Issue 57 • September 2017

Fun for the

Whole FamilyJoin us for BBQs, corn mazes and more!

Join us for burgers, smokies and giveaways at our Annual Member Appreciation BBQs this month.

You're Invited to Enjoy These

A-maze-ing Family Events

To thank our members for their continued support over the last 70 years, EQUS will be holding Family Fun Day events in addition to our Annual Member Appreciation BBQs this month!

All members and their families are invited to our Family Fun Day events being held at corn mazes and farms within each of our Service Areas. Each member and their family will receive free admission into the corn maze or farm and a free BBQ lunch, in addition to the fun activities each venue has to offer, including bouncy castles, farm animals, mini golf and corn mazes!

All Family Fun Days will take place from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on the following dates:• Saturday, September 16 at the Kraay Family Farm,

home of the Lacombe Corn Maze;• Saturday, September 23 at the Edmonton Corn Maze

in Spruce Grove; and• Saturday, September 30 at Molnar’s Taber Corn &

Pumpkin Farm in Barnwell.

Also, don't forget to mark your calendars for our Annual Member Appreciation BBQs! Members in attendance can enter to win a $150 power bill credit, in celebration of Canada's 150th birthday.

Energy Efficiency Alberta will be onsite to talk about Business, Non-Profit and Institutional Energy Savings programs, in addition to SkyFire Energy, our preferred solar supplier, who will be present to answer questions about micro-generation.

All BBQs will be hosted from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on the following dates:• Wednesday, September 13 at the Central Area Office

(5803 42 Street, Innisfail)• Thursday, September 14 at the Bow Island Facility in

Bow Island (709 7 Avenue East, Bow Island)• Friday, September 15 at the South Area Office (#3

Alberta Road, Claresholm)• Tuesday, September 19 at the North Area Office in

Onoway (4804 41 Street (Range Road 21), Onoway).

For information on EQUS events, visit equs.ca/members/events.

EQUS.CA

EQUS' Charity

Golf TournamentOur 11th Annual EQUS Charity Golf Tournament raised over $20,000 in support of local food banks within our Service Area. The event would not have been possible without the support of these generous sponsors:

AAMDC - Jubilee InsuranceAbacus Datagraphics

Alberta Springs Golf CourseAll-Vac Sales and Service

Altec LimitedAnixter Power Solutions

Best Western Denham Inn and SuitesBest Western Plus Lethbridge

Black Knight InnBrisco Wood Preservers

Central Alberta Co-op Ltd. Communications Group Red Deer

Corus Entertainment – CISN CountryDays Inn – Innisfail

ECS Safety Services Ltd. Eecol Electic Inc.

Federation of Alberta Gas Co-opsFletcher Printing

Lisa GleiserGleniffer Lake Resort and Country

ClubGregg Distributors Ltd.Grizzly Trenching Inc.

HiQSoft Inc.

Innisfail Chamber of CommerceInnisfail Golf Club

ITS Travel and CruiseJack’s Autobody Ltd.

Kal Tire – InnisfailLandis + Gyr

Linestar Utility SupplyLoni Bourne Photography

McCallum PrintingMetropolitan Credit Adjusters Michener Allen Auctioneers

MulchCo Ltd.

Newcap Radio 96.3 FMNewcap Radio Real Country 95.5 and

ZED 98.9Palliser Chevrolet Oldsmobile Ltd.

Pattison Outdoor AdvertisingPamela MacNaughton Professional

CorporationPidherney’s

Red Deer CountyRogers - KISS 107.7

Sure Shot Environmental Ltd.The Phone Experts

In-Kind Donors

Brisco Wood PreserversGlobaltech Financial Corporation

Graham family

Metersmith Inc.Multisource Inc.

Safety Codes Council

Speciality Automotive RepairsSure Shot Services

Urica Energy Management Corp.

Vidya Knowledge SystemsVillage Glass and Mirror Ltd.

Prize Sponsors

Aable Directional BoringBank of Montreal

Blake Insurance and Financial Services

Cam Clark Ford OldsCenera

Central Alberta PrintingComplete Financial Solutions

Contempora Construction Inc.Digitex

Forte Business Solutions Ltd. HiQSoft Inc.

K-Line Maintenance and Construction Ltd.

NAPA Auto Parts - InnisfailPat and Tom Bourne

RBC Dominion SecuritiesSkyFire Energy

Smart Energy WaterStrategem Plus Consulting

Super T AviationTexcan

Town of InnisfailWestcove Excavating Ltd.

Smith Assessment Services

Hole and Contest Sponsors

Lunch Sponsors Sign SponsorsHole-in-One SponsorsFirst Tee Bag Sponsors

MG STRATEGIESMarketing | Communications | Public A airs

Title Sponsor

communications@equs.ca

Member Survey

Give your feedback on the Board's strategic plan at our Strategic Member Input Sessions.

We NEED Your Input...

Join Us

As a co-operative, it is important to us to hear members' input on EQUS' services and the overall direction of the organization. This is why we're once again hosting three Strategic Member Feedback Sessions this November.

These sessions are an opportunity for members to hear about your Board of Directors' strategic priorities for next year and provide feedback and suggestions. Your input can make a big difference in that the Board will review the feedback received to determine if changes should be considered to the current direction.

Join us at one of three sessions: Thursday, November 2 – Lethbridge Tuesday, November 7 – Red DeerWednesday, November 8 – Stony Plain

All sessions will be hosted in the evening from 6 until 8:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided. The locations of the sessions will be provided in the near future. There is limited room for each session, so be sure to RSVP.

RSVP by October 27 to: Elizabeth Bishop, Administrative Assistant to the CEO: Phone: 403.227.7534 | Email: ebishop@equs.ca

Staff FarewellName: Patti-Ann Smith Employee Since: 2007

Area: North Occupation: Area Service Administrator

Patti-Ann Smith, EQUS Area Service Administrator based out of the North Area Office, has recently annouced her retirement this September.

Patti has been with EQUS for ten years in various roles, most recently that of Area Service Administrator. Patti says she has truly enjoyed her time working

with EQUS and will miss her coworkers and workplace a lot.

We would like to thank Patti for her contributions to EQUS and wish her well in her retirement.

Members will still receive the same great service from the North Area team.

Annual Member

Survey EnclosedAll responses received by October 15 will be entered into our draw for one of the following prizes: the grand prize of one $250 power bill credit or one of six $75 power bill credits.

Each year, we survey our membership to gather feedback on your last year of service and address any questions or concerns our members may have. Your answers to the questions found enclosed regarding your experience with EQUS is much appreciated, and is used to help inform the Board's strategic plan for next year.

Please submit your completed survey to the Communications Department by: Mail: Box 6199, Innisfail, AB T4G 1S8 Fax: 403.227.1007

You may also complete the survey online by visiting: surveymonkey.com/r/8YFMM2D

Member Survey

Member Survey

Member Survey

EQUS.CA

EQUS is pleased to announce the six successful recipients of the second quarter of funding for Operation Round Up. The Operation Round Up Committee allocated a total of $16,000 for this quarter. The funded projects range from a mental health program that will give rural youth access to more mental health resources to a softball program for youth in Onoway.

Congratulations to the following organizations:

• Easter Seals Alberta• Fort Macleod Kids First

Family Centre• Foothills Special Needs

Association for Parents andSiblings (FSNAPS)

• Kids Help Phone• Onoway Ball and Soccer

Association• Westglen School

Those interested in applying for the next round of Operation Round Up funding should do so before September 30. Funding applications and guidelines are available on our website: equs.ca/community/operation-round-up/.

Operation

Round UpThe Operation Round Up Committee recently awarded six organizations with funding for projects that support children, youth and seniors in our Service Area.

Jack Vandervalk (pictured) has been involved in REAs for over 40 years, meaning he has witnessed a lot of changes since he began his involvement with the Hoping REA.

"The most notable change has been in the technology", Jack describes. He says REAs have gone from using shovels to high power machinery. Jack would know better than most, as he purchased the first digger for South Alta REA back in the early 90s.

One of Jack's favourite memories of his time spent working with REAs was when he would volunteer to read meters by airplane.

History MomentAn EQUS

All members are free to purchase electricity services through EQUS’ regulated rate tariff or from a retailer of their choice. The delivery of electricity to you is not affected by your choice. If you change who you purchase electricity services from, you will continue receiving electricity from EQUS. For a current list of retailers you

may choose from, visit www.ucahelps.alberta.ca or call 310.4822 (toll free in Alberta).

Mailing Address: Box 6199, 5803 42 Street, Innisfail, AB T4G 1S8

To report a power outage in your area, or for other services such as construction or vegetation management, please call your local Area Office.

North Area Office1.888.627.4011

Central Area Office1.877.527.4011

South Area Office1.888.565.5445

Main Office1.888.211.4011

EQUS.CAcommunications@equs.ca

Choose EQUS or any other energy supplier. Supply

EQUS will always be your distributionlink to your energy supplier.

EQUS will always serve you.Distribution You

You can choose your energy supplier

2017 Member Survey1. Member Name: _____________________________________ 2. Account #: _________________________3. Please check the box that corresponds to your age bracket. If your service is registered to more than one member, please check the

appropriate age bracket(s) for each member. If both members are in the same age bracket, simply check the age bracket twice.

o 20-24 o 25-29 o 30-34 o 35-39 o 40-44 o 45-49o 50-54 o55-59 o 60-64 o 65-69 o 70-75 o 76 and older

4. Which EQUS service area do you live in? o North Area (Onoway) o Central Area (Innisfail) o South Area (Claresholm)

Inquiries

5. If you called or visited your Area Office within the past 12 months, how satisfied were you with the service you receivedfrom EQUS’ staff?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

6. If you called or visited your Area Office within the past 12 months, how satisfied were you with the response time?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

7. If you called the Main Office within the past 12 months to discuss your utility account or submit a meter read, how satisfiedwere you with the service you received from EQUS’ staff?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

8. If you called the Main Office within the past 12 months, how satisfied were you with the response time?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

Power Outages

9. If you experienced a power outage during regular business hours within the past 12 months, how satisfied were you withour service?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

10. If you experienced a power outage after regular business hours within the past 12 months, how satisfied were you with ourafter-hours call centre service?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

11. If you experienced a power outage within the past 12 months, how satisfied were you with the response time?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

Field Personnel

12. If you had contact with our field personnel on your property, how satisfied were you with the service from EQUS’ staff?o Satisfied o Dissatisfied o No experience

Satisfaction

13. Would you recommend EQUS to a friend, family or colleague?o Yes o No

14. Do you believe EQUS is your best option for your electrical distribution services?o Yes o No

15. Are you satisfied with your overall service from EQUS?o Yes o No

16. If we require further information, may we contact you about your responses?o Yes o No

17. Would you like EQUS to conduct this survey in the future?

o Yes o No

Additional comments or specific experiences: _________________________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

communications@equs.ca