No fooling, April is great

Kentucky blossoms with sunshine and natural beauty, amid a chance of showers

Whoever said “April is the cruelest month” must have never visited Kentucky.

This is the time of year that Kentucky comes alive. We shake off the long winter for good, and revel in the commonwealth’s natural beauty.

Kentucky’s electric cooperatives are proud to rally behind Kentucky Living’s Beautify the Bluegrass initiative a partnership with Gov. Matt Bevin to encourage Kentuckians to find a place in their communities that could use a little spring cleaning or improvement.

One of the seven cooperative principles is “Commitment to Community,” and this month’s Kentucky Living is one way your co-op is highlighting that commitment. We advocate for our local co-op communities and encourage you to dig deep into this annual travel issue to discover some great Kentucky destinations.

April the cruelest month? How about the biggest, happiest, most exciting month? Be sure to check out our special map of April through September festivals all across Kentucky (page 62), such as this month’s Redbud Ride in Laurel County and June’s W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival in Henderson.

Yet, I do need to acknowledge that April also brings higher chances for severe weather. All thunderstorms produce lightning, and all have the potential for danger. Those dangers can include tornadoes, strong winds, hail, wildfires and flash flooding, which is responsible for more fatalities than any other thunderstorm-related hazard.

Always assume that a downed powerline is energized and dangerous. Call 911 if you see one.

Perhaps it’s because April brings such challenges to co-op crews that the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association designates the second Monday of April as Lineworker Appreciation Day. On April 8, we honor these co-op professionals who build, maintain and repair our electric infrastructure. They are the first responders of the electric cooperative family, getting power back on and making things safe for all after storms and accidents. 

It was the poet T.S. Eliot who wrote that April is the cruelest month. He was born in St. Louis, but I don’t see any record of him visiting Kentucky, at least not in April.