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January 13, 2025

6S Products in Anna started with five family members, one injection molding press, and a mission to find a niche while building a foundation of trust, dependability, and value. “We didn’t have a goal of being a large company; we just wanted to be able to personalize and help find solutions for companies when they need it,” says Neil Schroer, who owns the company along with his wife, Genny; two of their daughters, Emily Schroeder and Tracy Platfoot; and son-in-law, Josh Platfoot. (By the way, entrepreneurial spirit runs through the family: Neil and Genny also have a son, Eric, who...

July 9, 2024

Pioneer Electric Cooperative recently wrapped up its third annual summer Energy Camp, a camp designed to inspire students from Champaign, Miami, and Shelby counties. This year’s STEM-focused camp had nearly 40 students split into two sessions, from June 11 to 13 in Piqua and June 25 to 27 in Urbana. The camp was open to students entering grades 5 through 7, who have interest in energy, energy efficiency, engineering, and electric cooperatives. Reflecting Pioneer Electric’s commitment to community and dedication to education, the camp underscored two of the cooperative’s seven core principles: Commitment to Community and Education, Training, and Information....

June 17, 2024

As temperatures rise in the summer, keeping your house comfortable can lead to additional use of air conditioning units and in turn, higher electricity bills. By improving energy conservation, you can help your electric cooperative reduce demand — saving both energy and money. During the summer, peak loads occur during times when electricity use is at its highest. This typically happens in the middle of a hot afternoon, when air conditioners are running to offset the outside temperatures, and around dinnertime, when families are cooking, taking showers, washing dishes, and doing laundry. During the summer months, peak alerts are likely...

April 10, 2024

COLUMBUS, OH-April is the month of the year we celebrate our appreciation of electric lineworkers. Electric cooperatives recognize April 8, as lineworker appreciation day. April 18 is slated as national lineworker appreciation day. Lineworkers are essential to keeping power and light on in our communities all year long, so why not show your support year round by displaying Ohio’s Fallen Lineworkers license plate? A newly designed Ohio license plate is available for drivers to purchase for $20 when they’re registering or renewing a vehicle in Ohio. Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives designed the new plate for the state last year. For each...

November 1, 2023

Plump hens and toms are living on borrowed time these days at Bowman and Landes Turkeys near New Carlisle in Miami County. The family operation dates to 1948, when Kenneth Bowman and Dennis Landes set out to produce the highest-quality free-range turkeys around while being good stewards of the land. The third generation is now actively upholding the tradition, with the fourth generation ready to pick up the mantle. Baby turkeys, known as poults, arrive at the farm the day they hatch, each weighing one-fourth to one-third of a pound. The poults initially spend time in climate-controlled barns but quickly...

October 27, 2023

Personal story told by: Danny Bagwell, Pioneer Member and Vegetation Manager My love for backpacking began in high school, while I was growing up in southern Illinois. We didn’t know much about backpacking, but my friends and I loved to camp, nonetheless. Our local state park had backcountry campsites, and we’d improvise and use school bags to hold our gear. It was the beginning of a lifelong passion. Over the years, I’ve been able to hike all around the country, and it became a symbol of freedom and self-confidence to go wherever my legs would take me. The Appalachian Trail...