Welcome to the September 2026 edition of Bright Spots—a roundup of stories showcasing electric cooperatives’ community impact. As temperatures are heading downward, a Colorado co-op and its broadband subsidiary are sponsoring a fall tradition, Friday Night Lights, at local football games. Elsewhere, co-ops are investing in area trade schools to foster tomorrow’s workforce, supporting their communities’ first responders and donating to local food pantries.

Have a Bright Spot you’d like to share? Please send your news and photos to Victoria Rocha and Katie Allen.

Friday Night Lights

Friday Night Lights and the bucket trucks are back, thanks to Delta-Montrose Electric Association and its broadband subsidiary, Elevate. This is the third year that they’ve sponsored the tradition, which covers admission at four high school football games. Before the games, board directors go on the field to meet team captains and join in the coin toss and mingle with fans.

“Friday Night Lights gives us the opportunity to show up for our members, support the communities we serve, and create genuine connections with the people who make these communities so special,” said Paige Berry, community relations and engagement specialist at the Montrose, Colorado-based co-op.

Going Out on a Limb for Members

Mohave Electric Cooperative is partnering with local organizations on Operation Cool Shade, a program that helps members defray the costs of shade trees for their homes. Trees cost $9 apiece, and members can choose from three species that can tolerate the Arizona desert heat. Members can also watch an online presentation or attend a local Master Gardeners class for planting tips.

“Trees are a simple investment that can provide years of comfort, energy savings and environmental benefits,” said Courtney Nixon, energy management specialist at the co-op based in Bullhead City.

Help for the Helpers

With help from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative, the Hatteras Island Rescue Squad received a $201,738 zero-interest loan from the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant program to renovate its station in Buxton, North Carolina. The 30-year-old headquarters will receive structural and facility upgrades, including new support columns, garage doors, door frames and windows.

“This marks the cooperative’s fourth successful REDLG project, underscoring the program’s value as a tool that supports our mission to strengthen communities and improve quality of life across Hatteras Island,” said Susan Flythe, general manager and executive vice president of the Buxton-based co-op.

Taco and Tech Tuesdays

Harrison County REC has been serving up a taco feast with a helping of energy efficiency and cybersecurity tips for members at its Woodbine, Iowa, headquarters. During the most recent "Taco and Tech Tuesday," the co-op partnered with a local bank to discuss digital safety and scams; at the second session, the co-op’s director of member services, Kert Barnum, discussed home energy efficiency.

The sessions are a valuable service to the community, said Harrison County REC Director of Communications and IT Kristi Travis. “About half of our 21 employees are members. This is our home and we want to serve our communities and make them better places to live.”

Preserving TR’s Legacy

Great River Energy has donated $1 million to the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, which officially opened this summer. Located in the Badlands, where the 26th president shaped his views on land stewardship and public service, the library aims to educate visitors about his life and legacy and serve as a gathering place for civic engagement and learning.

“Great River Energy recognized the powerful mission the library represents,” said David Saggau, president and CEO of the Maple Grove, Minnesota-based generation and transmission cooperative. “We believe investments like this help strengthen communities, inspire future generations and preserve an important part of our nation’s history.”

Fighting Hunger in Florida

Talquin Electric Cooperative employees are supporting children at Title I schools and their families in the Big Bend, Florida, area. The Quincy-based co-op donated $1,000 to support the Hunger Fight fundraiser, and volunteers recently packaged about 2,170 meals. Employees were part of a larger community volunteer effort that resulted in more than 132,000 meals.

“We are proud of our employees for giving their time and energy to support families in the counties we serve, and we are grateful for the opportunity to contribute to such a meaningful community effort,” said Kennedi Munroe, a communications and outreach specialist.

Helping Heroes Stay Afloat

Dairyland Power Cooperative’s fourth annual John P. Madgett Charitable Golf Outing raised more than $17,000 to help the Nelson Fire Department in Alma, Wisconsin. First responders will use the money to buy a rescue boat. Several employees at the co-op’s Alma plant also work at the fire station, including Fire Chief Ty Johnson, a foreperson in the mechanical generation unit.

“I’m truly grateful for Dairyland’s support of the Nelson Volunteer Fire Department,” Johnson said. “It’s inspiring to work for a company that values its connection to the communities it serves.”

A Boost for Lineworker Training

Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and Gas South recently donated a combined $200,000 to Southside Virginia Community College’s Power Line Worker Training School. The investment expands access to specialized training for electric utility careers and addresses the growing demand for skilled lineworkers. The training school’s 11-week program trains students in electrical theory, safety procedures, climbing techniques, aerial line work, equipment operation and commercial drivers’ license preparation. 

“Investments in workforce development strengthen communities, support economic growth and ensure the energy industry has access to the skilled professionals needed to maintain critical infrastructure for years to come,” said Chris Cosby, president and CEO of ODEC, headquartered in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Local Workforce Training

The Winston-Louisville Career and Technology Center in Louisville, Mississippi, recently received $43,000 in grants from East Mississippi EPA, Louisville Utilities and the Tennessee Valley Authority for new plasma cutting and sawing equipment. The Meridian-based co-op and Louisville Utilities made matching donations through TVA’s Community Care Fund. The funds will help the center expand workforce development and training opportunities for high schoolers and adult learners pursuing careers in advanced manufacturing and skilled trades.

“Supporting programs like WLCTC is part of being a cooperative and investing in the people and communities we serve,” said Julie Boles, EMEPA director of marketing and communication.

Brighter Holidays for a Kansas Community

Western Cooperative Electric Association has been a steadfast supporter of the Plainville Food Pantry in Plainville, Kansas. Recently, the Wakeeney-based co-op partnered with CoBank’s Sharing Success Community program on a $2,500 donation to the food bank. The funds will support the group’s Holiday Project, which provides extra help to local families around Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter.

Pantry assistance is up 15% from this time last year, “making community support more important than ever,” said CEO/General Manager Nolan Numrich. “We are committed to supporting the communities we serve—and that commitment extends beyond providing electricity.”

Partners in Student Success

Dairyland Electric Cooperative is partnering with a neighborhood school in Wisconsin this year through the La Crosse Public Education Foundation’s Adopt-a-School program. Recently, Hintgen Elementary received contributions from the La Crosse-based generation and transmission cooperative as well as its CEO. The G&T donated $2,500 to the school’s annual Kindness Retreat for fourth and fifth graders, with another $2,500 coming from Dairyland President and CEO Brent Ridge and his wife, Lisa, for nutritious after-school snacks.

“Young people thrive when they have the support and opportunities to learn and grow,” Ridge said. “We’re proud to support Hintgen students and invest in the future of our community.”

A Boost for Local Health Services

Southside Electric Cooperative and CoBank’s Sharing Success program donated $20,000 to the Free Clinic of Powhatan to expand medical, dental and mental health services in four Virginia counties. The funds will help buy a new sterilizer for the clinic’s dental program and expand an emergency food pantry into a marketplace and learning center focusing on healthy nutrition. 

“SEC and the Free Clinic share the same spirit of service—stepping in to meet critical needs when people in our communities might otherwise be left behind,” said Jason Loehr, CEO of the Crewe-based co-op. “Just as SEC was founded to bring electricity to rural areas that had gone unserved, the Free Clinic is filling a vital need for neighbors” to access health care.

Home Upgrades in Southern Virginia

Old Dominion Electric Cooperative and community revitalization nonprofit FLIPP Inc. received a $100,000 grant from Microsoft Corp. to expand energy-saving upgrades through ODEC’s Manufactured Homes Program. Manufactured homes can be more energy-intensive, and in parts of southern Virginia, 25% or more of co-op members live in them, according to ODEC President and CEO Chris Cosby. Upgrades include energy audits, weatherization measures or insulation enhancements at no cost to the homeowner.

“Community-focused work like this embodies the cooperative difference,” he said. “By making energy more affordable and homes more comfortable, ODEC is helping power greater opportunities for families across southern Virginia.”