LOOKING BACK
What Would Life be Like Without Electric Co-ops? By Adam Schwartz
In the holiday movie classic,
“It’s a Wonderful Life” the lead character, George Bailey (played by Jimmy Stewart), wishes he had never been born due to fi- nancial troubles he is experi- encing. Through the help of an Angel, he sees how many lives would have been negatively af- fected if he didn’t exist. George comes to realize that, even with his problems, he has a wonder- ful life with great friends and family.
So what do you think life would be like if community leaders had not founded Verdigris Valley Electric Cooperative 77 years ago?
Living in the U.S. in 2015, it is nearly impossible to imagine life without electricity. So many of our modern conveniences that improve the quality of our lives are dependent on electric- ity as the “fuel” to make them work. From the alarm clock that wakes us up, to the refrig- erator that keeps our morning milk cold and fresh. From the HVAC unit that keeps us cool in the summer and warm in the winter, to the vacuum that lets us clean more efficiently and all those kitchen appliances that save us time and physical en- ergy. Of course, so much of our entertainment, whether it comes from the TV, radio or computer, depends on the kilowatt-hours that your electric co-op pro- vides. Just think, there would be no smartphones or cell phones if there were no electricity.
Businesses of all
kinds rely on elec- tricity to produce and sell the prod- ucts we need. So, it is no wonder that many electric co- ops feel that, while our primary product is electricity, we are really in the quality of life business. As we celebrate the season that reminds us to be thankful for all we have, it is im- portant to remem- ber the 1.3 billion people in the world who still live without reliable electric ser- vice. That is equal to about four times the U.S. population!
Early co-op members erect a utility pole by hand. Photo copyright NRECA
Many of the things we take for granted living in the U.S. are much harder and more time con- suming for people in developing countries around the world. We are proud members of the Na- tional Rural Electric Coopera- tive Association (NRECA) that is working through their affiliate, NRECA International, and the NRECA International Founda- tion to help bring power to peo- ple in developing countries like Haiti and Liberia. (
www.nreca. coop/it-starts-with-power/) We are thankful that our com- munity ancestors right here had the vision and foresight to do for ourselves what needed to be done, gathering our friends and
neighbors to form our electric co-op. As the electric business of the 21st century continues to evolve, you can count on Verdi- gris Valley Electric Cooperative to meet all of your electric en- ergy needs. More importantly, we are here to help improve the quality of your wonderful life.
Adam Schwartz is the found- er of The Cooperative Way a consulting firm that helps co- ops succeed. He is an author, speaker and member-owner of the CDS Consulting Co-op. You can follow him on Twitter @ad- amcooperative or email him at aschwartz@thecooperativeway. coop.
December 2015 VVEC Power Circuit 3
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