Powerline Press NEWSLETTER
A Supplement of Oklahoma Living Published by Lake Region Electric Cooperative for its members.
December July 2021 2019
On Lake Region Co-op Lines Sequoyah State Park and Lodge
The Lodge has all the activities visitors could want, from horseshoes, tennis court, basketball court, shuffleboard to the pool and courtyard. The park has a marina, a golf course, and horse stables. They have lots of hiking trails and a swim beach, and the crowd favorite is the Three Forks Nature Center. “This year, we have our Sequoyah Lodge tram back in operation, with drop-off locations all throughout the park. Visitors love renting our golf carts as well,” said Ann Skelton-Sullivan, Lodge Manager. Camping continued to be popular throughout the pandemic as an easy way to social distance and still getaway. However, the Lodge did have to shut down for a couple of months at the beginning of the pandemic. “Summer is here, and the Lodge and cabins are open, and people are anxious to get out and do more things. We see an increase in travelers and visitors from events being booked at our meeting rooms to families planning a quick getaway trip to our popular
Photo by: Larry Mattes
Lake Region was named for having several beautiful lakes in our service territory. Lake Region has lines all around Lake Fort Gibson, and one of our outstanding destinations on co-op lines is Sequoyah State Park and the Lodge. The park was built in 1954 and the Lodge was built in 1956. The park and Lodge have been around for years, but if you haven’t been out recently, LREC encourages you to pay a visit.
large family reunions. We will make sure your stay is great and feels like a getaway,” said Ann. Most weekends throughout the summer, we have many guests, but Ann encouraged people to call or visit the website, travelok.com. They have several cabins and 104 rooms in the Lodge, including suites. They will do their best to find you a place to stay at the beautiful State Park and Lodge. “I love how they took the feel and decoration of the Lodge back to the mid-century modern design. I am really proud of how they brought the Lodge back to life with the last remodel. We also have more plans for the Lodge. Construction to start this fall and complete by the 2022 season. Some visitors may remember the Western Hills Hotel as being a little ran down, and if they come back and visit now, it will be eye-opening how the Lodge looks and feels now. We have added a very nice restaurant, Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen, which offers a really nice atmosphere and food. People can come out for a day trip and always catch a good meal and see the Lodge.” added Ann. Visit travelok.com or call 918-772-2030 and support your local State Park this year when planning a vacation.
Providing A Connection that is Needed Photo by: Larry Mattes
James Billinger was one of the first to sign up for service once we announced we were building our fiber-to-the-home network back in 2016. James has been very involved with championing our new services to his co-workers, neighbors, and friends, before we even completed the Wagoner South circuit. From phone calls and email with the LREC, James understood the whole build-out process and was excited! “I enjoy working with members to help promote our fiber optic services. James understands James Billinger along with installation tech Carlos Cordero complete fiber the product and how beneficial activation and test new service. it is. Word of mouth is a significant factor in members signing up for our new services. Suppose your neighbors or close friends speak highly of Lake Region fiber. In that case, this generates more orders and helps Lake Region continue expanding our service coverage area,” mentioned Larry Mattes, Communication Specialist.
“The install process seemed like it took a while. I was excited when the contractors showed up at my house. I understand this was a major construction process with all the new wires and equipment. Lake Region new fiber is much more preferred than what I had, which was satellite internet. I only received under 100 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload with a very low data cap and it cost over $200 a month. With Lake Region fiber, I can surf and stream all I want, and it is cheaper. I am deaf, so fast, reliable internet was necessary for my video phone and video chat services. Also, I am thrilled to have this new internet as I plan to take some online classes and get a certification,” explained James. Lake Region 2125002 was proud to connect James Billinger to our fiber network, and we look forward to growing our service area and bringing fiber availability to even more LREC members. Apply for new service as well as view our service area map, prices, and plans online at www.lakeregionfiber.com
A Subsidiary of: Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Inc.
FAST INTERNET
(for real)
* live service not available in all areas. 24/mo contract is required for residential free installation. $8.99 equipment maintenace fee. Other terms may apply.
918-772-2526 / LakeRegionFiber.com
Ways to Save While You’re on Vacay Vacation season is here! Wherever you’re going, being energy efficient is probably the last thing on your mind. We get it, but we’ve got good news — it’s super easy to save, even while you’re away. Just follow these tips before your trip!
1. Turn off your water heater.
It takes most water heaters only about an hour to reheat your water to the set temperature. You lose a lot of energy when your water heater sits around on standby, so shut it off when you’re gone for three or more days.
2. Fill your refrigerator.
Are you the type to empty your fridge before a big trip? Here’s a counterintuitive life hack: a fully stocked, tightly packed refrigerator holds cold better than an empty one does. We’re not suggesting you buy a bunch of perishable items that’ll spoil while you’re away. Instead, fill your refrigerator with water containers and ice trays. Save even more and set your refrigerator to 38-degrees and your freezer to five-degrees.
3. Not using it? Unplug it.
TVs, Blu-Rays, coffee makers, cable/satellite boxes, computers, you name it, if you’re not using it, unplug it. If you’d rather not go to the trouble of unplugging everything, use an ADVANCED power strip, which keeps electronics from draining electricity when they’re not in use. Get one (or several).
4. Keeping your home cool is a cinch.
If you leave your blinds and curtains open during the summer, you’ll come home to an uncomfortable house! Close your blinds and curtains to block out sunlight and keep your home cool. Keep your home even cooler and install a programmable WiFi thermostat. You can set it on “vacation” mode before you go, or even adjust it while you’re on the beach! See how you can get a $50 instant rebate on qualifying WiFi thermostats at www.lrecok.coop/rebates. Wherever you’re going, stay safe and have a wonderful trip. Your pals at LREC will be here to help you save even more energy when you get back!
DON’T CRANK DOWN THE A/C Each degree can lower your energy costs by 1%–3%.
When it’s hot, setting the thermostat very low is tempting, but it may not cool your house any faster. Most home cooling systems have a single fan speed. Unless your A/C has a variable speed blower, it will adjust (lower the inside temperature) at a consistent rate. Set a temperature you enjoy–the Department Window Unit of Energy recommends 70–78 degrees in the summer–and let your A/C do its job. - 19 | $950
MORE WAYS TO SAVE > www.touchstoneenergy.com
BENEFITS OF FIBER INTERNET Lake Region 100% fiber network is known for speed (it’s really fast). So you get zero lag gaming, crystal-clear Zoom calls, and you never have to wait for your show to buffer. But there are so many other benefits to fiber!
Future Proof
Security We build a dedicated fiber line directly to your home or business, meaning you will get more consistent speeds. Plus, since fiber cables do not radiate a signal, it is extremely difficult to extract data from it — making it more secure.
Technology Since fiber is made of glass, it transmits light instead of electricity. Other technologies that deliver internet include cable, copper, DSL, among others. These other technologies transmit with electricity and are shared lines (vs. dedicated like our fiber lines), meaning your experience when using non-fiber technologies will suffer based on the amount of people on the network.
Your Board of Trustees
Staff
Hamid Vahdatipour ....................................CEO Ben McCollum .....................Director of Finance Logan Pleasant..............Director of Operations Glen Clark ........................Director of Marketing Larry Mattes............................Communications Tina Glory-Jordan ............................Attorney
(for real)
Speed
The fiber network we install today will be able to handle the increased demand for more bandwidth in the future. As that demand grows, only the network equipment will need to be upgraded over time, not the actual fiber cables.
Scott Manes.......................................President Lynn Lamons..............................Vice-President Randall Shankle ..... ............Secretary -Treasurer Jack Teague..............Asst. Secretary-Treasurer James Walls ........................................ Trustee Gary Cooper ..........................................Trustee Dianna Mayfield.....................................Trustee
A Subsidiary of: Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Inc.
FAST INTERNET
Fiber optic cables send data up to 1,000 times faster than copper cables, meaning it is easier to connect with others, upload data, load websites, and stream videos. All other technologies on the market have lower upload speeds than download. With fiber, you get the same fast speed, upload and download.
Reliability Fiber can better withstand different temperatures, water, and weather than other technologies. And since we build fiber lines directly to your home, you don’t have to worry about spotty signals from satellite internet or cellular hotspot towers.
Economic Development Fiber brings opportunity. Not just the opportunity for buffer-free streaming, but opportunity for businesses to expand and for our communities to attract new businesses. Our areas can also attract new residents, who may telecommute, and can only live here because of the power of fiber.
Office Hours Monday-Friday
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Telephone 800-364-LREC or 918-772-2526 Website: www.lrecok.coop www.lrecok.net Locations Hulbert, Wagoner & Tahlequah, OK. Main Office Address P.O. Box 127 Hulbert, OK 74441
Hidden Account Number Look for your account number hidden in this issue of the Powerline Press. If you find your number, Lake Region Electric will credit your next bill. To claim your credit, notify LREC’s Hulbert office by phone during the month of publication. The amount increases by $10 with each issue your prize goes unclaimed to a maximum of $50. Cooperative bylaws are available upon request at Lake Region Electric Cooperative’s office in Hulbert.
A Subsidiary of: Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Inc.