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Tag: UDWI

UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant Donated $5,000 For Disaster/Tornado Relief To Local Residents

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant Donated $5,000 For Disaster/Tornado Relief To Local Residents

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (June 06, 2025)— The UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. donated $5,000 in disaster relief funds to the American Red Cross, providing relief to local Monroe and Greene County residents affected by the tornado and severe storms that swept through the area on May 16. 

The American Red Cross was founded in 1881 with the mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and generosity of donors.  As a nonprofit humanitarian organization, they provide disaster relief, disaster preparedness education, and other services in the United States.

The two local Red Cross locations that provided relief for the May 16 tornado/storm disasters were the following: United Way of South Central Indiana, or United Way, (Monroe County) at 431 S. College Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47403 and the Linton First Christian Church (Greene County) at 9878 W. State Rd 54, Linton, IN 47441. As local organizations, United Way and Linton First Christian Church often partner with nonprofits, such as the American Red Cross of Southeast Indiana, to support their local communities in Monroe and Greene Counties.

“We know disaster recovery doesn’t happen overnight,” said Michelle Ellis, a United Way Board Member and Director of Training Programs at Wagler Education and Training Center. Ellis continued to describe how United Way was able to help provide local disaster relief in Monroe County, saying “But with the strength of our community and the support of donors and partners, we can help ensure that no one has to face recovery alone.”

According to the Indiana Red Cross website, in April 2025, Red Cross volunteers and disaster responders assisted 760 households in Indiana affected by severe weather, including tornadoes and flooding. Their support included the distribution of more than 7,700 meals and snacks, 3,000 relief items, and the provision of 200 overnight stays across seven emergency shelters. The American Red Cross also extended aid to thousands more throughout the Midwest and the entire nation.

As a whole, the American Red Cross has provided lifesaving aid to more than 229 million people worldwide. In the United States alone, they responded to over 60,000 disasters in 2024, offering critical support to individuals and communities impacted by major disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, and hurricanes. 

The UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. allows cooperative members to give back to their communities by rounding up to the nearest whole dollar on their electric bills. The money accumulated is poured right back into local communities by awarding grants to various organizations. 

The latest round of UDWI REMC Community Fund grant recipients included: Autism Rocks and Rolls Corporation, Bloomfield Elementary PTO, Eastern Greene Fire Territory, Franklin Township Community Volunteer Fire Department, Inc., God’s Hands In Action, Healthy Hearts WRV, Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, Linton-Stockton School Corporation, Metropolitan School District of Shakamak, Teachers Warehouse, Inc., Valley Mission Church of the Nazarene, and Teachers Warehouse.

To learn more about the American Red Cross, including how to volunteer, donate, and support, visit www.redcross.org, call 1(800)733-2767, or follow them on Facebook. 

The UDWI REMC Community Fund, Inc. is now accepting applications for its next grant cycle. All nonprofit businesses in UDWI REMC’s service area are encouraged to apply.

UDWI REMC Names Shane Smith as New CEO

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC Names Shane Smith as New CEO

The Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC has named Shane Smith as its new Chief Executive Officer. The UDWI REMC Board of Directors selected Smith after a national search process to replace Doug Childs who will retire this summer after nearly eight years with the cooperative.

Smith currently serves as the UDWI Chief Operating Officer and has nearly 28 years of experience at the cooperative, including serving as an engineer, Manager of Engineering and Manager of Operations and Engineering prior to being named COO in 2020. In his current position he directs all strategies related to the operation and design of the cooperative’s electrical system, economic development, and key account relationships.

Smith is licensed as a Professional Engineer in the State of Indiana, and is a Certified Key Account Executive through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA.) He received his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Indiana Institute of Technology in 1997 and Masters of Business Administration from Xavier University in 2022. Smith is a native of Greene County and currently resides near Switz City with his wife Kelly.

As CEO, Smith will advise and assist the Board of Directors in the development of strategy, policies, budgets and contracts. He will also oversee the day-to-day operations, foster member relations, and ensure that the activities and operations of the cooperative are conducted in accordance with the bylaws, policies, mission and goals.

“The board is extremely pleased to select Shane Smith as our new CEO. We utilized our partnership with Hoosier Energy to conduct a nation-wide search, which resulted in more than 60 applications, 30 resumes reviewed and ranked by the team, 14 phone interviews, and three in-depth interviews. Shane’s years of experience, his intimate knowledge of this co-op and its members, and his focus on strategy will allow him to hit the ground running as he leads UDWI into the future,” said UDWI Board President Melinda Hendrix.

“We want to thank Doug Childs for the eight years he spent with us. Doug came into the CEO position during a very difficult time, and through hard work, determination, and dedication to UDWI, has led us to a much better financial position and has improved morale and working conditions at the co-op,” added Hendrix. 

Under Childs’ leadership UDWI embraced an unprecedented level of transparency across all areas of the cooperative, increasing members’ access to information and improving communications. Members also saw two base rate decreases that were made possible through strong financial stewardship— all while maintaining an aggressive vegetation management program and increased system upgrades. Last year, Childs led the team to redefine the cooperative’s mission, values and strategic plan, ensuring that system improvements, the needs of the members, and a strong focus on economic development will remain the top priorities for UDWI. In 2021, Childs ​formed strategic partnerships with Smithville Communications​ and SCI Fiber ​to address the lack of broadband and fiber access in the UDWI service territory. These partnerships have ​significantly increased connectivity for members​, and are providing a cost-effective and efficient solution to one of the biggest challenges facing rural, southern Indiana. The ​latest initiative​,​ launched in 2024 with Mainstream Fiber, will eventually give access to the majority of unserved and underserved UDWI members as part of the largest fiber expansion project ever undertaken in the area.

Smith assumes the CEO role July 1 and will continue the strategic work plan put in place during Childs’ tenure, which includes a strong focus on financial management, fiber expansion and economic development.

“I am truly humbled and deeply grateful for the trust that the Board of Directors has placed in me to lead the Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC into the future. We’ve made tremendous strides under the outstanding leadership of CEO Doug Childs, and I look forward to continuing to build on his legacy of an unwavering focus on serving our members and financial stewardship. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to lead the dedicated and talented employees of this cooperative. Together, we can continue to build on the progress we have already achieved,” said Smith.

Smith continued, “As we look ahead, we remain committed to our mission of Improving Rural Life. We will continue enhancing the reliability of our electric system; partnering with local economic development teams to foster job creation and elevate the quality of life for our communities; and supporting our broadband partners as they expand fiber-to-the-home projects. By collaborating with our partners, we can achieve much more than we could individually.”

UDWI REMC Provides Update on Storm Restoration 

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC Provides Update on Storm Restoration 

Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC would like to thank members for their patience as we work to assess damages and restore power as a result of yesterday’s storm that affected nearly 9,000 members. We believe two separate tornados also touched down in our service territory during the storm, causing significant infrastructure loss in some areas.

“Our crews are onsite, seeing the damage and the homes and properties that are completely devastated. Some of our members have lost everything, and many have extensive damage that may not allow them to return to their homes,” said Doug Childs, UDWI REMC CEO. “Our hearts and prayers are with our members, and we ask that everyone be safe and, if you are able, lend a hand to those in need.”

As of mid-day Saturday, May 17, we have restored power for a majority of our members, but around 1,000 members remain without power, and it is likely that repairs for those hardest hit areas will extend into the next several days.

Lineman crews will need to rebuild infrastructure, reset poles, and hang new lines before power can be restored. Due to the severity of the damage, we do not have estimated restoration times but will provide updates as they become available. Please know we are working hard to get all members’ power restored as quickly as possible while keeping our crews safe.

Areas most impacted include:

Monroe County

  • Ison Rd– Infrastructure destroyed (extensive damage to homes and property)
  • Harmony Rd – several broken poles

Greene Co

  • County Road W 325 N– Infrastructure destroyed (extensive damage to homes and property)
  • County Road N 475 W – several broken poles
  • County Road W 295 N – several broken poles
  • County Road n 900 W – several broken poles
  • County Road W 150 N – several broken poles

Our line crews worked through the night, and we have called in outside assistance from other co-ops and contractors. We thank those outside crews for their willingness to help as our crews have worked through the night and continue to be in the field.

“We are proud of the phenomenal job our team has done in the face of this damage, restoring power to thousands of members so far. Much of the damage that’s remaining is catastrophic, but our employees, contractors, and cooperative neighbors will be working tirelessly to restore power to everyone,” said UDWI REMC Chief Operating Officer, Shane Smith. “Our dispatch and engineering teams have remained on duty since the onset of the storm and will continue working with our members and helping guide our line crews as we navigate the next several days.”

Members can report an outage by calling the UDWI office (812-384-4446), using the UDWI app (UDWI REMC in the App Store and Google Play Store), or via UDWI’s texting service (please visit the outage hub on our website to learn more). Social media continues to be monitored, and we will post updates as they become available. Please know we are seeing and hearing your inquiries, however, due to the volume we may not be able to respond to all messages or comments immediately. 

We share in your frustration as our employees, line crews, their families and our entire community feel the impact of this storm and many of us are still without power as well. Thank you again for your patience and understanding, and please be safe! 

UDWI REMC’s Britt Miller Promoted to Director of Member Services & Projects

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on UDWI REMC’s Britt Miller Promoted to Director of Member Services & Projects

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (April 14, 2025) — Britt Miller has been promoted to Director of Member Services & Projects at UDWI REMC, where she will continue her strong commitment to serving members, keeping their needs at the forefront of UDWI initiatives. 

Miller has worked for the electric co-op for over six years, and in her previous role as a Dispatch Manager, she oversaw daily dispatch operations. With this came responsibilities such as managing the outage response team and the outage system; collaborating with various departments on how to improve reliability; ensuring safety regulations stayed in place; and holding safety training programs.

Throughout her daily duties, Miller has focused on strengthening communication— both internally with fellow employees as well as externally to UDWI REMC members. 

“Everything we do at UDWI comes back to our members,” commented Miller. She went on to describe just how much she values the co-op members, saying, “The projects we take on and the choices we make are all guided by our purpose as an organization to serve members in any way we can. I’m grateful to be part of a team that shows up every day ready to serve and support the communities we call home.”

Miller has also led various public outreach efforts, which give members a closer look at how the co-op works and why understanding electrical safety matters. The most widespread effort that Miller has spearheaded has been the Live Line Demonstrations. These demonstrations, which are open to the public, are usually held for first responders in local communities as well as for local high schools. These events are meant to spread awareness on the dangers of downed power lines and electrical equipment, and they have opened the door to building stronger community relations between the co-op and the people they serve.

“Talking with members one-on-one at these Live Line Demonstrations is something I genuinely enjoy,” stated Miller. She went on to discuss some of the personal conversations she has had at these events, saying, “It’s moments like those that remind me why we do what we do, and how much it means to our members to have a co-op that’s responsive, supportive, and truly listens.”

Doug Childs, CEO of UDWI REMC, shared his thoughts on how Miller will step into her new role, saying, “No matter the task, Britt is always willing to step up, and she is always looking for ways we can improve— her commitment toward personal and professional excellence can be seen even in her current pursuit of an MBA with a focus on Management and Leadership. I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in this new role, and I have no doubt that she will use her passion to further our goal of providing members with safe, reliable electric services.”

In her new role as Director of Member Service & Projects, Miller will focus on further improving members’ experiences with UDWI REMC through member service initiatives and providing special project management support across departments. Taking on this new challenge, Miller aims to elevate member needs as a priority, collaborate with her team, and enhance safety initiatives throughout the co-op and surrounding communities.  

HHM Employees Donate Toys to Children in Need this Holiday Season

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on HHM Employees Donate Toys to Children in Need this Holiday Season

Bloomfield, Ind. (Dec. 23, 2024) — Hoosier Heritage Management employees gifted Crane Credit Union over 80 toys for local children this holiday season. 

Toys for Tots, a nonprofit organization started and run by the Marine Corps, has a mission to collect new toys and distribute them to children in need at Christmas time. By carrying out this mission, Toys for Tots hopes to bring the joy of Christmas to children across the county and send a message of hope to those in need in America. In southern Indiana, the local Toys for Tots chapter is at NSA Crane. 

“At HHM, we have a passion for our local community, and the Holiday Season is the perfect time to put that passion to good use, spreading Holiday cheer to children in need,” comments Nicole Gose, wife of Robert Gose, Operations Head at Hoosier Heritage Management. Nicole goes on to describe the reason why this cause is so near and dear to the hearts of HHM employees, saying, “One main reason we do this is that every child should have something under the tree on Christmas morning. We as parents more than likely have been there at one time or another. We do this as an act of love from one human to another.” 

For the past nine years, Nicole and Robert Gose have collected donations from fellow HHM employees, buying gifts to donate to the local Toys for Tots chapter. This fall and winter, HHM employees donated hundreds of dollars to the cause, allowing Nicole Gose to purchase and drop off over 80 toys to Crane Credit Union. 

“When we saw the extent of the donations, we could not contain our excitement,” commented an employee at Crane Credit Union. They continued, “These toys can go a long way in spreading joy to children in our area— it can make all the difference to families this time of year. We want to thank Hoosier Heritage Management for all that they have done in supporting our mission so consistently these last several years.” 
HHM is a vegetation management company that specializes in tree trimming services as a subsidiary of the Utilities District of Western Indiana, REMC. Established in 2013, the HHM team works to keep power lines clear of vegetation to help UDWI achieve safe, reliable power. Outside of their work for UDWI, HHM employees take pride in being active members of their communities and positively impacting those around them on and off the job. In the future, employees will continue to spread holiday cheer through their Toys for Tots donations. To learn more about HHM, contact UDWI REMC or visit https://www.udwiremc.com/hoosier-heritage-management/.

Bloomfield’s ‘C2C’ Receives UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in UDWI News. No Comments on Bloomfield’s ‘C2C’ Receives UDWI REMC Community Fund Grant

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. (July 25, 2024) — The Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC’s Community Fund donated $17,450 across 12 local organizations in June, including $2,500 to Crawling to Cramps.

C2C serves the local community by offering diapers, feminine hygiene products, and other resources such as formula and wipes at no cost to participants. Additionally, clients have access to a “free store” that provides used clothing, dishes, home decor, toys and other household items. The concept for C2C was born in 2022 after studying mission work of different religions, and the organization began distributing free resources in 2022.

According to the National Diaper Bank, around 33% of U.S. families experienced a diaper shortage in 2010. Ten years later, in 2023, that number rose to 47%. In addition to rising diaper insecurities for many U.S. families, the National Diaper Bank also reported that, on average, those experiencing diaper insecurity miss 5.1 workdays in a month or nearly $300 in lost wages for at minimum wage.

Samantha Edwards, operational director with C2C, discusses how donations contribute to the organization’s cause. “Without this kind of altruistic, kind, and thoughtful support from giving businesses and organizations like Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC, we would never be able to do the work that we do. There would be no C2C.”

The grant awarded by UDWI will be used to purchase diapers and wipes; it will continue to support the mission of providing resources for those in our community using a harm reduction and dignity-focused model. For those in need, distribution is located at 25 N. Franklin St. in Bloomfield. There, distribution occurs from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.

C2C is always in need of donations, community volunteers and financial sponsors. Visit the C2C Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/c2cGreene) to support its diaper program as well as the many initiatives C2C also leads throughout the year, including:

  • Colt’s Birthday Club – To honor Colten David Scott Whelchel, C2C makes sure that every child has the supplies they need to celebrate their birthday. 
  • Bike Giveaway- In June, C2C provides children with free, new bikes. 
  • Prom Dress Giveaway- In March, C2C provides free prom dresses, shoes, jewelry, suits, and other prom necessities at a fun event where prom goers can try dresses on, take pics with their friends in front of a pretty photo backdrop, enjoy some hors d’oeuvres and drink sparkling grape juice.
  • BacktoSchoolooza- In July, C2C provides local children with new shoes, underwear, and socks for free. 
  • Sharing Shanty– C2C supports a free cabinet that is open 24/7/365 and contains toiletries, food, cleaning supplies, and secondhand items like blankets, movies, books, dishes, fans, and more available at any time to those in need.
  • The Coat Giveaway– C2C joined another local organization to pass out coats of all sizes, gloves, hats, scarves, heaters, tents, sleeping bags, blankets, food, toiletry items, and much more.

“This donation means the world to C2C,” said Edwards. She continues to explain just how the UDWI REMC grant could impact the organization, adding “It means that babies will be diapered and healthy as parents go to school and work. It means families will be able to purchase food and pay utility bills. It means that Greene County and surrounding areas will have families that will have a more stable outlook about diapers and wipes for their children, and our local families can take a breath and feel dignity doing so.”

The grant was given as part of UDWI’s Community Fund, a non-profit organization created by the cooperative that provides members with an avenue to make a difference in their communities. The program allows members to round up their energy bills to the next whole dollar to create the funds. Then, the community fund board awards the amount collected to local organizations.

Other recipients of Community Fund grants in June included: Bloomfield First Baptist Church, Boy Scouts of America / Hoosier Trails Council, Eastern Greene Schools – Special Education Department, Extra Mile Ministries, First Baptist Church (Linton), Knights of Columbus Council #1166, Lawrence County Cancer Patient Services, Monroe County Humane Association, Open Arms Christian Ministries, Inc., Pregnancy Choices, and the Scotland Festival Committee.

The UDWI Community Fund is now accepting applications for its next grant cycle. All nonprofit businesses in UDWI’s service area are encouraged to apply. Please visit www.udwiremc.com to learn more about the program and to start an application.

UDWI REMC Thanks the Cooperative Community for Support During June Storm Outages

Written by Brooke Porter on . Posted in Uncategorized.

Utilities District of Western Indiana REMC would like to say “thank you” to all the cooperative members, employees, outside crews, and our communities for your support during last month’s supercell storm that ripped through our service territory. 

Messages from members were extremely encouraging as line and tree trimming crews worked day and night to replace nearly 100 poles, repair hundreds of lines, and restore 415 separate outages that affected 10,101 electric meters. This work accounted for 1,855 hours of labor throughout the week. We can’t thank you enough for your understanding, patience and kind words during this weather event. 

UDWI’s line crews also received assistance throughout the week from fellow cooperatives, contractors, and peers in the industry including: USC, Electricom, Intren, Hendricks Power, Boone County REMC, Henry County REMC, Parke County REMC, Clark County REMC, Daviess-Martin County REMC, Haley Brothers, and Hoosier Energy. In total, 57 outside employees stepped up to support UDWI which totaled 4,300 hours of contract labor, and we would like to express our gratitude to these crews for their hard work and sacrifice to assist us. 

Finally, our greatest appreciation to all UDWI team members from the line crews, Hoosier Heritage Management tree trimming, office personnel, dispatch, customer service representatives and more. You all played a major part in restoring power and providing excellent service to our members. CSRs answered more than 500 calls per day during the outage event, and leadership who worked nonstop to support crews in the field. This was a true team effort, and it does not go unnoticed. 

While we hope these outage events are few and far between, we stay prepared and ready to serve you, the member, when the next one hits.