What does Lynches River Electric have in common with companies like Ocean Spray, Land O’Lakes, REI, Ace Hardware and credit unions? All are cooperatives, of course.
Farmer-owned cooperatives such as Ocean Spray and Land O’ Lakes help producers bring their products to market. Retail cooperatives such as REI and ACE Hardware are owned by their shoppers or a collection of store owners. Credit unions help members save and borrow money.
And then there are electric cooperatives like Lynches River Electric, which were created to make sure the people who live in the local community have access to reliable, affordable electricity.
No matter the services they offer, all cooperatives have one thing in common: They’re led by the people they serve.
A powerful idea
Cooperatives have always been built on the powerful idea that when people work together, they can improve life for their neighbors and strengthen the communities they call home.
Lynches River Electric was created in 1939 by neighbors who came together to bring electricity to an area that other utilities weren’t willing to serve. While a lot has changed in nine decades, the co-op has remained faithful to its original purpose. Lynches River Electric is still here to provide power and make decisions with our community’s best interests in mind.
Unlike many for-profit businesses that are beholden to outside investors or shareholders, cooperatives are built for their members. Their goal isn’t to maximize profit. It’s to provide value, meet unique local needs and strengthen the communities they call home.
That’s exactly what makes Lynches River Electric different.
Local makes a difference
Being locally owned gives us the ability to focus on what matters most to the communities we serve.
That local focus means Lynches River Electric can provide programs such as home energy audits that help members within the community save energy and money, support economic development in the area or create new opportunities for local students. LREC launched RiverNet Connect in response to a critical need in our rural communities for reliable, highspeed internet access. By investing in a fiber network that reaches our members, and making it affordable, LREC provides the connectivity its communities need to live, work, learn and grow.
Sometimes, the co-op difference is found in the “little things.” The Lynches River Electric employee answering your call when you have a question may be your neighbor. The lineworker heading out in the middle of a storm to restore power might be a member of your church. You might have a conversation with one of our elected board trustees in the grocery store. The person you volunteer with at a local community event could be one of our employees.
Those connections are at the heart of the cooperative model.
October is National Co-op Month, and there’s no better time to highlight what makes the cooperative model better for you. We’re celebrating an idea that has endured for generations. As a member of Lynches River Electric, you’re more than a customer. You’re part of something that belongs to the community.