Better together
Co-ops are committed to Kentucky’s farm communities
WHEN EDDIE MELTON CALLED me a few years ago and asked me to meet him for lunch, I knew something was up. Now serving as president of the Kentucky Farm Bureau, Eddie has always been someone I admire for his commitment to Kentucky agriculture—and his commitment to getting other people involved for the greater good.
It turned out Eddie did have an ulterior motive when he asked me to meet. He wanted me to serve on the board of an organization called KCARD—the Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development. At first, I said I was too busy. But Eddie persisted, telling me how important it was for Kentucky’s electric cooperatives to be engaged in the work KCARD was doing. I’m so glad he didn’t give up. I did end up serving on the board, and I’m so grateful for that experience.
KCARD has been important to Kentucky’s electric cooperatives for a long time, and we’ve had a representative on the board going back about 30 years. Our current representative is Linda Grimes, a director at Nolin RECC. We are great partners because we share a common commitment to Kentucky’s farming communities.
It goes back to the very roots of our first mission as cooperatives—bringing power to rural areas. We wanted to make life better, bringing modern conveniences and tools to help everybody on the farm do their jobs better, from lighting to refrigeration to cooking and even farm operations. Everything we did was intended to help the agricultural community, and in a nutshell, that’s what an electric cooperative is. We make life better in the places we serve.
The future of rural Kentucky is bright, and Kentucky’s young farmers are doing amazing things. Partners like KCARD have our loyal support, and we are cheering for their success because we serve the same people. Their mission is our mission—helping Kentucky communities thrive.
