Mike Couick
When my brother and I were young, we loved visiting my aunt and uncle’s farm outside of Monroe, North Carolina. During one visit, Uncle George gave us two Catawba Indian arrowheads he’d found while plowing his corn field. At ages eight and 10, our sibling rivalry quickly manifested in the moment. No sooner had the prized artifacts touched our hands, than we were arguing about which was whose.
My dad knew just how to settle the dispute. Since neither one of us had thought to thank Uncle George, the arrowheads could just stay at the farm with him. It was two great lessons: Always start with a thank you and never respond to a gift with discontentment.
Saying “thank you” not only fulfills one of our parents’ primary edicts of good manners, it makes us feel better. As we reflect upon a year that has been a struggle for mental, social and physical well-being, it seems like a good time to make a gratitude list. Since I am so encouraged by the way cooperatives and our state have met 2020’s epic challenges, I’ve made a cooperative gratitude list.
Local cooperative service
I am thankful for every distribution cooperative that continued to deliver safe and reliable energy to their members during a global pandemic. They may have shut down their office lobbies, altered hours or canceled community events, but the essential service was never disrupted. Whether working the drive-thru windows or climbing the poles, they kept our power on.
CARES Act
I am thankful that electric cooperatives were recognized as small businesses essential in their communities and were able to receive support from the CARES Act, allowing Newberry Electric, Aiken Electric and Lynches River Electric to bring broadband internet to more people in their communities this year.
Broadband legislation
COVID-19 further exposed the dire need for broadband internet access in our rural communities. Although South Carolina has more steps to take, I am thankful that the General Assembly has opened the door for electric cooperatives to be a part of filling that gap. The Broadband Accessibility Act gives cooperatives the authority to provide broadband in and around their assigned territories.
Virtual Youth Experience
Although the Rural Electric Youth Tour—an annual cooperative-sponsored trip for high school juniors to our nation’s capital—fell victim to COVID-19, I’m thankful we were able to provide a different opportunity to some of our South Carolina teens. The Virtual Youth Experience was a week-long web conference that allowed students selected by their local cooperatives to engage with state leaders. They even produced their own podcasts where they discussed how the events of 2020 have impacted their lives.
Annual meetings
Another cooperative tradition that required a significant adjustment this year was the cooperative annual meeting. This year’s meetings were especially important as many cooperatives were changing their bylaws to adhere to the state’s new transparency and accountability statutes. I am thankful that some were able to have a new and safer kind of annual meeting that featured an online business presentation, drive-thru voting and registration and, in some cases, record levels of participation.
Hurricane aid
As tough as it has been for many of us in South Carolina, we’ve escaped the terrible consequences of a natural disaster. The same cannot be said for those on the Gulf Coast. I’m sure the victims of Hurricanes Laura, Sally and Delta in Louisiana and Florida are thankful for the South Carolina cooperative linemen who have helped to restore their power. I am thankful for their safe return from working under harsh conditions hundreds of miles away.
I hope you feel grateful for these cooperative blessings, as well. I also hope you’ll take the opportunity to make your own gratitude list and keep it handy. Within the burdens and challenges of our time, there is always bravery, innovation and hope. It is for our own benefit to find it and be appreciative of it.