Cooperatives are guided by a set of seven principles that help shape their actions and policies. In this solo episode of the podcast, host Nathan Grimm details those seven cooperative principles and how they relate to Southwestern Electric and its members.

For the third consecutive year, Southwestern Electric Cooperative sent a few select high school-aged members to Springfield, Illinois for the Illinois Electric and Telephone Cooperatives Youth Day. Southwestern Executive Assistant Brooke Scott served as the chaperone for the trip this year, and she joined the podcast to discuss the experience.

On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Gulf Coast and quickly made its way across the Southeastern United States. In total, seven states felt the effects of Helene and another 17 states provided mutual assistance to those affected.

Among those affected was Satilla Rural Electric Membership Corporation, an Alma, Georgia-based electric cooperative that's one of the biggest east of the Mississippi River. Satilla manages more than 7,000 miles of power lines in serving more than 59,000 members across nine Georgia counties. And in Helene's wake, nearly all of those 59,000 members were without power.

When Satilla needed help getting back on its feet, Southwestern Electric was among those ready to answer the call. In the weeks that followed, two separate Southwestern crews comprised of 12 different SWECI employees made the trek to southern Georgia to aid in the recovery efforts.

Dustin Kemp, a journeyman lineman with Southwestern Electric, was one of those men who traveled to Alma to help get the lights back on, and he graciously joined the podcast this month to discuss the experience.