Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy, and the City of Newton are collaborating on a new program, Hometown Rewards, to help Newton reach energy efficiency goals. To kick-off this new program, the three entities are working together to host a free community block party on Thursday, May 21 at 6:00 p.m. at the greenspace east of DMACC.
The block party will feature food vendors, live music by Slipstream, inflatable games and bounce houses, and free energy-saving materials and information. There will also be a drawing for large prizes including a home weatherization package, a houseful of LED lightbulbs, solar chargers, and more. There will be a grand prize drawing for a high efficiency washer/dryer set. The prize drawings will take place at 8:00 p.m. and the evening will end with a screening of Back to the Future at dusk.
Hometown Rewards is a collaborative program between Alliant Energy, Black Hills Energy, and the City of Newton with the goal of reducing energy usage on a community-wide basis. Over $100,000 in program funds will be invested in the community over the next two years to address issues such as energy use, climate change, natural resource management, infrastructure, and more. The hallmark of this nationally-recognized program is grassroots community involvement. Instead of top-down directives about the importance of saving energy, Hometown Rewards is committed to working with citizens to develop common-sense approaches that are workable for local households and businesses.
