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A Guiding Principle
One consistent trait of electric cooperatives across the country is strong community involvement. In fact you can trace the beginnings of any cooperative business to community need. The need for electricity in the 1930’s drove residents of rural America to join together and form not-for-profit cooperative electric associations. To this day, electric co-ops are guided by a set of seven principles that influence our business decisions and ensure that as cooperatives we act in the best interest of you, our member.
Among those principles is one known as “concern for community,” which states that while focusing on member needs, cooperatives must work for the sustainable development of the community. We all recognize that an electric co-op must deliver affordable and reliable power. But beyond that, a co-op should also be a responsible member of the community and do all it can to meet the needs of those who live in its service area.
At Missoula Electric Cooperative we are committed to upholding this principle not just through our words, but by our actions. One of the best ways to give back is through the development of our future leaders- our youth. The Improvements for Education Program (IEP) and the Electronic Education Equipment (EEE) programs aid local schools with the purchase of educational equipment and supplies. In addition, our scholarship program assists students of all ages that continue their education right here in Montana.
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MEC’s employees also provide electric safety demonstrations for many entities including schools, volunteer fire departments and other organizations. We participate in school career day activities and provide sponsorships for school yearbooks, athletic events and sponsor numerous community events every year.
I am extremely proud of the many MEC employees that give of their time and talents as leaders in a variety of organizations in our communities. Whether it’s serving on the local chamber or economic development board, civic or sportsman’s club, or coaching a youth athletics team, MEC is well represented. We recently sponsored two Relay for Life teams and were represented on the planning committee for this important event. Thanks you to all who participated.
As you can see, community involvement is important to cooperatives like MEC. In fact, it is a guiding principle that shapes the way we do business. At MEC, community involvement goes further than being a good corporate citizen. It means looking beyond our business to support the members we serve.
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