Honoring Heroes, Connecting With Kids

Recognizing fallen heroes
GRAY
The employees of Cumberland Valley Electric co-op lined Route 25 waving American flags in honor of fallen hero Herman “Lee” Dobbs as his funeral procession traveled by the cooperative’s home office. Dobbs, a flight paramedic, worked for Air Evac Lifeteam. He and crew team members pilot Eddie Sizemore and flight nurse Jesse Jones were on their way back to base this summer after transporting a patient when their helicopter crashed in fog near Manchester, killing all three.

“This tragedy not only touched our service area, but the whole Commonwealth,” says Ted Hampton, CEO and president of Cumberland Valley Electric. “Our show of respect was the very least we could do to recognize these three heroes and to let their families know how much we appreciate them.”

Brighter bulbs
WEST LIBERTY
Students in the Gifted and Talented Program at East Valley Elementary School in Morgan County exchanged about 150 old incandescent bulbs for new CFL bulbs as part of a light bulb exchange program sponsored by Licking Valley Rural Electric Cooperative.

“I enjoy working with kids throughout our service area,” says Kerry K. Howard, Licking Valley Co-op general manager and CEO. “We like to educate them on energy savings and electrical safety. We feel that oftentimes the children can take the message to their parents better than we can.”

Co-op games
ELIZABETHTOWN
For the 18th year, Nolin Rural Electric Cooperative participated in the annual Children’s Fair at Freeman Lake Park. The morning of free games and prizes drew nearly 500 children.

“We like to do things that affect the entire community,” says Patsy Whitehead, Nolin Rural Electric Co-op’s Communications manager. “This is our way of giving back to the community and spending time with children and their parents in a day of fellowship and goodwill. Plus, it’s a lot of fun for everyone.”