Giving money
Employees make donation for the Western York County Agriculture Arena
York Electric presented a $15,000 donation from co-op employees for the planned Western York County Agriculture Arena at a Modern-Day Barn Raising Fundraiser on May 17.
The new arena, which will be located on 97 acres across from Hickory Grove Sharon Elementary School, will provide students and teachers with opportunities for hands-on learning, leadership development and community-building, with the potential to impact 4,500 students throughout York County.
The project is the vision of the Agriculture Steering Committee, formed in September 2023, with members from York School District One, Clover School District and York County 4H. The arena will provide a central hub for agricultural education where 4H programs and the local Future Farmers of America (FAA) can have a permanent home. Currently, students interested in these programs face significant travel barriers because there is no local space to host livestock shows and related events.
The co-op’s employee donation fund is just one way York Electric impacts the community’s growth and success. As your co-op, providing affordable, safe and reliable energy is not our only goal. The same issues that affect York Electric members are the same ones that affect our employees and their families, which is why our employees are dedicated to helping York County and surrounding communities grow and prosper.
Getting money
Comporium disperses over $1,000,000 to York Electric from joint grant application
In May, York Electric received $1,099,012 through its internet service partner, Comporium, as a part of the S.C. Lookback Grant, a federal program distributed through the State to help stimulate broadband installation by covering a portion of the equipment, installation and labor costs the co-op took on during the rural internet project, which expanded broadband in underserved areas of YEC’s territory. This grant disbursement, for which YEC supplied Comporium with data to apply, marks the completion of the more than two-year project.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, co-op members needed access to reliable, high-speed internet more than ever. To meet this challenge, York Electric partnered with Comporium to increase internet availability for unserved members in western York County and parts of Cherokee County. Spanning over almost 600 miles of fiber-optic cable, the Rural Internet Project has transformed connectivity for previously unserved members.
This joint fiber expansion project began in December 2020. Since then, the project has progressed in three phases, concluding in June 2023. Over 26 months of construction, this $16 million community investment has brought broadband access to 5,000 co-op members. Families have greatly benefited from this effort, which has enhanced their ability to work remotely, learn online, and stream entertainment content.
Comporium’s excellent customer service, combined with York Electric’s skilled labor and state-of-the-art equipment, has ensured the project’s success. But, most importantly, the completion of the Rural Internet Project is yet another instance of York Electric making good on its promise to improve the quality of life for members.
As a not-for-profit utility, York Electric views this grant not as a payout, but as an opportunity to further enhance the services and support it provides to the community.