As we enter the autumn season, we cannot help but notice the changes that come with it, such as the weather, the fall foliage, and the crackling sounds of the leaves as we’re out and about. Like the seasonal transitions we see, cooperatives have been exceptionally nimble to pivot and change direction based upon current and future needs, or, as we have experienced recently, adapting to changes in our environment. As an organization owned by its members, and represented through a sitting board made up of its members, we are able to evaluate and adapt to the changes our communities are experiencing or, at times, help lead those changes. Over the past year and a half, there have been many adjustments at the Cooperative, all of which were in the interest of health, safety, and business continuity. We saw ourselves rethink how we conduct business, from making online tools available to our members to deploying our staff to work remotely. The board of directors embraced the technology push in order to conduct the business of the Cooperative unhindered. You, as the members/owners of the business, displayed a great level of understanding, while navigating through all of the changes, and you worked patiently with us as we continued to serve you in the best manner possible.
If COVID-19 has taught me anything, it is that human life can be very fragile. My heart and prayers go out to all the families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19, or to any other illness, for that matter. Even with the fragility exposed, we as communities, as a country, and as people, have been able to overcome this global health crisis. Although we are not completely out of the woods, we have made great progress towards that end, and I trust we will continue down the path of a post-COVID world. I fully credit our ability to overcome one simple human behavior-- caring for one another. Although, if we had to judge such behavior by what we see in the media, one might lose faith that such behavior is predominant in our world today. The reality of the situation is that the majority of people truly care for one another. We care for our friends, our neighbors, the elderly, the sick, and the misfortunate. When tragedy strikes, we come together, we lean on one another and we rebuild. This was proven throughout last year, it was proven during the winter storm, and I trust that it will continue to be proven through any other adversities thrown our way. It is what makes us human! Conversely, some wildlife can be unforgiving in that sense. For example, if a member of a pack suffers an injury rendering it unable to hunt or defend itself, more often than not, that animal will perish. I embrace our “caring” side when making decisions, as I believe it will yield the best outcome in the interest of the many, and further our ability to persevere.
I recount all of the above to say we do not know what the future has in store for us, but we have the right people, the right members, the right tools, and most importantly, the right mindset to tackle any challenges we are presented. That being said, we are currently in the process of preparing the unveiling of new changes and items that I am confident you will like. As always, we are committed to our mission to provide safe and reliable energy services through the efficient use of resources, highly skilled employees, and technology. Stay tuned in the coming weeks and we will keep you posted on those upcoming changes that will help us deliver on that promise.
Roger Andrade