February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s packed with special observances. Besides Presidents Day, Black History Month and Valentine’s Day, there are a host of unofficial “national” days you’ve probably never heard of like National Tater Tot Day (which is celebrated on Feb. 2 each year). All these observances have something in common: they were created to draw attention to a particular issue or theme. 

Valentine’s Day may seem like an observance created by a greeting card company to boost sales. Over time, this widely celebrated day has generated millions of dollars in flower, candy, and, of course, greeting card, sales. But Valentine’s Day isn’t just for the lovebirds. It’s also the perfect time to let our friends, family, co-workers and other special people in our lives know we care about them –– with or without a store-bought greeting card. 

So, in that vein, we’ve created our list of top five reasons why we love serving you, the members of Orange County REMC.

1. We love serving our members because without you, the co-op wouldn’t exist. Our purpose is to provide you with reliable, responsible and safe electricity. Simply put, Orange County REMC exists to serve you. That’s why we were formed in 1937—to bring power to our local area when for-profit utilities would not.
2. You enable us to complete our mission by supporting our efforts to give back. A major part of our mission is to serve our community and look after the greater good. With your assistance, we’re able to help members of our community through Operation Round Up as well as scholarships and educational opportunities for students.
3. Members of our co-op also serve on the board of directors. They provide guidance for setting co-op priorities and helping make big decisions. Because our board members live in the area, they’re able to serve as the pulse of the larger community and identify immediate and long-term needs. The broader co-op membership provides helpful input through their votes in director elections and by weighing in on co-op and community issues.
4. You help us get it right.Orange County REMC  members keep us in the know. We do our best to avoid power outages, but Mother Nature can occasionally throw us a curveball; our members are quick to report any power disruptions and are patient as our crews work to safely restore power. We know outages are frustrating, and your support as we work through storms means so much to our employees. 
5. You and other Orange County REMC members make up the community we serve — and for us, it’s all about community. Our employees live and work here too and care about our community the same way you do. We’re invested and work to help it thrive. That’s why Orange County REMC donates to local charities, schools, 4-H programs, community groups and scholarship funds. It’s also why we invest in economic development, and why you’ll see our employees volunteering at local schools and other charitable and community endeavors.

As a co-op, our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our community and look after its long-term interests. We love serving our members and our local community, and just like you, want to see it continue to thrive.