Duke Energy News

For Duke Energy Indiana, “in the community” is not a slogan; but a core principle that is lived out every day. Throughout our numerous Indiana regions, our employees invest time and resources to support organizations and enhance the vitality of local communities.

The 28th Annual National Night Out (August 2011)

The 28^th Annual National Night Out, held August 2, 2011 was a big hit in Terre Haute, Ind. A total of 26 Duke Energy volunteers and family members worked in a heat index of 100 degrees at this community event.

Sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, National Night Out is designed to raise crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support and participation for local anti-crime efforts, and strengthen police and community partnerships.

Duke Energy’s display consisted of a bucket truck and many giveaways. Over 4,000 children’s plastic hard hats, 2,000 coloring books and many safety brochures were given out.

Over 10,000 people attended this year’s event. Terre Haute ranked fifth in the nation last year for this community event.

Thank you volunteers and family members!

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Duke Energy a Major Sponsor of WonderLab Museum Exhibit (August 2011)

Duke Energy is a major sponsor of the “Toys: The Inside Story” exhibit on display this summer at the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology in Bloomington, Ind. This family-friendly exhibit offers 12 hands-on stations that illustrate the simple mechanisms commonly found in toys. It also includes fun stations where children and their families can experiment and learn through activities involving gears, pulleys, linkages, cams and circuits.

“WonderLab is a tremendous asset to Monroe County and our state,” said Pam Chapman, district manager in Duke Energy Indiana’s south central area. “Toys: The Inside Story and other WonderLab exhibits provide informal, hands-on experiences that help children discover that science and learning is fun. WonderLab is a great community resource to expand educational opportunities, and also provides ways for older students to enhance their workplace skills through volunteerism.”

Last year WonderLab hosted more than 80,000 visitors from Indiana and beyond. The gallery features more than 80 hands-on science exhibits for visitors of all ages. The museum also hosts educational and interactive programs, workshops, demonstrations and presentations.

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Japan America Society of Indiana Annual Gala (June 17, 2011)

Duke Energy Indiana was a title sponsor of the Japan America Society of Indiana Annual Gala on June 17th in Indianapolis.  Dr. Koichi Wakata, Japanese astronaut, was the featured speaker.  The honorable George Hisaeda, consul general of Japan in Chicago, was the special guest.  There were over 400 in attendance.

Safe at Home (June 13, 2011)

Duke Energy Foundation supported the CICOA “Safe at Home” project in Shelby County by providing $12,000 which was used to buy lumber, hand rails and other materials to make homes safer for elderly and disabled persons.  District Manager Cathy Wenning and about 100 other community volunteers worked to make the home improvements.

International Economic Development Council (June 7, 2011)

Duke Energy Indiana was a sponsor of and participated in the International Economic Development Council Spring conference in Indianapolis, June 5-7, entitled “Understanding Tomorrow’s Industries Today: The Landscape of the Future.”  Speakers included Antonio Galindez from Dow AgroSciences, Charles Gassenheimer from Ener1, Norman Bafunno from Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, and Tom Easterday from Subaru of Indiana Automotive.  Those participating from Duke Energy were Ronny Davis, Mike Heaton, Misty McCammack, Chip Orben, Marie-Christine Pence and Bill Petranoff.

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IU Receives $30,000 Grant for E-House (June 3, 2011)

The Duke Energy Foundation awarded a $30,000 grant for Indiana University’s E-House (an all-electric net-zero-energy demonstration home). A historic home on IU’s campus will demonstrate renewable energy and other high-performance energy technologies.  It will be used as a university teaching tool and to educate the broader community.

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Duke Energy Awards $5,000 to Develop Whitley County Industrial Site

Duke Energy is awarding $5,000 to the Whitley County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to help prepare an industrial site in South Whitley, Ind., to attract new businesses to the area.

The work, which includes an environmental site assessment, land surveys, wetland delineation, site infrastructure and associated engineering, is expected to be finished by summer 2011. The EDC then will apply to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for the “shovel-ready” designation. That designation makes it easier for prospective businesses, particularly manufacturers, to build on the property.

“Duke Energy understands the importance of helping the communities we serve improve opportunities for economic growth,” said Kevin Neal, director of wholesale relations for Duke Energy Indiana. “South Whitley and its leaders have already proven to be a welcoming community for a number of industries, and we are pleased to help them build on their success.”
“We appreciate Duke Energy’s vision for economic development,” said Alan Tio, president of the Whitley County EDC. “Like so many other rural Indiana communities that do not benefit from four-lane highway access, a project like this one is critical to South Whitley’s ability to compete for economic development projects.”

South Whitley Electric Light and Power supplies electric service to the town and surrounding area. The utility purchases its power from Duke Energy Indiana through a long-term wholesale power purchase agreement.

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Winners Named in First-Ever Duke Energy Earth Day Art Contest (May 2011)

Five winning works of art have been selected from among hundreds submitted by students in Plainfield elementary schools as part of the first-ever Duke Energy Earth Day art contest.

Students in grades 1 through 5 were invited to create posters promoting the theme, “Saving Energy.” The artists could use paint, crayons or any other media they chose. Entries were judged on the basis of content, artist merit, originality and creativity. One winner was chosen for each grade level. A check in the amount of $500 will be given to the class of each winning student to implement an environmental project of their choice.

“We think this is a fun and creative way to promote environmental stewardship to students at a young age,” said Dawn Horth, director of government and community relations for Duke Energy Indiana. “Duke Energy has a strong commitment to sustainability in the workplace and in the communities we serve.”

The winning art projects will be on display in the lobby of the Duke Energy Indiana Plainfield office. All other contest entries will be returned to the students with special certificates of participation.

The winning students and the schools they represent include:

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Volunteers Spruce Up Vermillion County 4-H Fairgrounds (May 2011)

At least 20 Duke Energy employees from Cayuga Generating Station, Wabash River Generating Station and other nearby locations gathered on May 6 at the Vermillion County 4-H Fairgrounds to make repairs and spruce up the fairgrounds ahead of this summer’s 4-H fair. The effort was part of Duke Energy’s annual Global Service Event.

Work projects included:

• Installing trenches and downspouts around the main fairgrounds building
• Repairing and upgrading portions of the electricity infrastructure
• Trimming of trees and shrubs
• Relocating a number of utility poles
• Installing ventilation fans in the White Pavilion
• Replacing burned-out lights that require a bucket truck to reach
• Pouring a new 20-foot-by-20-foot concrete slab

Duke Energy’s annual Global Service Event is the company’s hallmark program of our volunteer efforts. The GSE began in 1997 as a way for employees to give back to the communities where they live and work. Through this grassroots effort, employees and retirees identify local community needs and provide the leadership, volunteers and project management to improve local not-for-profit organizations.

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Duke Energy Foundation Donates $20,000 to Vermillion County Volunteer Emergency Response Groups (May 2011)

The Duke Energy Foundation is donating $20,000 to nine volunteer fire departments and one emergency medical service group in Vermillion County to help update firefighting and emergency response equipment.

“There are over 16,000 citizens protected by these 10 emergency response agencies in an area that exceeds 256 square miles,” said Rick Burger, district manager for Duke Energy Indiana’s west area. “These funds will help them purchase equipment that is up to date and meets all current code requirements.”

The 10 agencies include:
• St. Bernice Volunteer Fire Department
• Perrysville Volunteer Fire Department
• Newport Volunteer Fire Department
• Cayuga Volunteer Fire Department
• Clinton City Volunteer Fire Department
• Clinton Township Volunteer Fire Department
• Dana Community Volunteer Fire Department
• Fairview Volunteer Fire Department
• Hillsdale Volunteer Fire Department
• Vermillion County Emergency Medical Service

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Duke Energy Volunteers Help Raise Funds For March for Babies in Wabash Valley (April 2011)

More than 20 Duke Energy volunteers and their families joined nearly 2,000 local residents to help raise approximately $190,000 in the annual March of Dimes March for Babies in the Wabash Valley area on April 30, 2011.

The Duke Energy volunteers were led by Frank Klopfstein, general manager of the Wabash River Generating Station in Terre Haute, who is also serving as this year’s chairman of board of directors for the March of Dimes Wabash Valley division.

The funds raised during the event support programs in the local community that help moms have healthy, full-term pregnancies, as well as to fund research to find answers to the problems that threaten babies.

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Duke Energy Awards $20,000 to Attract Business to Gibson County Industrial Site (April 2011)

Duke Energy is awarding $20,000 to the Gibson County Economic Development Corporation to help prepare a 150-acre parcel to attract new businesses to southwest Indiana.

The work, which includes an environmental site assessment, land surveys, wetland delineation, site infrastructure and associated engineering, is expected to be finished by spring 2012, after which the county’s economic development group will apply to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for the shovel-ready designation. That designation makes it easier for prospective businesses, particularly manufacturers, to build on the property.

“Duke Energy is committed to helping the communities it serves expand their opportunities for economic growth,” said Mike Heaton, Duke Energy Indiana economic development manager. “Economic vitality is a key component for the long-term sustainability of Gibson County and the surrounding area.”

“Securing this 150-acre parcel and performing the necessary work to achieve a ‘shovel-ready’ certification from the state will expand our inventory of available sites to present to business and industry prospects,” said B. Todd Mosby, president and CEO of the Gibson County Economic Development Corporation. “Several industries have expressed interest recently in locating in Gibson County.”

The grant is made possible through Duke Energy’s Community Growth Partnership Grant Program and is aimed at generating new jobs and capital investment in Indiana.

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Duke Energy Foundation Awards $15,000 Grant to Indiana State University Recycling Center (March 2011)

The Duke Energy Foundation has approved a $15,000 grant for Indiana State University’s Recycle Center to increase citizen awareness of recycling and educate the greater Terre Haute area about environmental stewardship.

“ISU’s recycle center opened in 1990 as a way to reduce the cost of sending waste to area landfills,” said Rick Burger, Duke Energy Indiana’s west area district manager. “In 2005, the recycle center added an educational component to increase community awareness. This grant will help educate students and the community about the many ways to recycle waste.”

“It is our goal to educate individuals so they can make wise choices in matters that affect the environment,” said Paul Reed, manager of the ISU recycle center. “By providing environmental education, we can empower individuals to make a difference that will benefit our community today and in the years ahead.”

In fiscal year 2009-2010, the recycle center collected more than 1.5 million pounds of recyclable materials and made educational presentations to more than 18,000 individuals. Reed said the recycling center will now be able to enhance and expand its educational efforts.

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Duke Energy Indiana and Indianapolis Public TV Station Distributing Science DVDs for Schools and Libraries (March 2011)

Duke Energy Indiana, in partnership with WFYI Productions in Indianapolis, is paying for the production, promotion and distribution of 3,300 DVD sets of season No. 3 of “Indiana Expeditions with Rick Crosslin,” a public TV program designed to teach basic science principles to students in an entertaining way. The 30-minute programs are hosted by Rick Crosslin, one of Indiana’s most honored and respected science teachers. The season No. 3 episodes include one on electricity generation, transmission and distribution. A portion of that program features Duke Energy’s Gibson Station, as well as engineer Greg Augspurger, to explain how electricity is generated.

“Indiana Expeditions” is a popular, 30-minute weekly program that airs on public television stations statewide. The programs are available as streaming media over the Internet; however, anecdotal feedback from science teachers indicates a preference for using DVD video resources in the classroom over streaming media. Duke Energy is making the DVD sets available all Indiana science teachers and all public libraries. The programs are aimed primarily at students in grades 3 through 8.

Also included on the DVDs are supplemental teacher resources that complement each episode’s program content.

Watch a clip of the program that was shot at Gibson Station, featuring Greg Augspurger.

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Soaring with the Eagles at Cayuga (January 2011)

Cayuga Generating Station in Indiana generates a lot of electricity. But it may be the plant’s Eagle Viewing Day that generates the most attention.

During most years, the area near the station is the home of Indiana’s largest population of mid-winter migratory bald eagles. The colder the weather, the more likely the birds will be seen. When area lakes and streams freeze over in the winter, warm water discharged from the Cayuga Station keeps the river area by the plant ice free, which attracts fish the eagles feed on.

Duke employees, retirees and family members recently acted as guides and served cookies and drinks to almost 1,100 visitors during the Eagle Viewing Day events on Jan. 29, 2011.
In addition to viewing eagles in the wild, visitors could check out the “Birds of Prey” presentation by the American Eagle Foundation. The group is sponsored by the Duke Energy Foundation. Employees also offered tours of the generating station for those interested in learning how electric power is made. The group is sponsored by the Duke Energy Foundation.

In conjunction with the event, “Birds of Prey” programs were presented to Rockville, Turkey Run and Dixie Bee Elementary schools as well as South Vermillion Middle School. About 1,800 students and their teachers were able to closely view these magnificent birds and learn about them in a truly unique way.

Cayuga is part of the comeback story for the bald eagle. The bird was listed as an endangered species in the early 1970s as their numbers dropped to around 400 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. But as a result of banning pesticides such as DDT and conservation efforts throughout their range, the birds now number around 10,000 nesting pairs — and have been removed from the endangered species list.

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Duke Energy Awards $20,000 Grant for Former Industrial Site in Bloomington (February 2011)

Duke Energy is awarding $20,000 to the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation (BEDC) for work required to obtain a “shovel-ready” designation for the former ABB industrial site, located at 300 North Curry Pike in Bloomington.

“Duke Energy is pleased to partner with the BEDC on this project,” said Pam Chapman, manager for Duke Energy Indiana’s south central area. “These investments help create the opportunity for jobs and economic growth.”
The work, which includes an environmental report, land surveys, maps and associated materials, is expected to be finished by April 2011, after which application will be made to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation for the shovel-ready designation. That designation makes it easier for prospective businesses, particularly manufacturers, to build on the property.

The Duke Energy Indiana Community Growth Partnership Grant Program is aimed at generating new jobs and capital investment in Indiana. Since 2008, 27 grant recipients – all local or regional economic development organizations – have received more than $328,000 toward economic development projects.

Duke Energy requires grant recipients to demonstrate that they have leveraged other resources or partners in addition to Duke Energy for their projects. The Community Growth Partnership Grant Program is part of Duke Energy’s economic development strategy to assist communities in becoming more competitive.

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Sustainability Grant to Martinsville (January 2011)

Duke Energy is awarding $10,000 to “Rediscover Martinsville” to support the Martinsville, Ind., downtown revitalization plan, which local officials hope will lead to greater economic development opportunities in the downtown and surrounding areas.

The grant will be used to pay for engineering work that will lead to more and up-to-date power outlets being installed on the courthouse square in downtown Martinsville, which will be used to support a wide variety of outdoor events.

The grant is made through the Duke Energy Foundation’s Community Sustainability Grant Program, which provides matching grants up to $10,000 to charitable, not-for-profit organizations for innovative and effective community sustainability programs to encourage, support, and share effective models of collaborative community sustainability planning.

Grant applicants must first secure other funding, which Duke Energy then matches in an amount up to $10,000.

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Community Growth Partnership Grant for Terre Haute (January 2011)

Duke Energy is awarding $20,000 to the Vigo County Redevelopment Commission to underwrite a feasibility study on the former Pfizer manufacturing campus in Terre Haute.

In September 2009, the redevelopment commission purchased an 845-acre land parcel with buildings from Pfizer. In December 2010, the commission purchased an additional 90 acres from Pfizer. The entire area is now called the Vigo County Industrial Park II.

The feasibility study, which is expected to take about six months, is another step in the process to market the former manufacturing facility to attract new businesses and jobs to the Terre Haute area.

“Duke Energy is eager to do all it can to promote economic growth and development in the areas it serves,” said Rick Burger, Duke Energy Indiana’s west area manager. “This study will build on the survey work that was done last year, for which Duke Energy also helped pay.”

The study will document existing infrastructure such as sizes and capacities of various utility lines and roadways, as well as the logical routes for extending those resources to other areas of the industrial park.
The Duke Energy Indiana Community Growth Partnership Grant Program is aimed at generating new jobs and capital investment in Indiana. Since 2008, 27 grant recipients – all local or regional economic development organizations – have received more than $328,000 toward economic development projects.

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Economic Development Grant to Kokomo (January 2011)

Duke Energy awarded a $10,000 economic development grant to the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance to help pay for a study to determine whether the Kokomo area is suitable for medical device manufacturing facility.

“We need to know if this industry sector is truly one that we have the opportunity to penetrate for business development,” said Jeb Conrad, Alliance president and CEO. “Thanks to the Duke Energy grant, we will secure research that provides a clear picture as to the detailed industry assets and specific targets that may or may not be well suited for our market.”

“With the expertise identified in this community, along with the state’s focus on growing the life sciences industry base, this project makes sense as a chance for Kokomo to diversify its economy. We are glad to offer our assistance to help get the ball rolling,” said Laura Sheets, area manager for Duke Energy Indiana’s north area.

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Food Pantry Donations (December 2010)

Although the Indiana economy is showing signs of improvement, many Hoosier families are still struggling to meet their basic food needs this holiday season.

To assist those in need, Duke Energy Indiana contributed $26,000 to 44 local food pantries throughout our 69-county service area, as well as Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Food Finders and Catholic Charities.

“Duke Energy believes in the power of community,” said Doug Esamann, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “Organizations like these provide an invaluable service to people in need.”

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Donation to Fire Victims (December 2010)

Duke Energy contributed $14,000 to the Orange County Community Foundation to assist residents of Paoli, Ind., who were forced from their apartments when the former Orange County bank building caught fire on Nov. 13, 2010.

The fire victims lost their possessions in the fire and had to find new living arrangements. Each will receive $500 from this grant. The balance will be held by the community foundation for a future community development project.

Pam Chapman, Duke Energy Indiana area manager, noted that several other local organizations and businesses have contributed to this relief effort, as well. “Duke Energy donates these funds with the deepest concern for the Paoli community and those who were affected by this devastating fire,” Chapman said.

“We are truly touched by the generosity of Duke Energy during this time of great loss by those displaced families,” said Imojean Dedrick, executive director of the Orange County Community Foundation. “The support and encouragement shown to our firevictims during this catastrophic event have been tremendous.”

This donation is made possible through the generosity of the Duke Energy Foundation, whose mission is to improve the quality of life in the communities Duke Energy serves by sharing employee time through volunteer efforts, expertise through leadership and financial support through grants to charitable organizations. The foundation focuses its contributions in three areas: environment and energy efficiency; economic development; and community vitality.

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Donation Supports Program for Workers with Disabilities (December 2010)

A donation of $10,000 from the Duke Energy Foundation proved to be exactly what the Options Work Experience program needed to help support efforts to find local jobs for workers with disabilities. Options, headquartered in Bloomington, provides services in seven South Central Indiana counties.

According to Duke Energy Indiana area manager Pam Chapman, other businesses are challenged to add their contributions to reach a funding goal for the program of $25,000. “Options is a non-profit organization that serves people with disabilities through housing, continuing education, employment, community living and respite care,” Chapman said. “Unfortunately, Options lost its state funding for the Work Experience program in 2010, so contributions from individuals and businesses are needed to make up the shortfall.”

The Work Experience program provides people with disabilities the opportunity to try out different jobs, with no risk to the employer or the job applicant. Through short-term experiences, the individual receives valuable on-the-job training and builds work references for their job search. With full funding, the program’s goal is to place 20 job applicants with disabilities in work experience during the next year.Back to top

Duke Energy Contributes to Customers in Need (December 2010)

For the fifth consecutive year, Duke Energy is contributing $500,000 through its Helping Hand program to help customers in need of assistance with their winter energy bills.
The company also is inviting its customers, employees and shareholders to join the annual effort.

“While there are signs of economic recovery in our state, many customers are still out of work and in need of our help now, more than ever,” said Doug Esamann, president of Duke Energy Indiana. “Over the past decade, our Helping Hand program has provided more than $4 million in assistance to customers in need of help with winter energy bills.”

Information on ways to contribute to Duke Energy’s Helping Hand program can be found in the company’s bill inserts for both paper and online service customers or by visiting http://www.duke-energy.com/indiana/special-assistance/helping-hand.asp. Contributions may be sent directly to: Helping Hand, P.O. Box 1000, Plainfield IN 46168.

The funds are distributed to customers who qualify for heating assistance through local community action agencies.

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New Economic Development Organization Formed (December 2010)

Duke Energy Indiana’s economic development team was instrumental in the recent formation of “Accelerate West Central Indiana Economic Development,” a regional partnership devoted to the economic growth and prosperity for Clay, Parke, Putnam, Sullivan, Vermillion and Vigo counties in west central Indiana.

Mike Heaton, who is an economic development manager for Duke Energy Indiana, was selected to chair the group. “This is a way for us to leverage the economic development resources in west central Indiana and strengthen each county’s marketing and business attraction functions,” he said. Long-time Duke Energy Indiana area manager Rick Burger also played a key role in forming the group.

This alliance will target industry clusters, identify existing business supply chains, and promote the six-county area through coordinated site consultant and industrial broker sales trips, media placement and various marketing initiatives.

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A Sound You’ve Just Got to Hear (October 2010)

Smoke Detector Giveaway – While some sounds can be simply annoying, a “beep-beep-beep” can be music to the ear; especially if it’s the life-saving sound of a smoke alarm.

To help ensure residents of Martinsville, Ind., hear this sound in the event of a fire, four Duke Energy Indiana employees teamed with local fire fighters, going door-to-door to hand out nearly 300 smoke alarms plus batteries to those in need. Funding was provided by Duke Energy.

“We felt it was critical that batteries be provided with the smoke detectors,” said Steve Bahr, Duke Energy Indiana area manager. “Fire fighters made a point that in damaging fires, they often find smoke detectors installed; but many without batteries.”

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Get Ready, Get Set, Expand (September 2010)
Site Readiness Program – Seven sites served by Duke Energy Indiana were among nine new sites selected as “shovel ready” by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation on Sept. 23. These sites are located in Cass, Hancock, Howard, Lawrence, Monroe, Shelby and Wabash counties.

Funding was provided for six of these sites by our Community Growth Partnership Grant Program, which assists communities to develop business and industrial sites in our service territory.

“Having sites available with basic infrastructure and approved permits is appealing to a host of businesses looking to expand in our service area,” said Marie-Christine Pence, Duke Energy director in Economic Development. “And encouraging business development means more jobs for our region.”

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Time to Man Up – And Read (August 2010)

Real Men Read Program – Rick Burger, Duke Energy Indiana area manager (pictured in photo) and 65 other community leaders are spending a couple of hours a month reading to kindergarten children, as part of the Real Men Read Program. This is an initiative of United Way of the Wabash Valley, of which Burger has been president the last two years. The Duke Energy Foundation provided a $10,000 contribution to get the program up and running. Real Men Read has a four-fold purpose:

• To show students who real men are, that real men do in fact read and that real men value education
• To encourage and improve literacy skills of students
• To provide mentoring opportunities for men with students
• To demonstrate the importance of student achievement and community partnerships.

Beginning in October, the MENtors go into the same classroom once a month for five months.

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Be Prepared to Take Action Now (July 2010)

Emergency Information Booklets – A quick reference “what to do in emergencies” guide was distributed to hundreds of customers throughout various communities in all Duke Energy Indiana regions. The booklet highlights 11 emergency situations: thunderstorms and

lightning, summer weather, tornadoes, floods, fire, hazardous materials, winter weather, evacuation/shelters, workplace violence/terrorism, family preparedness and electric safety (this section provides Duke Energy Indiana specific information).Back to top

Walking to Support Stronger, Healthier Lives (April 2010)

March of Dimes March for Babies – Since 1970, March for Babies has been raising money to provide hope to the more than half a million babies born too soon each year. Duke Energy Indiana employees organized a number of walks in support of March for Babies. In Terre Haute, 55 walkers raised $3,900 and the Gibson Station walk in Princeton, Ind., raised $23,000. The Duke Energy Foundation also contributed $70,000 to this worthwhile cause. Overall, 13 walks were supported statewide.

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Schools Compete – Everyone Wins (April 2010)
Energy Efficiency Competition – With a $10,000 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation, an eight-week energy competition was established among four Greencastle Community schools (Putnam County). The competition encouraged students and school personnel to reduce energy consumption in their facilities, as compared to their baseline electrical consumption. Each school was allotted $1,250 to implement energy saving measures.

Deer Meadow Primary received the winning prize of $5,000, which will be invested in additional energy conservation equipment or a sustainability project. However, all schools ended up as winners as they will experience ongoing savings from the energy saving measures implemented as a result of the frienldy competition.

“In a short amount of time, Greencastle schools have demonstrated ways to save energy and money,” said Steve Bahr, Duke Energy Indiana area manager. “Our hope is that students practice energy efficiency throughout their lives and share what they’ve learned with their families as well.”

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Power Generation the Kid-Friendly Way
Terre Haute Children’s Museum – To help complete the new Terre Haute Children’s Museum building, the Duke Energy Foundation provided $125,000, with $25,000 of this total for a Generation Station Kiosk. Children explore different sources of power, including human bike power, wind power and solar energy.

The Terre Haute Children’s Museum opened on Sept. 24, 2010, and is located at 523 Wabash Avenue.

“We’re proud to be part of such a powerful learning environment,” said Rick Burger, Duke Energy Indiana area manager. “The interactive Generation Station offers children a better appreciation of how renewable energy sources can help meet future energy needs.”

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Bag It Now – Bag it Later (April 2010)
Reusable Shopping Bag Giveaway – Duke Energy Indiana partnered with TREES Inc. to hand out 400 “Save Our Pad” reusable shopping bags to residents of Terre Haute, Ind. The event was held on Earth Day, April 22, 2010.

Bags were available at different organizations and businesses. At the Vigo County Public Library, residents began lining up at 7 a.m. to receive a bag when the doors opened at 9 a.m.“This is an extremely popular activity,” said Rick Burger, Duke Energy Indiana area manager.

“It’s an opportunity to educate the public about damage to the environment caused by the billions of one-time-use shopping bags that end up in landfills each year.”

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Take Notice: Birds of Prey Overhead (January/February; Annually)
Eagle Viewing Days – For 15 years running, Cayuga Station along the Wabash River in west-central Indiana (Vermillion County) has hosted Eagle Viewing Days. This popular event is open to the public on weekends in late January and early February. It is made possible by employees, retirees and their families who volunteer to help.

During most years, the 35-acre wetland area near Cayuga Station is the home of Indiana’s largest population of mid-winter migratory bald eagles.

The colder the weather, the more likely the birds will be seen. When area lakes and streams freeze over in the winter, warm water discharged from the Cayuga Station keeps the river area by the plant ice free, which attracts fish the eagles feed on.

“Habitat improvement projects along the Wabash River are helping bald eagles and other wildlife species,” said Tim Hayes, senior scientist with the company. “We commend those conservation organizations and citizen groups working to restore the health and beauty of the Wabash River. We try to lend our support to those groups when we can.”

The event draws over 1,000 visitors each year.

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