Fall is a busy time, and October is a particularly eventful month with school, community and sports activities in full swing. It’s also when all cooperatives observe National Co-op Month.

When I say Bartholomew County REMC celebrates Co-op Month, it really means we are celebrating you! Join us for Drive-Thru Member Appreciation Day on Oct. 24 at the BCREMC office from 3–6:30 p.m. After all, our co-op wouldn’t exist without you, our members.

Our core business purpose is to serve as your electricity provider, but the larger mission of the co-op is to help make our corner of the world a better place. “Concern for community” is one of seven guiding principles that all co-ops share.

Similar to how our wires run through our service territory, our concern for community and our members flows through all of our decisions –– because being a co-op means being a responsible partner and good neighbor.

Our employees and member-elected board members are invested in the community in which we live and serve. Because we are local, we understand our community’s unique needs and strive to help meet them. We’re proud to support local youth through our Youth Tour, Camp Kilowatt and scholarship programs. With your help, we offer the Operation Round Up program to provide assistance to our community’s nonprofit organizations. We partner with and support area food banks and other charitable organizations. We’re a vital partner of the local chamber and economic development board to bring business and jobs to the community.

Above all, as a co-op, we put our members’ priorities first. As your trusted energy cooperative, we know that saving energy and money is important to you. That’s why we have numerous programs in place to help.

We want to empower you to manage energy use at home. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to take a moment and download our SmartHub app. Through the app, you can conveniently monitor and manage your energy usage. And we’re of course here to help, anytime. We hope to see you for Member Appreciation Day on Oct. 24. Happy Co-op Month!