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 originally created by a greeting card company to boost sales. But over time, it’s become a widely celebrated day generating 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 Marshall 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, Marshall County REMC exists to serve you. That’s why we were formed in 1936 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 charities and organizations in our community through Operation Round Up. You enable us to support our youth through Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., and Camp Kilowatt. We are also able to provide the 4-H Electric Program and electric safety demonstrations to local schools. 
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 vote on director elections and by weighing in on co-op and community issues. 
4. You help us get it right. Marshall 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 Marshall 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 Marshall County REMC donates to local charities, schools, 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.