A MESSAGE FROM YOUR GENERAL MANAGER/CEO

GARY RAYBON

We're Thankful for Your Membership

Author William Arthur Ward once said, “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

In the spirit of those wise words, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for your membership in our cooperative. Because of your connection to Wharton County Electric Cooperative, we’re able to make our community a better place.

During this season of giving thanks, I feel it’s important to let you know the impact you have on our co-op and the community, likely in ways you may not realize.

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 take pride in our role in the community as a catalyst for good.

Through Operation Round Up, you support local charitable organizations to help those in need. We work with local schools and businesses to provide safety demonstrations. We also participate in the annual Government-in-Action Youth Tour, where we take our community’s brightest young people to Washington, D.C., for a weeklong immersive experience of democracy in action.

Ultimately, the larger community benefits from these programs because of you. You empower the co-op through your membership and your participation in and support of these programs.

When you attend co-op events, alert us to problems, or provide suggestions to our employees, you help us improve operations and thereby better serve the membership at large.

Because we’re locally governed by members of our community, we have a firsthand perspective on community priorities, better enabling us to make more informed decisions on long-term investments, such as equipment and technology upgrades.

We’re thankful that our board members carve out time to attend important training sessions, participate in planning meetings, and keep abreast of industry trends. This investment of time results in better-informed advisers who serve the co-op’s interests in a way that our members deserve.

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

WCEC was originally established 85 years ago to bring electricity to our area when no one else would. The co-op is a reflection of our local community and its evolving needs. Together, let’s continue making our corner of the world a better place.

We can’t do it without you, and for that we’re thankful for your membership.