Lineworkers serve on the front lines of our nation’s energy needs and on April 18 Orange County REMC, along with other electric cooperatives across the country, will observe Lineworker Appreciation Day as a way to honor the brave men and women who work hard to keep the lights on.

Line crews work around the clock, sometimes in difficult and dangerous conditions, to keep power flowing to our local communities. Whether they’re restoring power after a major storm or maintaining critical infrastructure to our electric system, lineworkers are at the heart of our co-op.

When a storm hits, they set aside their personal priorities because Mother Nature doesn’t work around holidays, vacations and birthdays. A service-oriented mentality is one of the many admirable characteristics of an electric lineworker.

This month is also an opportunity for us to honor the other employees who are on the front lines in a different way. April 24 is Administrative Professionals Day. We have a number of employees who fill that role — answering the phones, handling billing questions and acting as a go-between for our members and our field crews. We want to take a moment to voice our appreciation to them as well.

We are proud of the dedicated and talented workforce we employ at Orange County REMC and Orange County Fiber.