Nominate someone who makes a difference
Tracie Byers was the 2025 Who Powers You contest winner. Inspired by the story of a newly sober young man who tried to help feed a few of his still-homeless friends, Byers, a Jackson Energy member, received $2,000 for her ongoing efforts to feed and help the homeless in the local area.Photo: Tim Webb Annual Who Powers You contest is back
The Who Powers You contest is back for 2026 to spotlight people who make life better. Now in its sixth year, the contest recognizes members of Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, including Farmers RECC, working to improve their communities.
Nominations are open Oct. 1–31, and winners will receive prizes—$2,000 for first place, $1,500 for second and $500 for third place. Learn more at whopowersyouky.com.
The 2025 contest winner, Tracie Byers, is a veteran who started an outreach program for people in the London area. Her story began when she was inspired by a man who was homeless and providing meals for others. From there, she began visiting homeless encampments to reach those in need. She now provides thousands of meals for people and helps them find shelter through her organization.
What started as taking roughly 80 meals a month to the homeless encamp-ments in the London area has become Isaiah 58:10 Ministries and Outreach. Now serving people in five counties all the way to Tennessee, Byers and a team of volunteers served more than 4,000 sack lunches and more than 100 meals at the soup kitchen (not counting the peo-ple she helps shelter) in November 2025.
“We offer food boxes if someone is hungry. We take out cold weather supplies to help them survive the winter months,” Byers says.
One of last year’s other winners, Nate Jarboe, began volunteering at age 9 for United Way projects that helped feed the hungry. He began with a local backpack program that covered school breaks.
“He connected with local nonprofits and businesses to found the Give a Day for Hunger initiative, which supplied an over $80,000 value in donations and volunteer time, becoming a sustainable program across the state,” says Lori Jarboe, who nominated the second place winner.
Each nomination over the years has been remarkable. People across the state are being recognized for their hard work and dedication to community.
“Our core purpose is to make life better. Providing safe and reliable power is essential, but we also work to provide value above that,” says Caralyne Pennington, director of member and public communications at Farmers RECC. “This is one way we can help highlight people doing great things and shine a light on the positive things happening across Kentucky.”
Any person can make a nomination before Oct. 31. Nominees must be mem-bers of a Kentucky Touchstone Energy Cooperative. Nominations are sent to out-of-state judges and winners will be announced in November.
Nominate a member and view complete contest details at whopowersyouky.com.
