I hear many people fretting about uncertainty. They worry about our future and the changes ahead. Know why I don’t share their concerns? Because Kankakee Valley REMC doesn’t believe in worrying about what’s ahead. Instead, we believe in planning for it … and we’ve done a lot in the last year.

Planning is why we’ve continued to invest in infrastructure, such as our substations’ distribution lines. Our members are using electricity in new ways, and we’re making sure our system is ready for those changes. Your daily life may look very different a decade from now, but the work we’re doing today will ensure you’ll still be able to count on us for safe, reliable and affordable energy.

Another example is our investment in smart grid technologies. Once it’s fully deployed, we’ll be better able to manage the power we provide, and you’ll be able to better understand your own energy use so you can make informed choices.

Engaging with our membership continues to be a focus of your leadership team. This year we reinvigorated the member forum events from years past. These events allowed us to answer the questions and concerns of the membership and also provide updates and plans for their co-op. The feedback we received was great and we look forward to continuing these events.

But the biggest reason I feel so confident about the future is, I’ve had a chance to get to know our inaugural Junior Board of Directors. This group of 10 high school students took part in the newest expression of our commitment to local youth as we prepared them to become the future leaders of our communities. You can rest assured we’ll be in good hands!

MIKE YANKAUSKAS | BOARD PRESIDENT