Commentary Giving back: the heart of your co-op T
Chris Meyers General Manager, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
he holiday sea- son is a time of giving thanks and giving back.
Extended families gather, reconnect and slow down long enough to realize that whatever challenges they may face, there is still much to be thankful for in
life. It’s also a time we are more thoughtful of others and give generously to the less fortunate. Giving of ourselves and making sacrifi ces is vital to having a successful family, community, and local cooperative. Electric cooperatives understand the impor- tance of service to their membership and com- munities. It goes beyond providing safe, reliable and affordable electricity. They support local chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, civic organizations, schools, and students, to name a few.
Some co-ops have “Operation Round-Up” programs. Members individually give to the co- op’s foundation by rounding their monthly
electric bill up to the nearest dollar. Those pen- nies each month, along with similar contribu- tions from other members, amount to thousands of dollars. The money is redistributed within the community to charitable organizations or indi- viduals who meet certain criteria. Cooperatives give more than fi nancial contri- butions. Your electric cooperative is a signifi cant employer. It is managed, directed, and staffed by those in your community. Your cooperative em- ployees support local businesses, send their chil- dren to local schools, coach little league, and attend church. Your co-op is a crucial part of the economic well-being of your area. They keep the lights on and help to provide a better quality of life for your community. As we refl ect this holiday season, let’s count our many blessings and be thankful. Let’s also look forward to a new year of giving of ourselves. Let’s build a better cooperative, a better family at home, a better community and place we call home. May you have a very blessed and merry
Christmas.
Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives Chris Meyers, General Manager Kendall Beck, President
Gary McCune, Vice-President Scott Copeland, Secretary Larry Hicks, Treasurer
Staff
Sid Sperry, Director of PR & Communications
sksperry@oaec.coop
Anna Politano, Editor
editor@ok-living.coop
Daniel Yates, Advertising Manager
dyates@ok-living.coop
Kirbi Mills, Offi ce Manager
kmills@oaec.coop
Hillary Barrow, Accountant/Offi ce Manager Asst.
hbarrow@oaec.coop
Hayley Leatherwood, Multimedia Specialist
hleatherwood@ok-living.coop
Taryn Sanderson, Editorial Intern
intern@oaec.coop
Editorial, Advertising and General Offi ces P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154 Phone (405) 478-1455
Oklahoma Living online:
www.ok-living.coop Subscriptions
$3.12 per year for rural electric cooperative members.
$6.00 per year for non-members. The most wonderful time of the year F
Kendall Beck President, Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives
all is my favorite time of the year, but Christmas is my favorite holi-
day. Celebrating the birth of Jesus is the meaning of the season. It is special to take time to visit with fam- ily and friends and create memories that are cher-
ished for a lifetime. This year, my wife and I are privileged to spend Christmas with two young grandsons. While they are still a little too young to have remembrances of this Christmas, it will be fun to watch their reactions. These joyful oc- casions make us pause to contemplate how bless- ed we are. This holiday season, most of us will gather in our homes and enjoy their comforts, many of which are powered by electricity. About 75 years ago, the perks of electricity were a privilege only urban residents enjoyed. Most families in the countryside burned wood to heat their homes and used kerosene lamps to enjoy some light. A handful of electric
cooperative consumer-members still remember spending Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays without lights. Unlike today’s consumers who enjoy refrigerators and freezers to store holiday leftovers, early pioneers had to keep food in ice- boxes and consume it quickly. Through the pow- er of cooperation, farmers and ranchers united to form electric cooperatives to power their com- munities. They were visionaries and worked hard for a better quality of life. I can only imagine the joy on their children’s and grandchildren’s faces when they were able to put lights on a Christmas tree for the fi rst time.
From its beginning, the cooperative program was established to make a difference. By power- ing homes and businesses in rural America, co- ops are in business to empower lives. Your co-op is more than a utility; your co-op genuinely cares for the communities it serves. As member-own- ers of your co-op, I hope you will take time this season to appreciate not only the gift of electric- ity, but the gift of being a part of a special com- munity. May you and your family enjoy a joyful Christmas and a blessed New Year!
Cooperative Members: Report change of
address to your local rural electric cooperative. Non-Cooperative Members: Send address
changes to Oklahoma Living, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.
Oklahoma Living (ISSN 1064-8968),
USPS 407-040, is published monthly for consumer-members of Oklahoma’s rural electric cooperatives by the Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives, 2325 E. I-44 Service Road, P.O. Box 54309, Oklahoma City, OK 73154-1309.
Circulation this issue: 320,710
Periodical postage paid at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Association of Electric
Cooperatives is a statewide service organization for the following electric cooperatives: Alfalfa, Arkansas Valley, Caddo, Canadian Valley,
Central Rural, Choctaw, Cimarron, Cookson Hills, Cotton, East Central Oklahoma, Harmon, Indian, KAMO Power, Kay, Kiamichi, Kiwash, Lake Region, Northeast Oklahoma, Northfork,
Northwestern, Oklahoma, Ozarks, People’s, Red River Valley, Rural, Southeastern, Southwest
Rural, Tri-County, Verdigris Valley, and Western Farmers Electric Cooperative.
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