A helping hand
Executive V.P./CEO
November is always a time for taking stock in our lives and giving thanks for our blessings. This year, I think we have a great deal to be thankful for.
When Hurricane Michael began moving in our direction last month, I’m sure I wasn’t the only person who feared the worst. But as it turned out, our system was fortunate to be spared the brunt of the storm’s force.
While we can be grateful for our own safety, we have seen that some of our neighbors were not as lucky. Hundreds of thousands of people lost power in Florida, with some areas sustaining such irreparable damage that residents decided not to return.
Recovering from such widespread devastation is a daunting task, but these are also the times when the strength of the cooperative model shines.
In the days after the storm, Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative sent two groups of linemen, right-of-way crewmen, warehousemen and mechanics to help Gulf Coast Electric Cooperative get the lights back on for their members.
At SVEC, we are always ready to lend our fellow cooperatives a helping hand. We relish the opportunity. We know that when our system is the one hit hard, as we were last year by Hurricane Irma, other cooperatives will come to our aid just as quickly.
I’m thankful to be part of a cooperative family that supports each other during challenging times like these. I hope you’re proud to be a part of it, too.