OTEC holds fourth-annual Kids Electrical Safety Artwork Contest
By Shannon McKone on Monday, February 28th, 2022 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
BAKER CITY – (Release from OTEC) The safety of its member-owners and employees is of the utmost importance at Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC). In keeping in that spirit and the cooperative value of Concern for Community, OTEC is once again holding an artwork contest for local children to encourage them to be creative while learning about safety around electricity.
Now until Friday, April 22, children of OTEC members – Kindergarten to eighth grade – can take part in the 2022 Kids Electrical Safety Artwork Contest, with their parents or guardians’ permission.
This year, kids can download coloring sheets on www.otec.coop or create their own poster with an electrical safety theme.
First place winners in three categories will receive a $50 gift card, with other prizes awarded to second and third place!
Prizes will be presented at OTEC’s Annual Meeting in May (winners do not have to be present to claim prize).
OTEC launched the contest in 2019 to increase awareness of safe electricity use and to encourage parents, guardians, and teachers to talk to children early and often of the dangers of electricity.
“Prevention and awareness are keys to being safe because they may mean the difference between life and death when it comes to electricity,” says Maaike Schotborgh, OTEC’s Safety and Loss Control Manager. “Knowing how to be safe around power lines and substations and learning how to use electricity safely at home or while you’re out and about, are topics that should never get stale.”
Last year, OTEC received more than seventy submissions from children across its service territory of Baker, Grant, Harney, and Union counties and the cooperative hopes the numbers grow this year.
“The more submissions we receive, the happier we are because that means there’s that many more kids who are thinking about the importance of electrical safety,” says Joe Hathaway, OTEC’s Communications Manager. “We do this contest to provide a platform to open up a conversation about safety among families. We hope parents and guardians are helping do their part to teach as well, because knowing how to be safe around power lines and electricity is a subject that never goes away.”
For more information and to download coloring sheets, please visit www.otec.coop/kids-electrical-safety-artwork-contest.
About the cooperative
Oregon Trail Electric Cooperative (OTEC) is a not-for-profit, member-owned electric cooperative that serves 60,000 residents in four counties in Eastern Oregon. Headquartered in Baker City, OTEC has district offices in Burns, John Day, and La Grande.
