“Customers love doing business with us on the Web. More than 32,500 customer bills were paid online in 2002. That’s in the first year of the program and before we started advertising the service.” Serving customers isn’t just a job for many Westar Energy employees. Throughout the year Westar Energy employees and retirees and their spouses across our service territory roll up their sleeves to volunteer. Westar Energy’s Green Team is a group of employees, retirees and their family members who volunteer their talents and time for a variety of environmental projects across eastern Kansas. Team members often gather as early as dawn on a Saturday to spend the day planting native trees and grasses; building wetlands, viewing blinds and bird rehabilitation enclosures; clearing and marking nature trails; or any of a host of other environmental projects on public land. Frequently, the events are conducted in conjunction with schools or youth organizations. “Each employee and retiree brings his or her unique background and talents to the team, making Green Team projects successful and a good fit in our different communities,” Green Team coordinator Brad Loveless, senior manager, biology and conservation programs, said. “We take every opportunity to include children in our work. We’re educating the leaders of tomorrow on how to preserve our prairie, waters and wildlife.” In 2002, Westar Energy’s Community Partners program recorded more than 53,000 hours of volunteer service by about 280 employees and retirees and their spouses. Volunteering is performed through individual efforts and through organized projects, such as improvements made to the Helping Hands Humane Shelter by the Topeka Westar Energy Retirees’ Club and teams of employees and retirees winterizing homes for national Make a Difference Day. “Activities our volunteers take on are as diverse as the volunteers themselves,” Cynthia McCarvel, manager II, community affairs, who oversees Community Partners and is liaison to the retirees’ clubs, said. “It is great to see how engaged everyone is in the community. Community Partners is an extension of the creativity, compassion and can-do spirit that employees and retirees have long brought to their jobs.” Throughout 2002, Westar Energy employees, past and present, continued to demonstrate that our commitment to our community is more than business – it’s personal. Customer Operations provides friendly, professional service to Westar Energy’s 647,000 customers. Anna Reid, customer service specialist, top, Rachel White, customer service representative, middle left, and Stacy Holt, supervisor, phone center, answer customers’ questions at the Wichita Phone Center. Bottom:Westar Energy meter readers, such as John Hanshaw, who works in Topeka, get to know customers in the neighborhoods they serve.