People and Events
Five Easy Ways to Exercise Your Civic Duty
September 20 is National Voter Registration Day America’s electric cooperatives, including Benton REA, understand the value of building relationships with elected officials at all levels of government. Many important policy issues directly impact electric utilities and ultimately, you, the consumer-members we proudly serve. Strengthening our relationships with elected leaders positions us to advocate for our…
Hot Air Balloon Gives Free Rides for Charity
Benton REA employees choose Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels for Cooperative Balloon Associates’ donation The Cooperative Balloon Associates donated $510 to Mid-Columbia Meals on Wheels on behalf of Benton REA. Every day the hot air balloon is flown, a monetary contribution is made to a local charity on behalf of the sponsoring Touchstone Energy Cooperative. Benton…
Freepons, Evans Reelected at 85th Annual Meeting
Benton REA Trustees Mike Freepons, district 2; and Bob Evans, district 3 were reelected to serve three-year terms on the Benton REA Board of Trustees. Final votes were counted during the 85th Annual Meeting of Members on July 16, at Leona Libby Middle School in West Richland. Nearly 600 people attended the annual meeting and…
Mail-in Ballots Due July 13 for Trustee Districts 2, 3 Election
Benton REA is governed by eight trustees who each represent a district of members. These trustees are elected by you—Benton REA members—to serve three-year terms. Members who live in districts 2 and 3 will receive a ballot in June for the 2022 trustee election. Each membership receives one vote. Members may submit their vote by…
Buddy Treadway Resigns From Benton REA Board
Buddy Treadway attended his last Benton REA board meeting as a trustee on May 26. Buddy was elected in 2007 and has faithfully served the members of District 1 for 15 years. With more free time, Buddy and his wife, Virginia, plan to take one day at a time with no heavy schedule. “Buddy always…
Benton REA Plants Trees at Wine Country RV Park
Visitors to Prosser’s Wine Country RV Park will enjoy two new trees donated by Benton REA on April 13, Washington State Arbor Day. Benton REA planted a Linden tree and a Hot Wings Maple tree because they will only grow 25 to 30 feet tall at maturity. They were planted far enough away from utility…
A Month of Appreciation
Lineworker Appreciation If you have noticed Benton REA’s line crews working on power lines and other electrical equipment, it’s no secret a lineworker’s job is tough—but it’s a job that’s essential. This month we celebrate lineworkers. The next time you see a lineworker, please thank them for the work they do to keep power flowing,…
Are You Lineworker Material?
If you hate the outdoors, prefer monotonous tasks, despise your community, like to work alone and enjoy working for minimum wage, this isn’t the job for you. Electric lineworkers are hard to find. It is an incredibly challenging and sometimes dangerous job not everyone is cut out for, but it can be incredibly rewarding. “There’s…
A Day on the Lines
Benton REA Line crews work hard day and night to keep the lights on Story and photos by David Herder As the Benton Rural Electric Association lineworkers arrive to their worksite on a late February morning, the poles they plan to raise are covered in snow. For the past week, foreman Chris Hill and his…