April 24, 2024

Block Party planned to kick off Hometown Rewards Program

By Jamee A

Community members are invited to attend a free block party event held by the Hometown Rewards Program from Alliant Energy and Black Hills Energy at 6 p.m. Thursday on the DMACC campus lawn. Everything from blow up (Jamee A)

To kick off the Hometown Rewards Program from Alliant Energy and Black Hills Energy, a block party is being held in conjunction with the City of Newton beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday complete with food, entertainment and energy-efficiency tips from company officials at the DMACC campus lawn, 600 N. Second Ave. W.

The band Slipstream will perform a free concert until dusk when the movie “Back to the Future” will be shown under the stars. Newton was awarded more than $80,000 when it became a part of the program to educate and inform residents about energy efficiency and conservation in the home.

“The idea for the block party is a part of our set objectives for the Hometown Rewards Program offered through Alliant Energy and Black Hills Energy. We want people to know about our presence in the community,” Hometown Rewards Community Coordinator Jackie Boat said.

There will activities for all ages beginning with food from Ergenbright Motorsport Concessions and Dominos. For the kids, there will be three different inflatables including a bounce house, gladiator game and obstacle course.

“We also have energy education stations which include a pedal powered generator that lights up three different kinds of lightbulbs, a solar oven for baking cookies and a kilowatt meter to show how much energy everyday household items use and ways to reduce our energy usage,” Boat said.

Officials from both companies will be on hand giving out free energy efficiency tools such as water pipe insulation, low flow shower heads and LED lightbulbs. There will be a drawing for a $500 personalized home weatherization to improve energy efficiency and reduce energy costs in the home. A grand prize drawing for a high efficiency washer and dryer set will be done during the prize drawings at 8 p.m.

“By replacing all of your lightbulbs with LEDs you can reduce your energy usage for lighting by 80 percent and they can also last for more than 20 years,” Boat said.

In the event of rain, the block party will be moved to the Newton YMCA, 1701 S. Eighth Ave. E.