Members will flood our office for Member Appreciation Day on Oct. 17 when we celebrate National Cooperative Month and YOU!  But what are we really celebrating? What makes Bartholomew County REMC different, and why should that matter?

Eighty-two years ago our area didn’t have electricity. Young folks were leaving enmasse to find a brighter future in urban areas, and rural America was left in the dark. But instead of waiting for someone else to fix our problem, we turned to each other. We built our own utility, and we powered our future. 

By our very nature, not-for-profit, local, member-owned and -governed cooperatives like BCEMC empower members to improve their lives. And while bringing electricity to rural Indiana was a big first step, you, as our members, certainly didn’t stop there. Just think about what we’ve accomplished in Bartholomew County last year! 

Recent economic development initiatives continue to grow your REMC.  The local Economic Development Board works hard to bring new business and growth to our territory.  

You funded college scholarships and provided youth opportunites. These bright young leaders will keep our community’s future strong. You also rounded up your electric bill, to the nearest dollar and provided $29,500 to aid 11 local organizations.

Supporting a strong community on your behalf, our employees raised $16,000 for the United Way, helping it reach a record-setting campaign goal.

By working with your cooperative you can make a big impact on the communities we serve. Ready to get involved? Attend our member appreciation day on Oct. 17 to let us know what issues are important to you. Help us stand up for our community’s right to affordable, safe, and reliable electricity. And you can always send me an email at questions@bcremc.com with ideas on how to be engaged with us and suggested ways we can work together to support our community.

As we celebrate National Cooperative Month, we thank you for your efforts to strengthen our community.  We want you to continue to stay involved as we build a better future together. The cooperative business model is a handy tool that lets us improve our quality of life. Find out more about YOUR cooperative at www.bcremc.com.