April 13 marks Lineworker Appreciation Day, a moment each year when we pause to recognize the extraordinary men who keep the lights on for our communities. Their work is essential today—but it is also part of a proud legacy that stretches back nearly a century.

When the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was created in the 1930s, lineworkers were among the first to bring electricity to rural America. They built lines through fields, forests, and swamps, often with little more than hand tools and a belief that rural families deserved the same access to power as those in the cities.

Today’s lineworkers carry forward that same spirit of service, but with tools, training, and technology their predecessors could only imagine. The work is still hard—physically demanding, technically complex, and often performed in trying conditions—but decades of innovation have changed what’s possible. Our crews are now outfitted with advanced equipment, hydraulic booms, insulated tools, and state-of-the-art safety gear that help them perform their jobs as efficiently and as safely as possible. At CHELCO, we continue to invest in these improvements because nothing matters more than ensuring every employee goes home safely at the end of the day.

Even with these improvements, the heart of the job remains unchanged. When a thunderstorm knocks out power at midnight, our lineworkers answer the call. They leave their families, step away from warm homes, and head into the dark to restore service. They work through rain, blistering heat, and—on those rare Florida occasions—snow.

They do it because they know our members are counting on them, and because they take pride in serving the communities they call home.

Their dedication extends far beyond CHELCO’s service territory. When other cooperatives face devastation after hurricanes, tornadoes, or ice storms, our crews step forward to help, just like the ones we spotlighted on the cover of last month’s newsletter.

As members of this cooperative, we benefit from our lineworkers’ skill and commitment every day. Whether you see them along the roadside or cheering on their kids at the local ballfields, they remain the backbone of our mission to provide safe, reliable, and affordable power. On April 13—and every day—we are proud of them, grateful for them, and honored to celebrate their service to our communities.

Steve Rhodes,
Chief Executive Officer