Fall is a busy time, and October is a particularly eventful month with a full swing of school, community, and sports activities. It’s also when all cooperatives celebrate National Co-op Month.

When we say UCEMC celebrates Co-op Month, we are celebrating you! After all, our co-op wouldn’t exist without you, our members.

Our core business purpose is to serve as your electricity provider, but the larger mission of the co-op is to help make our corner of the world a better place. “Concern for community” is one of seven guiding principles that all co-ops share.

Similar to how our wires run through our service territory, our concern for community flows through all of our decisions––because being a co-op means being a responsible partner and good neighbor.

UCEMC works to help our community thrive through initiatives led by our employees and a local board comprised of neighbors who live in our community. Because we’re local, we understand our community’s unique needs and strive to help meet them.

We’re proud to support local youth through our Youth Tour and scholarship programs. With your help, we offer UCEMC Cares to assist our community’s most vulnerable. We partner with and support area food banks and charitable organizations such as Mended Hearts to supply AEDs to communities. Cares grants received by volunteer fire departments help firefighters purchase the lifesaving equipment they need to do their job safely.

The word “cooperative” is close to “cooperation,” meaning people working together towards a common goal—mutually benefitting one another and the larger community. That’s the essence of the cooperative spirit. Our employees and member-elected board members are invested in the community where they live and serve.

Above all, as a co-op, we put our members’ priorities first. As your trusted energy partner, we know that saving energy and money is essential to you. Please look at the many articles on our website with tips on simple ideas to keep warm this winter and save money on your energy bill. We’re here to help, so give us a call if you have questions about your bill. Our Member Services experts are happy to assist you.

UCEMC is continuously examining ways to operate more efficiently while providing the highest level of friendly, reliable service you expect and deserve. After all, we’re your local co-op, and we were built by the members we serve.