2023 Member Appreciation Day.
Who: PPEC Members and immediate family currently living in the household.
When: July 22, 2023
Time: 9 am - 1 pm
Location: Paulding County Fairgrounds
What: Bounce houses, tethered hot air balloon rides, zipline, games, food, and more (stay tuned for details)
PPEC Member Vendor Fair Applications
We will be holding a Vendor Show during our 2023 Member Appreciation Day. The show is open only to Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative Members. To be eligible, you must be a member of PPEC. If you are interested, please fill out the application below. There is no fee to participate, but space is limited, so it will be first come, first serve. You will be required to provide your own table and display items. Once we have received your application, it will be reviewed, and you will be contacted to confirm your eligibility. More information will provide to you after selection. The deadline to apply is April 14 if you wish to be included in all advertising. Applications received after April 14 may still be approved. If you have any questions, please contact our office at 800-686-2357.
Not even stormy weather could keep Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative members away from the co-op’s 2022 Member Appreciation Day on Saturday, July 23, 2022, as they took over the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. Despite heavy rainfall in the morning, more than 2,000 members and family in attendance still set records for being PPEC’s largest-ever event; zoo management states it was their largest picnic event.
Despite heavy rainfall in the morning, more than 2,000 members and family in attendance still set records for being PPEC’s largest-ever event; zoo management states it was their largest picnic event. Dozens of comments, direct messages, and tags on social media from members raving about the experience – as well as positive mail notes and “thank you” phone calls that continue to come in – signaling to the co-op that the event was greatly appreciated by membership – especially families.
Members and their families received free zoo entry, a meal with ice cream, and a gift for all ages – outdoor kits for adults, earbuds for teens, and animal backpacks for children. Activities for children included free face painting, a ride voucher (train, safari sky ride, log ride, etc.), and other giveaways.
“This member appreciation event was an opportunity to highlight our diverse membership, many who traveled nearly two hours, and to showcase our dedicated employees who worked so hard to make the day a great success,” said CEO George Carter. “This was the largest event in the cooperative’s 86-year history, and we are very pleased so many came out, despite the bad early morning weather. I’d also like to thank the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo; they were terrific partners in this event – the staff there was great to work with.”
Members also met their PPEC staff, CEO, and Board of Trustees, spun the wheel to win gifts at the trustee table, and were able to sign up for various co-op programs like SmartHub and ACRE Co-op Owners for Political Action. Information on OurSolar, renewable energy, rebates, and other resources were also available.
PPEC employees were dressed in green “Zoo Crew” shirts at the event, so members could easily recognize them to say hello and meet the people behind their power.
The $100 door prize winners are:
- Jordan Daniels
- Gregory Messmann
- John Scharf
- Robert Warren
- Mackinzy Peterson
Members who completed their Zingo (zoo bingo) scavenger hunts were entered in a drawing for a $20 bill credit. Those winners are:
- Jerry & Carol Nihiser
- Brent & Sarah Williams
- Brandon & Sarah Worden
- Ryan & Christa Veroff
- Jason Dirham
Members who completed early bird registration and won a $25 bill credit include:
- Larry Woodard
- Penny Craig
- Frieda Ferris
- Andrew Kaufman
- Lara Moake
- Nichole Warnecke
- Philip Motycka
- John Sprague
- Stephan Poiry
- Bradley Gordon
**Note: Reservations for the event closed on July 5, due to zoo deadlines. Members who did not RSVP but still wished to attend were able to purchase tickets at the entrance gate. The event was promoted in the June and July issues of Ohio Cooperative Living and Indiana Connection magazines, on social media, on PPEC’s website, and on the June bill insert. Members wanting to stay informed of upcoming events are encouraged to follow PPEC on social media or enroll in PPEC’s monthly email newsletter by adding an email contact to SmartHub or signing up online at www.ppec.coop/member-newsletter
To see more photos, visit PPEC's Facebook page - specifically the photo gallery from the event here. To send us a message with feedback about the event, click here.
More information about the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo can be found online at www.kidszoo.org