This years 87th Annual Meeting was on Saturday, July 19, at the Jasper County Fair. The meeting started with the Boy Scout Troop 167 from DeMotte presenting the flag and reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. Pastor Bill Taylor from Virgie Christian Church offered the invocation, and then I turned the meeting over to our board President, Bart Nesius.

As the meeting progressed, I took some time to speak about how 2024 went at the co-op. I announced the names of our four scholarship award winners, recognized some employees who received service awards, and thanked the employees who put the Annual Meeting together. I noted that while we had a light winter, we did encounter some spring and summer storms that created outages. Our linemen and the operations department handled these storms well and restored power to our members quickly.

Jeff Hume, the vice president of strategic electrification and member relations at Wabash Valley Power, spoke about the role that Wabash Valley fills for Jasper County REMC. He also mentioned the changes in the electric industry and pointed out that Wabash Valley and Jasper County REMC are positioned well in the electric industry as a whole. Being a member of Wabash Valley helps us to stay informed on all the different facets of the electric industry.

Our attorney presided over the election of directors. The members votes confirmed Dain Hayworth and Mark Hurley for another three-year term. After drawing a few bill credits, we adjourned the meeting and mentioned that we sponsored the band starting to play on the free stage.

Our participation in the fair continued on Tuesday, July 22, with our Sponsor Day. The day began with doughnut holes and coffee in the morning, and then we staffed the sponsor tent during the day to interact with any members who passed by.

We also support the 4-H electrical projects by having supplies available at our office. This offers 4-H participants a chance to learn about electricity through their projects. The last event for the week was the 4-H auction.

We enjoy participating in this event and supporting the kids in the auction. Our participation at the Jasper County Fair and sponsorships are another way that Jasper County REMC shows its commitment to the communities we serve.