This month, LaGrange County REMC celebrates 90 years of serving our members and communities.

Ninety years ago, a group of determined local citizens came together with a bold vision: bring electricity to the farms, homes, and businesses of rural LaGrange County.

On Oct. 29, 1936, that vision became reality when LaGrange County Rural Electric Membership Corporation was officially incorporated. Led by Roy Wilson and 11 community leaders, the cooperative was founded on a simple but powerful belief — when neighbors work together, they can accomplish what no one could do alone. At a time when only about 10% of rural American homes had electricity, cooperatives like ours changed the future for generations to come.

Today, as we celebrate our 90th anniversary, we honor not only the milestone but also the people who made it possible — our founding members, dedicated employees, directors, and the generations of members who have placed their trust in their cooperative.

Unlike investor-owned utilities, LaGrange County REMC was created by the people it serves. That cooperative model remains unchanged after nine decades. Every member is an owner, every member has a voice, and every decision is made with the long-term interests of our communities in mind.

Over the years, our system has grown from the first miles of electric line stretching across the countryside to more than 600 miles of distribution line serving thousands of homes and businesses throughout LaGrange County and neighboring communities. Along the way, technology has evolved dramatically, but our purpose has remained the same: providing safe, reliable, and affordable service.

What began as an effort to electrify rural Indiana has expanded into new services that support modern life. Today, LaGrange County REMC also delivers high-speed fiber broadband, helping connect families, students, farmers, businesses, and remote workers to opportunities that simply weren’t possible a generation ago. Just as electricity transformed rural life in the 1930s, reliable broadband is helping shape the future of our communities today.

Beyond utility services, the cooperative continues to invest in the community through scholarships, Operation Round Up, youth programs, local events, and partnerships with organizations that strengthen LaGrange County. These efforts reflect one of the cooperative’s guiding principles: Concern for Community.

Anniversaries offer an opportunity to celebrate the past, but they also remind us to look forward. The electric industry continues to evolve as new technologies, changing energy needs, and growing expectations reshape how cooperatives serve their members. LaGrange County REMC remains committed to making thoughtful investments that improve reliability, strengthen our electric system, and deliver value for future generations.

While the tools may change, our mission does not. For nine decades, we’ve been guided by service instead of profit, local leadership instead of distant shareholders, and a commitment to putting members first.

As we celebrate our founding on Oct. 29, we extend our sincere thanks to every member who has been part of our story. Your support has allowed this cooperative to grow from a bold idea into a trusted community partner.

The founders who signed those incorporation papers in 1936 likely couldn’t have imagined today’s technology or the communities we now serve. But they would certainly recognize the spirit that continues to define LaGrange County REMC: neighbors working together to build something that benefits everyone.

Here’s to 90 years of powering progress — and to the exciting chapters still to come.