Basin Electric employees help bring Papa's Pumpkin Patch back home
Basin Electric employees join Touchstone Energy's team of volunteers to help fix up Papa's Pumpkin Patch as part of United Way's 2012 Day of Caring.
Basin Electric Power Cooperative
- August 17, 2012
Home is a great place to be.
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| (From left): Basin Electric employees Michele Hellman, Tracey Krusi and Jodi Schlatter took part in United Way's Day of Caring Aug. 15 at Papa's Pumpkin Patch. |
On Aug. 15, a team of volunteers from Basin Electric and other Touchstone Energy Cooperatives® banded together to help bring Papa’s Pumpkin Patch back home to its original location along the Missouri River bottoms.
The group of about 80 volunteers, working together during United Way’s annual Day of Caring, consisted of employees from Basin Electric, Mor-Gran-Sou Electric Cooperative, Capital Electric Cooperative, and the North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives, as well as members of the Bismarck High School Demonettes, a dance team.
Community-wide, nearly 500 people took part in Day of Caring and helped with various projects.
At Papa’s Pumpkin Patch, volunteers painted, pounded and trimmed to help ready the Patch for its 30th season, which runs Sept. 10 through Oct. 20.
“It’s a fun day and it’s rewarding to just help others out,” said Vickie Volk, Basin Electric Human Resources coordinator, who along with Shawna Piatz, Basin Electric auditor II, co-captained the Touchstone Energy team.
“It’s fun just to see everybody work together as a big family,” Piatz said. “That’s what I think the co-op spirit is, a family, and just working together. They help us when we need it and we help them when they need it. We have the ability, so why not use it?”
Papa’s Pumpkin Patch, and the yard of Pumpkin Patch owner “Papa” Dave Pearce and his family, was damaged in the catastrophic 2011 Missouri River flood, which inundated homes and property all along the river.
During the flood, the Pearces’ yard was filled with water several feet deep, though thanks to Capital Electric’s quick response they were without power for only about 24 hours. The water receded late last summer, but the property was in no condition to host the Pumpkin Patch last fall. The Pearces made an arrangement to hold the event at Dacotah Centennial Park in Mandan and received help from volunteers to make it a reality.
Now that the Pumpkin Patch is moved back home, Pearce recognized the efforts of the large number of Touchstone Energy volunteers, many from Basin Electric, who signed up to mark a nature trail, called “Touchstone Trail.”
Volunteer Kimberly Miller, Basin Electric business analyst, said she enjoyed seeing the end result.
“During the Day of Caring, at the end of the day, you actually see what you’ve accomplished. It’s the instant gratification,” she said.
Miller’s nieces and nephews enjoy the Pumpkin Patch, specifically the rope bridge Miller helped build during Day of Caring.
“It’s kind of neat that I get to help out in building what they’re going to be playing on this fall,” she said.
Headquarters
1717 East Interstate Avenue
Bismarck, ND 58503-0564 USA
Phone: 701.223.0441
Basin Electric Power Cooperative will provide cost-effective wholesale energy along with products and services that support and unite rural America.
