept. 19 at Cedaredge, Oct. 4 at Olathe, Oct. 18 at North Fork, and Oct. 25 at Delta!

As we celebrate National Co-op Month, I invite you to join us in recognizing the hard work and dedication of our DMEA employees who make all these achievements possible. Their commitment to excellence in powering and protecting us every day deserves to be celebrated!

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Foundations for the Future

Elevate Strengthens Community Connections for Senior Citizens

Elevate Internet selected All Points Transit as the recipient of its 2025 Foundations for the Future Grant.

Elevate’s 2025 Foundations for the Future Grant program dedicated $10,000 to support an organization that improves the quality of life for senior citizens. Eligible applicants could focus on any aspect of senior life, including the arts and sciences, education, health and wellness, or basic needs.

While there were several worthy applicants, All Points Transit stood out. Their public transportation services help ensure senior citizens maintain independence, mobility, and social connections, all of which are key ingredients in robust health and a high quality of life.

All Points Transit operates in four counties on the West Slope, with the mission to provide safe, reliable, and accessible transportation for all. It offers both public transition and scheduled rides, with approximately 83% of its passengers being older adults or those with disabilities.

Ready to ride?

All Points public bus schedules are available online at www.allpointstransit.com, and individuals can order a scheduled ride by calling(970) 249-0128 (Montrose County) or (970)874-7334 (Delta County).

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Friday Night Lights

Huddle up for a free community night hosted by DMEA and Elevate Internet! Join us for a special member appreciation event and enjoy free admission, special giveaways, and a chance to cheer on your hometown team.

Olathe vs. North Fork | Friday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. | Olathe High School
North Fork vs. Meeker | Friday, October 18 at 7:00 p.m. | North Fork High School
Delta vs. Moffat | Friday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m. | Delta High School

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Business Internet Done Better

Every business has different needs when it comes to internet. Elevate Internet delivers ultra-fast speeds up to 10 Gig (10,000 Mbps) on our 100% fiber-optic network, ensuring you have the speed, connection, and reliability you need to keep things running.

Speed	Good to use for	Best for	Monthly price
400 Mbps	Access cloud services. Operate point of sale system.	Small retail shops or consultant offices.	$79.95
1 Gig	Run video security systems. Fast guest Wi-Fi.	Coffee shops, mid-size retail, restaurants, or small offices.	$159.95
2 Gig	Blazing-fast guest Wi-Fi. Access and manage cloud services.	Large retail, web developers, designers, or hospitality	$319.95
6 Gig	Simultaneous video conferencing. Seamless point-of-sale processing. Scalable and future-proof for growth.	Enterprise retail, corporations, video production, or game designers.	$499.95

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DO IT ALL... and even more!

Symmetrical Speeds. Get the same fast speed for uploads and downloads.
Top Technology. Your service comes with a top-of-the-line modem and router.
No Limits. You’ll never need to worry about data caps or throttling because that’s not our style.
Risk Free. No contract, plus get peace of mind with service uptime guarantees.
Go Even Faster. Contact us today to talk about custom packages up to 10 Gig.

Read about how Julie at Qutori uses Elevate for her businesses.

Schedule your free consultation.

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2025 Youth Leadership Programs

Washington D.C. Youth Tour | June 16 - 22

Spend an educational and fun week in Washington, D.C., all expenses paid for by DMEA.
Visit historic monuments, tour world class museums, and meet elected officials.
Develop life-long friendships with delegates from across the country!

Youth Leadership Camp | July 12 - 17

Spend a week in Steamboat, CO, all expenses paid for by DMEA.
Float the Colorado River, hike to Fish Creek Falls, and ride on the gondola to the top of Mt. Werner.
Learn about the cooperative business model, tour a generation facility, and make lasting connections with students from Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas.

How to Apply

Complete the Youth Leadership Application at dmea.com/youth-leadership-programs. DMEA will select one overall winner to attend the Rural Electric Youth Tour and up to three other students to attend the Youth Leadership Camp. If selected, you will be notified in January.

Applicants must be between the ages of 16 and 18 at the time of the programs but not yet have graduated from high school; be dependents of a DMEA member (your parents/guardians are DMEA members); and submit a completed application and a 500-word essay before January 1, 2025.

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What to Avoid on the Path to Cyber Safety

Your journey through the electronic world doesn't have to lead to scams. Safely navigate emails, websites, and texts by following the tips below.

Does it sound too good to be true?

Some phishing email senders pose as major organizations or brands. They don't usually give things away, so don’t fall for winning prizes.

Resist the click.

If you click the link on a malicious text, website, or email, you may be directed to a webpage that cybercriminals control or worse, you could unsuspectingly download malware.

Don’t get personal.

Always be cautious about entering personal information. Make sure you verify the sender or site before you enter your name, social security, address, or financial information.

Add extra protection.

Download the ElevateIQ app and it will walk you through connecting to your router. Once active, it is constantly hunting for bad actors and stopping them at the front door. Updated daily, IQ is working with the latest intel on cyber threats to keep you safe.

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The Electric Strip

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