The Cooperative Spirit

August 2025

The History & Principles That Guide SVEC

All across the country, cooperatives like SVEC are connecting rural communities to electricity and other resources that make their consumer-members’ lives better. We are all guided by the same cooperative principles and work tirelessly to make the communities we serve better places to live.

If you have spent much time around a cooperative, you have probably heard someone mention “the cooperative spirit.” It is the idea that our consumer-members come first in every decision we make, whether it’s the board of trustees shaping policy or crews finding ways to make service more reliable.

At SVEC, the cooperative spirit goes all the way back to our roots in 1937. This cooperative was founded through the hard work of local farmers and neighbors who believed their towns deserved access to electricity just as much as anywhere else. When no one else would bring the light, our founders pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and brought it themselves. This mindset of responsibility, stewardship, and self-determination continues to guide us today.

Built by and for those we serve, our cooperative’s concern for community extends beyond power and into the way we live our lives in the Suwannee Valley. We support Little League sports and make sure the Friday night lights are always shining. We are active participants in local events and fundraisers. And through programs like the Operation Round Up® Foundation, our consumer-members have been able to give more than $693,000 in grants directly to local classrooms.

These efforts are guided by our cooperative mission, but also by our consumer-members directly. Through democratic elections and local leadership, members have a clear voice on the board and the chance to speak with leaders in person at events like our annual meeting. Unlike a private electric company, SVEC is accountable to its consumer-members, not outside investors. Everyone on our board of trustees is an SVEC member, ensuring that our utility’s mission never strays from its cooperative principles.

Still Working for You

Today, we are constantly reminded that the cooperative mission is not just an artifact of the past but a crucial part of our modern lives. With rural communities still trying to bridge the digital divide, SVEC has once again stepped into the gap with the launch of Rapid Fiber Internet.

Just like our founding members, we are proud to bring this crucial service to our community. High-speed internet does not just let us stream our favorite TV shows and games. It also has the power to transform our businesses, schools, and access to health care. That is what the cooperative spirit is all about.

It is also why making your voice heard, not just for SVEC but for all cooperatives around the country, is so important.

Voices for Cooperative Power is a grassroots network of over 1.1 million advocates who help shape energy policy to keep the lights on for co-op members everywhere. As a VCP member, you can help:

• Shape policy decisions — By engaging in the policymaking process, you can help your co-op advocate for smart energy policy, continue to innovate for the future, and keep the lights on at a cost you can afford.
• Protect co-op interests — VCP provides opportunities to share your story with policymakers, ensuring that the needs of your co-op and your family are front and center.
• Protect co-op interests — VCP provides opportunities to share your story with policymakers, ensuring that the needs of your co-op and your family are front and center.

If you would like to get more involved in the cooperative community, visit the Voices for Cooperative Power website.

At SVEC, we are continually grateful for the support of our consumer-members. You built this cooperative, and it is our privilege to continue growing it each day. We look forward to finding new ways to better serve you and the community in the years to come.