Visit us on the Internet at:
www.vvec.com $35,/
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VVEC Celebrates Lineman Appreciation Day
Each morning, as linemen leave their families to build, maintain and repair the electric infrastructure, they undertake a physically demanding job in order that co-op members can enjoy WKH EHQHÀWV RI HOHFWULFLW\ $ORQJ with 38 of their fellow linemen, Verdigris Valley Electric Coop- erative veteran linemen Larry Sylvester and Jeff Jones put their lives on the line daily as they work high above the ground with GHDGO\ YROWDJHV 7KH\ VRPHWLPHV work long hours in extreme condi- tions—in the aftermath of ice storms, tornadoes and even hur- ULFDQHV %XW WKH\ GR VR EHFDXVH they take pride in doing a job that few others can do, as they serve HOHFWULF FRRSHUDWLYH PHPEHUV Sylvester began working at VVEC in 1982, right out of high VFKRRO
“I was hauling hay for the
principal at Collinsville Elemen- WDU\ 6FKRRO +H NQHZ D VXSHUYL- sor at the co-op and asked me if I wanted a job at the co-op,” 6\OYHVWHU VD\V ´, ÀOOHG RXW DQ DS- plication, shook a couple hands, DQG D ZHHN ODWHU , KDG D MRE µ 7KLUW\ IRXU \HDUV ODWHU 6\O- vester is grateful for the life that working on the lines has provided KLP +H HQMR\V VHUYLQJ PHPEHUV and tries to make their experi- HQFH DV SRVLWLYH DV SRVVLEOH “I owe everything I have to 99(& µ KH VD\V For Sylvester, one of the most memorable moments on the job happened after the 2007 ice VWRUP 7KH FUHZ KDG EHHQ ZRUN- ing around-the-clock for more WKDQ WZR ZHHNV WR UHVWRUH SRZHU “We took a break to eat in Owasso and when we walked into the restaurant, everyone EHJDQ WR DSSODXG 6RPHRQH
bought our supper too,” Sylvester VD\V ´,W ZDV D OLWWOH HPEDUUDVVLQJ because we were just doing what we do, but it was really nice to be DSSUHFLDWHG µ
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Jones began working at the ,Q KLV RSLQLRQ LW·V
one of the best places to work in Collinsville and he is grateful for the security it provides to him and KLV IDPLO\ -RQHV HQMR\V EHLQJ DEOH WR ZRUN RXWVLGH À[ WKLQJV DQG VROYH SUREOHPV
´,·OO QHYHU OHDYH XQWLO WKH\ PDNH PH µ KH VD\V ZLWK D ODXJK Jones enjoys the day-to-day challenges that come with the job, as well as interacting with FR RS PHPEHUV +RZHYHU RQH experience that sticks out among his 15 years of service happened LQ
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1HZ 2UOHDQV /D DIWHU +XUULFDQH Continued on Page 3
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