The eagerness of Community Electric Cooperative’s team members to enhance the vitality and well-being of the region they serve was on full display during a VERY busy December closing out 2023.
CEC’s employees sold 50/50 raffle tickets to raise funds for Lee’s Friends, a local nonprofit that assists cancer patients and their families. They participated in the Town of Windsor’s Annual Christmas Parade. They also celebrated and uplifted one another at CEC’s annual holiday luncheon, where eight team members and two board members were honored with service awards recognizing their years of labor supporting CEC and its mission.
50/50 RAFFLE: LEE’S FRIENDS
The six-week fundraising campaign for Lee’s Friends raised more than $3,200. It featured a friendly competition among six CEC teams to see who could sell the most raffle tickets. The PINK team sold more than 900 tickets, winning the competition and earning its members bragging rights for months to come.
Becky Ruffin, the assistant director at Lee’s Friends, spoke appreciatively of the CEC effort, saying, “This gift is incredible and will do so much to assist patients struggling with their finances due to their cancer diagnosis.”
Three raffle winners actually donated their prize to help those in need. Team BLUE winner Glen Presson, CEC’s Manager of Operations, donated his winnings to Lee’s Friends, while Team PURPLE winner Jonathan Thompson (CEC’s Chief Operations Officer) and Team WHITE winner Dalton Williams, member-owner, directed their prizes to the accounts of members with medical issues.
WINDSOR CHRISTMAS PARADE: BEST FLOAT
The surprise highlight of CEC’s participation in the Windsor Christmas parade was the “Best Float” award captured by the cooperative. CEC Member Services Manager, Lucy Whitley, led the creative design effort of the float – a station wagon adorned with strings of Christmas lights being hauled by a flatbed truck. “The challenge was figuring out what we were going to do,” Whitley said. “It only took a few hours to pull it together, and we had plenty of helping hands!”
CEC CARES ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY
The engagement of CEC employees in a host of activities epitomizes one of the foundational principles of rural electric cooperatives – Concern for Communities. Cooperatives place a high value on advancing the sustainable development of their communities by supporting policies and activities embraced by their member-owners.
Beyond the camaraderie, employees also use these engagements as opportunities to continue educating area residents about the electric cooperative model and the role that CEC plays in the region’s economic vitality and overall quality of life.
“We believe to our core that, as has been the case for decades, Community Electric must help meet regional energy needs AND be a good, active and proactive neighbor,” CEC Manager of Communications Jessica Parr said. “While this part of the state has grown rapidly over the years, we remain committed to knowing and interacting with our members face to face in order to better understand their needs and concerns and the ways that we can serve them most effectively.”
CASUAL FOR A CAUSE: GIVING BACK TO MEMBERS
Community Electric’s employees also capped 2023 by raising another $558 for its “Casual for a Cause” program – a charitable effort that channels donations directly to member-owners’ accounts. Since 2020, by wearing jeans or “dressing down” in exchange for the donations, employees have raised nearly $5,000 to assist members.
CEC CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON: EMPLOYEE SERVICE AWARDS
At the holiday luncheon, in addition to the great food provided by The Woman’s Club of Windsor, service awards went to 10 people whose years of service varied significantly: Service Awards: Team members with five years: Scott Smith, Daryl Walls, Mke Hudson, Mitch Simmons, Barbara Daughtry, Meghan Cole, and Team members with 35 years: Helen Brown and Danny Beale; Board Members: Doug Chesson, five years, and John Stewart, 15 years. CEC also welcomed New Team Member Whitney Moore.
“I am always thrilled to recognize the hard-working men and women who contribute to the success of Community Electric and, more importantly, to the well-being of our member-owners,” CEC President and CEO Steven A. Harmon said. “Our workforce is extremely dedicated and highly skilled. They support one another, and they care about the success of the team. The folks we recognized during the 2023 luncheon are great people, and I look forward to their continued contributions for years to come.”
He expressed confidence that, as CEC’s workforce carries out its mission in 2024, employees will stay highly engaged in the community, commit themselves to meeting new members, and help all members learn new ways to better manage their power usage and save money. Learn more about CEC’s Concern for Community on its website: https://www.comelec.coop/community/.