The holidays are a time of year that many of us eagerly anticipate. The season is marked by home-cooked meals, seasonal decorations and lots of festivities. In many of our local communities, we look forward to the annual gatherings, light parades and local religious or family traditions. We cherish carrying on old family traditions and enjoy creating new ones. For me personally, I look forward to more time spent with family and friends, and especially this year, ringing in the new year and the promise of new opportunities is something we all will be looking forward to. However, given the hustle and bustle of the season, the holidays can also offer an opportunity to slow down and reflect. For all of us at Nodak Electric, we are grateful for you, the members of the co-op. You see, one of our founding principles as a co-op is “Concern for Community.” While our main focus is providing safe, reliable and affordable energy, we want to give back. We want to help our communities thrive.

Reflection

In looking back at this past year, I’m grateful we were able to make a positive impact in our communities through programs such as Operation Round Up. Thanks to your contributions, we collected $42,646. As a result of your generosity, we were able to help many families, individuals and groups in our local area with the dollars they needed to fulfill critical needs they were unable to fund. We continue to work closely with Bismarck State College to award scholarships for future lineworkers, and with local Dollars for Scholars chapters to award college scholarships for deserving young students heading off to school. In 2020, we awarded $10,000 to students completing the classroom portion of their lineworker training program and $5,000 for incoming college freshmen. There are other ways we can help the community. Whether it’s providing information about our many rebate programs for heating, water heating or electric transportation, helping you find ways to save energy at home, or various options to make it easier to pay your power bill – we want you to know we’re here to help. The holiday season can be a magical time for many of us, but it can also be a difficult time. The added financial pressures that come from this time of year can be especially challenging for those with day-to-day struggles. For those without family or friends to share the holidays, it can be a very trying and lonely time. This holiday season, we think of those having struggles and encourage everyone to extend a helping hand whenever possible. In the end, it is this “Concern for Community” that makes us who we are.

Looking ahead

Looking ahead to 2021, we hope you will share your opinions with us. We recognize that our members have a valuable perspective, and that’s why we continually seek your input. Whether through community events, our social media channels or the annual meeting, we want to hear from you. We are led by you, the members of the co-op, and we depend on your feedback. As we prepare for next year, we look forward to the opportunity to serve you and the greater community. On behalf of the Nodak Electric family, we hope your holidays