I and the rest of my team here often talk about why we do what we do, but when a member says it, the meaning seems greater.
At this year’s Annual Meeting, which was a real humdinger in case you missed it, we impacted the life of a young family in a way we didn’t expect.
We know that when we give away a vehicle, it’s kind of a big deal. I mean, it’s not every day that you win a free car. Occasionally, however, the prize becomes about more than just a vehicle.
When a young Amanda Poss attended our meeting on September 20, she was hoping to win a bingo prize or get help with their power bill. Instead, she drove home a 2008 Ford Explorer, which happened to be just what she and her husband needed. With 3 small children, an SUV is always good to have around.
In the article, Amanda talks about the difference the Explorer has made in their daily lives, but she says something else about the effect it’s had on them. I’ll let her words do the talking:
“The meeting made me feel like Coosa Valley was more of a hometown instead of just a big ol’ corporation,” and she went on to say, “It’s just truly a blessing, and we are so thankful to be a part of such a great co-op.”
I couldn’t have said it any better. Coosa Valley Electric is not “just a big ol’ corporation.” We are an electric cooperative. This means we are not for-profit, and we are owned by our members. It also means that we are here to help our communities grow.
Because of the business model of for-profit corporations, they have little incentive to invest in their communities. They are structured to maximize profits.
I’m not saying this is bad. It’s just the type of business they are.
Cooperatives, on the other hand, are structured differently. We believe that a rising tide lifts all ships. So we invest in our communities because we know their success can only help us be more successful.
In the 1930s, when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt envisioned electric cooperatives during his visits to Warm Springs, Ga., he was trying to ensure rural residents had access to affordable electricity. While he knew that, in and of itself, was a driver of economic opportunity, he never could’ve imagined how integral electric cooperatives would become to the communities they serve.
At Coosa Valley Electric, we do things to help our members and our communities. It’s why we work with local economic development agencies to attract industries and jobs to our area. It’s also why we established our propane and broadband subsidiaries—Coosa Valley Propane and Coosa Valley Technologies. Our members wanted access to affordable, reliable propane service as well as affordable, reliable, and truly high-speed internet service, so we answered the call.
We don’t do these things to make huge profits. We do these things because our members and our communities need them.
Our mission is to provide reliable, affordable electric service. That’s our primary reason for being in business. The other reason is to grow our communities.
Amanda, thank you for describing so succinctly our other reason for existing.
We hope that you, your family, and the rest of our members have a Happy Thanksgiving.