Wright-Hennepin celebrates the Cooperative Difference
National Co-op Month has been celebrated annually for over 50 years. The USDA estimates there are 350 million cooperative members across the country, and Wright-Hennepin (WH) is proud to serve 46,000 of them!
Posted by Lauren Dublin on October 20, 2022
National Co-op Month has been celebrated annually for over 50 years. The USDA estimates there are 350 million cooperative members across the country, and Wright-Hennepin (WH) is proud to serve 46,000 of them!
WH was founded when several farmers got together to bring electricity to their farms, after being passed over by larger power companies.
Electric cooperatives across the country are represented by a mascot named Willie Wiredhand. Farmers named him because they considered electricity to be a "wired hand," that let them get more chores done since they could continue working later in the day, much the same way a "hired hand" would allow them to get more chores done.
In 2021, WH celebrated 85 years of the cooperative advantage! But what are the advantages of a cooperative? Cooperatives are governed by seven Cooperative Principles, which WH is proud to follow as some of our guiding values.
“These principles are a key reason that America’s electric cooperatives operate differently from other electric utilities, putting the needs of their members first,” writes the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA).
Two of WH’s biggest guiding principles are Democratic Member Control and Commitment to Community.
Democratic Member Control means that members all have an equal voice in leading the cooperative. WH is led by a Board of Directors, which is made up of members, who are elected by members. WH territory is divided into nine districts, each with one Director. These representatives ensure that WH makes decisions with members’ best interests in mind. Three districts are up for election each year. The Board is also responsible for issuing capital credit refunds, which WH has returned to members for 41 consecutive years!
WH also hosts an Annual Meeting, to provide members with financial updates, Board chair updates, and the results of the year’s Director election. Members are encouraged to attend for those updates, as well as a free pork chop dinner and giveaways!
Concern for Community is another Cooperative Principle. WH values the communities we are a part of, and participates in parades, open houses, and other events throughout the year. WH hosts several events throughout the year at our Rockford headquarters, including during Co-op Month. These events usually include a Member Lunch and a Fall Festival for kids.
WH members also participate in Operation Round Up, allowing their monthly electric bill to be rounded to the next dollar, with the change donated to a program that funds local charities. Members have given more than $4.7 million since the program began in 1994.
WH is involved in the community in many other ways, including scholarships, night lights, and USBs to schools in our service area, and sponsors one high school junior’s trip to the NRECA Youth Tour each year.
Thank you for being a member!
