I could not be more pleased with how our Meet the Candidate event went on May 22. We had an outstanding turnout from our cooperative members, who were eager to hear directly from the candidates running for Henry County REMC board seats.

The event kicked off with registration as members made their way around the warehouse to learn about our signature cooperative approach. Staff and volunteers greeted members from booths to educate them on electric vehicles, capital credits, energy efficiency, youth opportunities within Henry County REMC and Indiana Electric Cooperatives, and voting in this year’s election. Board members and candidates currently running for the board stood among the crowd for question-and-answer sessions before grabbing a meal and an annual gift. Hoosier Energy displayed their Ford Lightning and sponsored a kid’s activity booth where children painted a potted plant. I was delighted to see such an engaged crowd ranging from young children to retirees.

The candidates themselves deserve a lot of credit for making this event so successful. Each of them displayed a dedication to public service and a sincere desire to represent the best interests of Henry County REMC members. The audience’s questions were thoughtful, and the candidates’ responses were substantive.

As an organization, Henry County REMC has a mission of empowering our community through efforts such as the Meet the Candidate forum. Providing voters with unfiltered face time opportunities with those seeking to lead us is a cornerstone of democracy. Based on our overwhelmingly positive feedback, I believe we accomplished that goal.

I’m thankful to all the volunteers, staff, and, of course, the candidates who invested their time and energy into making this event so productive for our community. Henry County REMC looks forward to continuing to facilitate events that engage and inform the members we serve.

I am proud to introduce your 2024 Board of Directors selections:

• District 1: Robert Craig

• District 4: Savanah Gibson

• District 7: Joyce Jester

• District 9: Curtis Poore