Building our cooperative story

A BETTER WORLD

Money. Food. Housing. Electricity. Broadband. A locally grown business model is steadily helping people connect with each of these basic needs — cooperatives.

The United Nations declared 2025 the International Year of Cooperatives. The yearlong theme, “Cooperatives Build a Better World,” highlights the impact co-ops have on local communities. Co-ops are everywhere, from rural towns to big cities.

More than 65,000 co-ops thrive across the United States. Some are owned by workers or farmers. Some, like Boone REMC, are owned by people who use the services. Others are owned by businesses that pool resources. And the co-op impact isn’t limited to America; 3 million co-ops support communities globally.

All cooperative enterprises share a simple mission — making life better in the communities they serve. From local credit unions fighting payday loan schemes to brand giants like Land O’ Lakes helping farmers reach markets, co-ops are proof that when people work together, everyone wins.

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE

Not only is 2025 the International Year of the Cooperative, but it’s Boone REMC’s 90th anniversary.

Boone REMC has a very proud history as the first electric cooperative established in the state of Indiana. Our cooperative received one of the first loans through the Rural Electrification Act. Clark Woody’s Thorntown farm was the first in the United States to receive electricity under the REA Act!

Throughout this year, our property in Lebanon will be bustling with activity as we continue to work on a larger, more robust headquarters facility. The revitalized campus will allow us to enhance our capabilities to serve our members.

To connect our building project with the United Nations theme, we’ve developed our own local theme for 2025 — “Building Our Cooperative Story: Past, Present, Future.”

We’ll be sharing construction updates throughout our facility expansion project. We invite you to learn more at bremc.com/new-facility.