Josh Kramer

Among the political messaging of an election year, I was happy for the 30-second reprieve offered me recently by a Touchstone Energy® Cooperative advertisement.

The ad wasn’t marketing a product. It wasn’t a call to action. Quite simply, it was a feel-good message.

It told the “who” of the electric cooperative story, and it went something like this:

Across the nation, cooperatives of all kinds come together in October to celebrate National Co-op Month.

The cooperative business model is unique. It is pragmatic, mission-oriented and puts people first. “Democracy” is a cooperative value. “Democratic member control” is a core co-op principle.

Please get out and vote. Whether you are an early voter or an Election Day voter, North Dakota voters have options. Your voice matters.

We are inclined to provide a platform for introductions and give statewide candidates an opportunity to reach rural voters through the vast reach of this magazine. In this issue, statewide candidates weigh in on matters important to co-op members, electric cooperatives and the communities we serve.

Time. It seems there is never enough of it. We could all use more of it. Me included (especially when my monthly editorial is due).

Time truly is a gift. It is short. It can’t be recovered or made. Time is valuable, so making the most of it is crucial.

We have reached the end of co-op annual meeting season. A majority of electric cooperatives in North Dakota held their annual meetings in June. It’s a chance to get together with your fellow co-op members, enjoy a good meal, ask questions of your board and management, learn about your cooperative’s financial health and most importantly carry out the business of your cooperative, including director elections and considering bylaws amendments.

Rural character is shaped by storytelling and keeping alive the memories of the past.

I grew up a farm boy in a time that predates social media, smartphones and 24/7 access to the outside world. Folks still got their news from the local paper and their rumors from the local coffeeshop. We had to be creative. We enjoyed the company of others. We talked, made our own fun and even played practical jokes.

Many formal types of recognition are awarded within our communities, organizations and even on a national and world stage. In athletics, teams and individuals seek championships. The performing arts has the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards). In journalism, there’s the Pulitzer and the Peabody. And, of course, there’s the Nobel Peace Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievement in science, medicine, economics and peace.

What is the value of something you belong to, utilize or support? This is a fair question, and one that often ruminates within organizations and communities. The answer is more complex, however, than assigning a dollar value to a specific item or service.

As the editor-in-chief, I get to ride the coattails of the people who consistently “grind it out” to produce this outstanding magazine – a publication that embodies the true spirit of rural North Dakota. I get to witness a masterpiece, in my opinion, come together, as the talented North Dakota Living team, along with each cooperative’s local pages editor, passionately and dedicatedly find and tell “the best of the best” stories. These stories need to be shared.