Everyone knows that electric cooperatives are deeply involved in the communities they serve, and that spirit may well shine brightest this time of the year.
From Willie Wiredhand at a Christmas parade, to visits from Santa, to toy and food collections and so much more, the co-op principle of Concern for Community is there to see. We’ve gathered just a few examples and invite you to view what has become our own annual tradition at electric.coop: the holiday photo gallery.
Best wishes from all of us at NRECA.
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Happy Holidays from NRECA
Basin Electric Power Cooperative’s sharing tree once again graces its Bismarck, North Dakota, headquarters. The G&T’s Sarah Erickson is one of dozens of employees who comb through piles of donations, sorting some 100 gifts by name, gender, age and clothing size. (Photo By: Chelsy Ciaverella)
Carroll EMC employees and family members sport green Santa hats in the annual Holiday Wishes parade in downtown Carrollton, Georgia. Employees were able to count the parade toward meeting annual wellness goals, which led to a high turnout. (Photo By: Kelly Hester)
Thanks to the giving spirit at Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative in Newport, North Carolina, youngsters in seven families adopted by employees will find shiny new bikes under the Christmas tree. Monetary donations go through Project Christmas Cheer for food, clothing and gifts. (Photo By: Lisa Galizia)
The Christmas spirit is alive and well at Central Wisconsin Electric Cooperative in Rosholt, an official Toys for Tots coordinator. This year, the co-op collected enough donations for 700 needy children, a haul that operations employees packed up for Santa’s sleigh. (Photo By: Mark Forseth)
Clark County REMC’s community open house in its Sellersburg, Indiana, headquarters features a North Pole nature show. A friendly reindeer gamely poses for photo ops with guests and, at the end of the night, employees. (Photo By: John Bohlsen)
Christmas will be a little brighter for children in communities served by Coast Electric Power Association in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. This year, employees collected 15 bags of toys, puzzles and games for a local Boys & Girls Club and other charities. (Photo Courtesy of CASA, Hancock County)
Volunteers at Coos-Curry Electric Cooperative in Port Orford, Oregon, lend their decorating talents to the annual ChariTree Holiday Festival in nearby Brookings. Local businesses decorate and auction off Christmas trees to benefit Coastline Neighbors, which helps seniors stay in their homes. (Photo By: Jacob Knudsen)
CoServ Electric’s Rosie—a vintage vehicle to honor the co-op’s 80th anniversary—shines at local Christmas parades, including this one in Krum, Texas. The 1937 Chevrolet pickup, restored by employees at the Corinth co-op, has been a favorite at many community events this year. (Photo By: Heather West/CoServ)
It may not go out on calls anymore, but Eastern Illini Electric Co-op’s antique truck made a great addition to holiday parades in the Illinois communities of Gibson City and Paxton. (Photo By: Eastern Illini EC)
Santa Claus, played here by Ed Wise, husband of Steuben County REMC’s Tammy Wise, brings Christmas cheer to employees at the Angola, Indiana, headquarters. (Photo By: Jaime Walker)
Eau Claire Electric Cooperative’s high school Youth Ambassadors are extra busy this holiday season volunteering at a food pantry and shelter in its Eau Claire, Wisconsin, service area. Students made fleece blankets and prepared and served food to more than 100 people. (Photo By: Mary Kay Brevig)
During the holidays, line crews at EnergyUnited EMC in Statesville, North Carolina, find time away from service calls to decorate and ride on floats for local Christmas parades, including this one in Taylorsville. (Photo By: Eileen Pierce)
This year, employees at Flint Hills RECA chipped in nearly $1,000—a record—to a fund for local friends and neighbors struggling to make ends meet. Half the money will go to families and the other half to elderly residents. (Photo By: Stacey Marston)
After a wild hurricane season, it’s time to celebrate the joy of the holidays at the Florida Keys Electric Cooperative’s annual lighting celebration in its operations center in Marathon. The party included a festive countdown and visits by Santa and Mrs. Claus. (Photo By: Anneka Patterson/Keys Weekly Newspaper)
During the holidays, needy children might not have enough to eat when they’re not in school. “Elves” at Great Lakes Energy in Boyne City, Michigan (from l-r Teresa Spence, Anjanette Reynolds, Holly Matewicz) pack 540 bags for the Manna Food Project’s Food4Kids program. (Photo By: Thomas Mann)
Hendricks Power Cooperative’s annual Christmas card shows Santa Claus, or in this case, lineman Kris Harmless, wishing for snow this Christmas in its Danville, Indiana, service area. (Photo By: Kristen Bender)
Henry County REMC did it again. For the second straight year, Lara Sullivan and other employees at the New Castle, Indiana, co-op turned a utility pole into “Henry County’s largest candy cane” for the local Christmas parade. (Photo By: Leah Nicholson)
Each season, Hoosier Energy employees help brighten the holidays to needy families in its Bloomington, Indiana, service area. This year, donations will go to six shelters and pantries in G&T-served areas; in addition, the G&T adopted two shelter families. (Photo By: Crystal Rogers)
Willie Wiredhand gets into the holiday spirit. (Photo By: Annette Harris)
Each year, employees at Kodiak Electric Association in Alaska stage a food drive competition with one another for the co-op’s collection. Employees collected nearly 400 pounds of canned and dry goods, plus gift cards and cash, for the Kodiak Island Food Bank. (Photo By: Nancy B. Sweeney)
La Plata Electric Association’s customer service reps decorated Power of Giving Trees at the Colorado co-op’s offices. Ornaments with amounts ranging from $5 to $100 can be brought to the window and that money is donated to members needing help paying their electric bills. (Photo By: Indiana Reed)
This year, beneficiaries of the MLEC Cares team at Meriwether Lewis Electric Cooperative in Centerville, Tennessee, include the family of an employee battling cancer and family members of employees serving overseas. (Photo By: MWEC)
In the Brazos Valley, Mid-South Synergy is an annual sponsor of the "KBTX Food for Families Food Drive" near its Navasota, Texas, headquarters. FFA youth, elementary school students, city officials, and volunteers from the co-op and local food pantries run a drop-off location. (Photo By: Eric Hubbard)
Linemen and other employees of Northeastern REMC got creative with their entry in this year’s Lighted Christmas Parade through downtown Columbia City, Indiana. (Photo By: Northeastern REMC)
The theme for Gunnison, Colorado’s annual Night of Lights was The Polar Express, and Gunnison County Electric Association used its electric car “Spark-e” as the engine. Thanks to all the hard work of the employees, GCEA won first place for best installation. (Photo By: GCEA)
Parke County REMC in Rockville, Indiana, has volunteered in three holiday projects this season, including Turkey Run State Park’s first Festival of the Lights. Visitors donate $5 per car to see the displays; proceeds go toward park improvements. (Photo By: Carolyn Kilby)
No office party is complete without an ugly Christmas sweater contest. South Central Power’s Bret Rice won this year’s contest at the Lancaster, Ohio, co-op. Runners- up were Jeff Haidet (l) and Justin Lape. (Photo By: Mindy Hardy)
As a community service, Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative in Live Oak, Florida, gets the town ready for the holidays by stringing lights in front of the county courthouse and hanging banners elsewhere. (Photo By: Jon Little)
A Victory Electric Cooperative line truck shines at the 16th annual Parade of Lights in Dodge City, Kansas. Organized by VEC and other local businesses, the parade makes its way through downtown Dodge and historic Boot Hill. (Photo By: Kennedy St. George)
You’ve heard of Sturgis, South Dakota, home of the famous bike rally. Meet Sturgis, Mississippi, population 250, served by 4-County Electric Power Association in Columbus. Lineman Barry Morgan helps the town get ready for the holidays. (Photo By: Brad Barr)
Volunteers from Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative in Centuria, Wisconsin, pack shopping carts with toys bought with nearly $2,000 in donations from members and employees during its 12th annual toy drive. (Photo Courtesy of PBEC)
It’s the second annual Warming Tree at Ravalli Electric Cooperative, and visitors, members, directors and employees of the Corvallis, Montana, co-op have been dropping off mittens, scarves and other winter apparel. Co-op volunteers will distribute the items to schools and organizations. (Photo By: Melissa Greenwood)
La Plata Electric Association and IBEW Local 111 hosted the Fill the Bucket food drive in Archuleta County, Colorado. Apprentice staking engineer Carolyn Foster and her daughter Samantha helped collect 1,700 pounds of food, which LPEA matched with $1,700 to bring cash donations to nearly $2,300. (Photo By: LPEA)
Michael W. Kahn is a staff writer at NRECA.