Even though Hurricane Helene swept through co-op communities several months ago, the devastating storm is on the minds of those still struggling to rebuild amid the holidays.

In Upstate South Carolina, virtually all 64,000 members served by Laurens Electric Cooperative lost power in the immediate aftermath of the storm—an unprecedented challenge for all the co-op's employees, from line crews to member services reps to IT specialists.

To express solidarity with its communities, the Laurens-based co-op selected “Come Home for Christmas" as the theme of its float for the parade in Fountain Inn.

Administrative Assistant Sarah Culbertson and Human Resources Manager Dena Moore came up with the concept, and Line Superintendent Mike Smith spent a week building the float's kid-sized bucket truck and tiny house.

“It was pretty much a labor of love," he said. “Our community suffered so much uncertainty in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and the theme of the float, 'Come home for Christmas,' was meant to bring to mind the comfort of coming home to family for the holidays."

Other co-ops across the country had the well-being of their communities in mind when celebrating the holidays this year, whether it was collecting donations for those in need or simply finding ways to spread joy through festive floats and light displays. See more in the gallery below.