It’s National Cooperative Month!
What’s the greatest benefit of being a cooperative member?
There are multiple benefits my cooperative brings to me, from the cooperative where I deliver crops for food and fiber to the cooperative that brings me my electricity. The most important is my electric cooperative, because there are a lot of things in my world that won’t run without electricity.
Troy Presser, director
McLean Electric Cooperative
The greatest benefit a cooperative brings is member control. The co-op belongs to members; the members are the co-op. Local control, local governance – that’s what the cooperative model is about.
David Sigloh, director
Burke-Divide Electric Cooperative
I am a cooperative member. I live on a farmstead that was built probably 125 years ago.
Electricity is the way we produce quality of life, and co-ops do that. They also support the community tremendously.
The cooperative principles are something we should be really proud of, and I am super proud working for a business model that supports people who bring us electricity.
Christel Laskowski, business manager
Verendrye Electric Cooperative
The seven cooperative principles, including being locally controlled and commitment to community. It’s all good stuff. We live and work in the community and give back to the communities, and that’s huge.
Chad Brousseau, vice president of member and energy services
Cass County Electric Cooperative
The value of a co-op is the democratic structure of a co-op. Our business model, how pure it is. It is pure democracy.
All of the member-owners run that business, the directors are member-owners, and whatever direction that cooperative goes is based on the wishes of the members.
During Co-op Month, remember the cooperative model is the purest business model in the United States.
Mark Doyle, general manager/CEO
McLean Electric Cooperative
We bring a sense of community and a sense of support. We work together to try and solve some of the problems in rural North Dakota. We make sure our members have reliable power, so they can do the other things they need to do and live their way of life.
Paul Fitterer, general manager
Capital Electric Cooperative
The greatest benefit of being a cooperative member is you have a say in what goes on, and it’s like being part of a big family. Everyone works together.
Allen Eberle
KEM Electric Cooperative
UPCOMING READER REPLY QUESTION
November: Who are you grateful for this year and why?
Deadline for submission: Oct. 11
December: What is the biggest need in your local community the N.D. Legislature should address this session?
Deadline for submission: Nov. 12
We want to hear FROM you: Submissions should be no more than 250 words, typewritten or in legible handwriting. Include your name, complete address, daytime phone number and name of your electric cooperative. Note: Magazine staff reserves the right to make edits and cuts. We pay $25 for each letter we print. Email to ndliving@ndarec.com or mail to READER REPLY, North Dakota Living, P.O. Box 727, Mandan, ND 58554-0727.
