Fall is a busy time, and October is a particularly eventful month with school, community events and sports activities in full swing. It’s also when all cooperatives celebrate National Co-op Month. When I say York Electric celebrates Co-op Month, I really mean we are celebrating you! After all, our co-op wouldn’t exist without you, our loyal members.
Our core purpose is to serve as your power provider and trusted energy advisor, but we strive to do much more. At YEC, we go beyond the call of duty to help make the communities we share better places to work, live and play. Similar to how our wires run through our service territory, our concern for community flows through all of our decisions—because being a co-op means being a responsible partner and a good neighbor.
As members of York Electric, you help us accomplish the goal of helping our communities thrive, too. In fact, through our Operation Round Up program, you’ve helped us return over $3.7 million since 2000 to those in need and to local agencies working to help others in our area. Over 75% of our membership elects to round their electric bills to the next highest dollar to contribute to the Operation Round Up Trust. These funds are managed by a separate Board of Trustees made up of members like you and are dispersed to local help organizations doing important work in our community.
This Co-op Month, I am excited to share that we are bringing our Operation Round Up support to a new, large project! We’ve recognized a need in our community that has the potential to affect each one of us at some point and are working together with local officials to fill that need.
This year, we are planning to support the York County and Lancaster County Emergency Management offices by restocking their emergency supplies used during disasters and major emergencies. After the last major storm requiring emergency shelter of South Carolina citizens in York County, many of the necessary supplies such as cots, blankets, non-perishable foods and medical supplies were depleted. Operation Round Up is stepping in to help ensure our members— and others who may need to call our area home in a disaster—are safe and protected should an emergency occur. Stay tuned for more information on this exciting project.
Being part of a cooperative means working together towards a common goal—mutually benefiting one another and the larger community. That’s the essence of the cooperative spirit. Our employees and member-elected board members are invested in the community in which they live and serve alongside you. Thank you for allowing us the privilege to serve you and thank you for being a member of York Electric.
Paul Basha
President and Chief Executive Officer