Members were welcomed to the Access Energy Cooperative annual meeting of members last night, August 1, 2023, and the weather was perfect at McMillan Park in Mount Pleasant for the celebration. The theme for this year’s Access Energy Cooperative annual meeting was “Navigating Change.”
A parachuter with the help of the US Army dropped in with the American Flag as “God Bless America” played over the speakers to kick off the annual business meeting.
Speakers of the evening included President of Access Energy Cooperative Marvin Newton, CEO of the cooperative’s power supplier Northeast Power Doug Aeilts, General Manager of Access Energy Cooperative Kevin Wheeler, and 2023 Youth Tour Award recipient Alexis Wagner of Mount Pleasant who shared about her experience traveling to Washington D.C. for one week with student leaders from around Iowa and the country.
Highlights of the event included an outstanding performance by Jake McVey and a great meal served by Mount Pleasant Hy-Vee. Homemade Ice Cream from Hinterland Dairy of Donnellson was served for dessert. Members enjoyed drive-a-tractor by the Proennecke brothers and Dick McGohan, inflatable activities for the kids from Fields of Fun, pony rides by Windy Acres, various other lawn games, refreshing sno cones, a live line demonstration on being safe around electricity by Access Energy Cooperative employees, and information from Henry County Public Health and the Henry County Sheriff. Access Energy Cooperative appreciates their participation and everyone else who helped make the event a success for the members.
The Grand Prize of a $500 bill credit was drawn along with many other prizes. Dividend checks for 2023 were available for members to pick up at the meeting. For those who were unable to make it to the meeting, checks will be mailed out in the next few weeks.
Access Energy Cooperative is an electric distribution cooperative, owned by the members who use the services, located in and serving over 9,000 meters in ten counties in southeast Iowa.