We’re Thankful for you!

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and be grateful.  We would like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude for your membership in our electric cooperative. This space is normally utilized to provide updates on industry developments and report on the progress of ongoing initiatives.  However, during this season of giving thanks, it’s also important to let you and other consumer-members of SouthEastern Illinois Electric Cooperative know just what an impact you have on our co-op and the greater community, likely in ways you may not even realize.  

When you attend co-op events, alert us to problems, provide suggestions to our employees, you help us improve operations and achieve a higher level of  service for the membership.  Because we are locally governed by members of our community, we are able to get a first-hand perspective on community priorities, thereby enabling us to make more informed decisions to benefit the membership.

As part of the cooperative business model, one of our core principles is “Concern for Community.” While our priority is always to provide safe, reliable and affordable energy, we view our role in the community as a catalyst for good.

We work closely with our local schools to provide safety demonstrations, grants and  scholarships. Your Cooperative also participates in an annual Youth Tour where we take our community’s brightest young people to Washington, D.C. for a week-long engagement to experience democracy in action. The trip is inspirational for many students, and we are both humbled and honored to be a part of this leadership development journey. Ultimately, the larger community benefits from these programs because of you! You empower the co-op through your membership and through your participation in and support of these programs.

On a more personal note, we appreciate the countless acts of kindness our lineworkers and other employees receive when they are working in severe weather and dangerous conditions. Our employees are thankful for your patience and consideration when we are trying to restore power during challenging conditions and situations.

With Veterans Day approaching as well,  we certainly want to extend our gratitude to our veterans that served our great nation and our active duty military who continue to do so, that allow all of us to continue to enjoy the many freedoms that we have.   We can never thank them and their familes enough for the sacrifices they have made and continue to make.

See you next month and as always, “We’ll keep the lights on for you.”