About a month ago, my son, Max, forgot how to tie his shoes. He’s been tying his shoes like a pro for more than a year now. So, he and his sister, Charlie, did what kids do these days — they looked up a tutorial on YouTube. The video combined with a quick refresher from my wife tied up the loose ends and Max was soon back in business.
Turns out it is easy to forget something you’ve done for years and take it for granted. Likewise, it’s easy to forget where your electricity comes from today. We all know the luxury of just flipping a switch or plugging in a cord. But it wasn’t long ago those of us who lived in rural America were in the dark.
The history of Missouri’s electric cooperative system is noteworthy and one we shouldn’t forget. I’ll keep the history lesson brief for today: In 1936 President Franklin Delano Roosevelt enacted the Rural Electrification Act as part of the New Deal. The REA helped bridge that incredible divide between country folks and their electricity-consuming cousins in the cities.
In the mid-1930s, 9 out of 10 rural homes were without electricity. No surprise, for-profit power companies were not interested in serving farmers or homes beyond the cities. So, a group of farmers and ranchers united by their common values banded together with a simple goal: Turn the lights on in rural Missouri.
This group of folks drove miles and miles of gravel roads, neighbor to neighbor, asking each of them to pay $5 to join a “soon-to-be” group called an electric cooperative. It was quite a bit of money back then, and an even bigger leap of faith.
At least five of Missouri’s co-ops were among the first 100 formed in the country. That’s pretty cool.
Today, Missouri’s 47 cooperatives manage the business and the labor of electric power, allowing you — our member-owners — to enjoy reliable electricity at an affordable price.
The employees at each of those 47 cooperatives help power more than 600,000 homes, businesses and institutions in our state. From the lineworkers to the customer service representatives to the mechanics to the board members, your co-op today is powered by people. Those people are your neighbors, family and friends, and those men and women are committed to keeping the lights on for you.
We’re proud to have helped bring electricity to rural Missouri all the way back in the 1930s. We are so lucky those folks took the time to drive around our backroads and do the impossible. Our dedication to bringing reliable and affordable energy to you continues today and tomorrow. Like tying shoes, that’s something we should never forget.
Caleb Jones is the executive vice president and CEO of the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives in Jefferson City. He is a member of Boone Electric Cooperative.