East Central Energy rewards kids for energy efficiency essays
Electric co-op and KBEK radio announce winners of summer contest

Braham, Minn — East Central Energy and KBEK radio, Mora, Minn., announced that Shelby Gambino, 17, Dalbo, Minn. and Paige Anderson, 12, Cambridge, Minn. won the Give a Hoot Kids Energy Wise summer essay contest. Shelby's mother is Lorri Gambino and Paige's parents are Valerie and Stephen Anderson.
To help educate the public about efficient summertime use of electricity, the co-op and the radio station invited kids 18 and under to enter ECE's summer energy saving essay contest.

"We're eager to see young people get enthused about efficient use of electricity because it saves money and conserves valuable energy resources," says Garry Bye, ECE's president and CEO. "We hope our energy education efforts such as this contest will encourage people of all ages to use energy wisely."

As prizes, the essay contest winners will each receive a backpack filled with ECE goodies and their parents will receive credit toward their next ECE account.

The winning entries follow:
"Energy conservation is important in today's world. Luckily, everyone can help in these simple ways: Dry clothes outside. Barbeque food. Catch rainwater for watering plants. Water lawns in evenings or during the night, away from peak hours. Turn down heat/air when nobody's home and close windows/blinds to avoid leakage. Turn off televisions, lights, fans, computers. . . when not in use. Let hair air-dry and avoid using electric heating/cooling pads when possible. Use timers when plugging in vehicles during winter. Lastly, try icing drinks in coolers, to avoid opening the fridge repeatedly."
-- Shelby Gambino, 17
"You can save energy by using fluorescent bulbs, hanging wet clothes outside on a clothesline or turning lights off that are not in use. You can run the dishwasher or washing machine after 8:00 p.m. Set your air conditioner around 78 in the summer and your furnace at 68 degrees all winter long. You can also set your water heater on low. Pull curtains during the heat of the day in the summer or put covering on the windows in the winter. Finally, seal spaces where heat or cool air escape."
-- Paige Anderson, 12

East Central Energy www.eastcentralenergy.com is a member-owned electric cooperative that serves more than 56,000 homes, farms and businesses in east central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. ECE provides electricity, Internet and long distance services as well as community and business development and environmental services.
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Shelby Gambino, 17, Dalbo, Minn., right, won the 13- to18-year-olds division in the Give a Hoot! Energy Wise Essay contest sponsored by East Central Energy and KBEK radio. Jennifer Veeser, ECE's communications and marketing manager, presented Shelby a recognition certificate, a backpack filled with prizes and an energy certificate of credit toward her family's ECE account.



Paige Anderson, 12, Cambridge, Minn., right, won the 12-year-olds and under division in the Give a Hoot! Energy Wise Essay contest sponsored by East Central Energy and KBEK radio. Jennifer Veeser, ECE's communications and marketing manager presented Paige a recognition certificate, a backpack filled with prizes and an energy certificate of credit toward her family's ECE account.