Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

10700 Fairgrounds RoadP.O. Box 477

Huntingdon, PA 16652-0477814/643-2650

1-800-432-0680www.valleyrec.com

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LAST MONTH, ValleyRural Electric Cooperativepurchased the formerShaner Energy building onStation Road, located justoff Fairgrounds Road nearHuntingdon.

Our plans are to use the13,500-square-foot facilityto house our Huntingdondistrict as well as our engi-neering and technical serv-ices and purchasing and

warehousing operations. For nearly two years, we have been

actively looking to vacate our originalfacility on Standing Stone Road nearHuntingdon. It was determined by theboard — with the help of an outsidebuilding consultant — that it would bemore cost-effective for us to find a newlocation for all of the personnel andequipment there.

Along with renovation and expansionissues, the current building’s locationmakes it difficult for our line crews tomaneuver large trucks and equipmentthrough town.

So when the former Shaner Energybuilding recently came on the market,your co-op board and managementcarefully considered the feasibility ofthe site.

We couldn’t have hoped for a moreideal setting! The facility has ampleoffice space for our personnel, some baysfor our trucks and warehouse space.However, we will need to build some

additional garage and warehouse struc-tures to accommodate poles, equipmentand vehicles.

Moving to the new location will alsosolve many of the district’s currenttransportation complications. Ourcrews will significantly reduce theirtravel time by gaining better access totwo main arteries, Routes 22 and 26(south).

In addition, our engineering and tech-nical services and purchasing and ware-housing personnel will only be a milefrom corporate headquarters, whichincludes customer service, informationtechnology and other administrativefunctions. To ensure maintenance andoperations projects run smoothly, thesedepartments must communicate on adaily basis, often in person.

The Huntingdon district’s new facili-ty, which consists of a 5-year-old build-ing situated on seven acres, was pur-chased for $749,000. We plan to movepersonnel in as early as this fall. Thecurrent facility on Standing Stone Roadwill most likely be sold in the nearfuture.

We are confident this move will helpus increase our efficiency and moreeffectively serve our members in theHuntingdon district. Of course, we’llcontinue to keep you informed as plansunfold. Please rest assured that we willdo everything in our power to make thetransition smooth for our membership.Our job is to look out for you and yourfuture needs. l

J U L Y 2 0 0 8 • P E N N L I N E S 10a

One of 14 electriccooperatives servingPennsylvania and

New Jersey

COOPERATIVEconnection

F R O M T H E P R E S I D E N T & C E O

Huntingdon district will soon change locations

by Edward A. DezichPresident & CEO

ValleyRural Electric

Cooperative, Inc.

&EACH WEDNESDAY, as soon as thefirst rays of dawn cast their shimmer onthe dewy pastures of Kishacoquillas Val-ley, the typically sleepy streets ofBelleville spring awake with activity.

The powerful hum of diesel trucks,with trailers of livestock in tow, mingleswith the clip-clop of horses’ hoovesagainst pavement. Local merchants hur-riedly set up outside displays whilebumper-to-buggy traffic builds on Route655, all headed for South Penn Street.

Big Valley’s Belleville Livestock

Market, more commonly referred to as“the sale,” is open for business.

It’s barely 7 a.m. and the HayloftRestaurant above the sale barn is hop-ping. Farmers, who have already hadtheir fill of breakfast, talk business —and a bit of bull. Amish men in loose-fit-ting pants and single suspenders chatterin the gruff, rhythmic tones of the Penn-sylvania Dutch.

One floor below, sellers herd livestockinto stalls. Outside, early shoppersbrowse flea market tables and funnelinto the produce auction barn.

It’s a scene that Eugene (Gene) Glickhas witnessed since he was a boy. His

father, J.H. “Yonie” Glick, helped startthe business along with his cousin, JeffPeachey.

“Dad and Jeff were partners,” Geneexplains. “They started holding auctionsonce or twice a month here in the 1930s.This was Jeff’s farm at the time. Horseswere the big thing then.”

Interestingly, from 1943-1946, Yonieheld auctions in Juniata County ratherthan Belleville, largely due to a fallingout between him and his cousin. Rumorhas it that Jeff developed a strong affini-ty for alcohol and it ultimately affectedhis business dealings.

“I guess you could say my dad and

10b P E N N L I N E S • J U L Y 2 0 0 8

Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

TraditionsTreasuresLivestock market

at Belleville stilldraws a crowd

DIGGING FOR DEALS: Flea market shoppersbrowse the wares at Big Valley’s BellevilleLivestock Auction, held on South Penn StreetWednesdays year-round.

B y S u s a n R . P e n n i n g

Communications Specialist,Member Services Department

J U L Y 2 0 0 8 • P E N N L I N E S 10c

Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

AUCTION BLOCK: Amish and “English” (non-Amish)buyers climb manure-stained steps to securetheir seats in the auction barn stands. At 1 p.m.,Mark Glick’s voice signals that business is aboutto begin. Pigs, cows, horses, goats and sheep areamong the livestock sold weekly.

Jeff eventually just agreed to disagree,”Gene sighs. “So Dad traveled to Mif-flintown every other week to sell.”

“I was about 12 years old at the timeand I remember we had to stay thereovernight. I slept in a manger,” chucklesMark Glick, Gene’s older brother.

In 1946, Jeff sold his farm to auctionshareholders, and the Belleville Live-stock Market, Inc. was established as ayear-round weekly attraction.

Since its inception, the Glick familyhas remained an integral part of the busi-ness. Gene is the livestock market’s cur-rent owner. Mark is head auctioneer.Gene’s wife, Peggy, works in the office.Their son, Brian, is company vice presi-dent and barn manager, and son, Steve, is“ring man,” handling all the cattle. Geneand Mark’s two sisters, Rebecca and AdaYoder, help run the produce auction.

Over the years, Gene says the “hot”livestock and sale items have come andgone. But even with the ebb and flow ofthe agricultural market, the sale has large-ly maintained both its clientele and itscharm. In fact, President Jimmy Cartervisited the sale twice while on fishingtrips in the area, making a speech fromthe auctioneer’s block on one occasion.

Much of the sale’s draw is attributedto the volume of Amish and Mennonitecustomers, many of whom are farmers

and most of whom who were born andraised in Big Valley. Their simple, coun-try lifestyles closely mimic those ofdays gone by, adding to the nostalgiafor visitors.

“We always say that Wednesday is anAmish holiday here,” Gene mentions witha smile. It’s one of the few times of theweek when members of the Amish com-munity are permitted to leave field workand house chores behind to head intotown.

“We’re the only place around where aringer washer can still fetch hundreds ofdollars,” Mark points out.

The various flea market wares at thesale naturally entice crowds. Hardware,dishware, flatware ... hats, purses, shoes... Amish-made quilted potholders, gar-den flags, flowers, vegetables, deli meatsand cheeses, jars of jelly, tools, toys,hand-painted signs inscribed withphrases like “Keep It Simple” and “Blessthis Mess” ... Shoppers rarely leave emp-ty-handed. Of course, sprinkled amongthe oddities and commodities are foodvendors who make sure no one buyingor selling goes through the day hungry.

Locals claim that although all the“stuff” piques customers’ curiosity, itisn’t necessarily what keeps them com-ing back.

“People trust the management; it’sjust that simple,” claims Percy Yoder, aretired farmer who has been attending

the market since its humble beginning.“They know that if there’s somethingwrong with that horse or cow, they’regonna tell you about it before you buy it.The buyers and sellers know they’redealing with honest people.”

“My father always believed in thesale, and there was good foresight fromthe beginning,” Gene remarks. “Our goalhas always been to get hard-workingfarmers a good price for their goods andto do it the right way. We provide a serv-ice to this community.”

Fortunately, Gene says he doesn’t seethe sale slowing down anytime soon.

“Throughout the years, we’ve thrivedeven when other events like this wentout of business,” he continues. “Althoughwe’ve recently seen a slight decline in ourfarthest-traveling vendors — we think it’sdue to fuel prices — we haven’t takenmuch of a hit anywhere else. We’regonna keep it up as long as we can.”

And for all of the people leaving thisweek’s sale with bags on each arm, fullstomachs, empty pockets and smiles ontheir faces, that’s something they’re defi-nitely happy to hear. l

PREFERRED PARKING: Due to the volume of Amishcustomers, rows of hitching posts line much ofthe market’s perimeter.

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Valley Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc.

NOT THE LAZY LIFE: Greg enjoys bicycling more often now that he's retired.He rides about 20 miles three to four times a week.

GREG HENRY fondly remembers his first day with Valley REC.“It was 1968 and I was at Clark’s Garage. I was approached

by the service crew about doing some temp work. I stayed onand was hired full time the following year as a laborer for $1.86an hour.”

Greg didn’t expect that first day to turn into a 39-year career,but he doesn’t regret it. In fact, he describes his recent transi-tion to retired life as bittersweet.

“I miss interacting with the members on a regular basis. But Idon’t miss always worrying about the lights going off,” he chuckles.

After his start as a laborer, Greg moved up through the line-man ranks. He took over as outside operations supervisor atthe Hustontown district in the early 1990s and was subsequent-ly promoted to district manager. In 2006, he was chosen for theposition of manager of operations at the corporate headquar-ters and stayed there until his retirement Feb. 14.

Greg has done a little bit of everything throughout his careerat Valley, from service calls to staking, data entry, inventory andmaterial purchasing. But he says working on the lines has beenthe most satisfying because “... you see things happen; peoplestart with no electricity and, when you’re done, they have it.”

A native of Fulton County, Greg graduated in 1965 fromForbes Road High School. He worked odd jobs in the area untilApril 1966, when he enlisted in the Army. He spent two yearsat Fort Richardson, Alaska, where he says he “drove trucksand delivered parts.” He was honorably discharged in April1968, after fulfilling his two-year commitment. He returned toFulton County, where he worked for two years at the Searsservice department and garage in Chambersburg.

Greg married Erma Peck in 1970. The couple has three children:Lonnie, Mike and Jamie, all of whom reside in Fulton County. Heand Erma also have eight grandchildren: Cortnee, 17; Brittany, 16;

Jared, 15; Samantha, 7; Zachary, 4; Olivia, 4; Owen, 2; and Will, 2. Greg’s father, Raymond, is deceased. His mother, Dorothy,

just turned 80. He has two sisters, Trudy of Shippensburg andSheila of Fort Littleton.

Greg is a member of the Clear Ridge United MethodistChurch, where he serves as treasurer. He is also a trustee forthe Clear Ridge Cemetery Association, and holds the title of“Tail Twister” at the local Lions Club. In addition, he is a mem-ber of the Plum Hollow Hunting Club.

In his spare time, Greg enjoys hunting, woodworking, bicy-cling and spending time with his family — particularly hisgrandchildren.

Although he seems busier now than ever before, Greg sayshe misses many things about the co-op.

“I would have liked to get involved with some of the new proj-ects coming up,” he admits, “But I felt like it was a good time forme to pass the torch. I know my position is in very capable hands.”

Greg’s experience and positive attitude will be missed byeveryone at Valley. For his decades of dedicated service, wewish him good health and great happiness in retirement. l

Henry ‘hits the road’after 39 years at co-op