A message from Gibson Electric and Gibson Connect President and CEO Dan Rodamaker

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays — delicious food, spending time with family and watching football.

Even in the rush of travel or hosting your family’s celebration, November gives us two powerful reminders: to pause and reflect.

On Veterans Day, we honor the brave men and women who have served our country. We are especially proud to recognize our employee veterans and our member veterans.

At Thanksgiving, we count our blessings — including the freedoms their service has helped protect.
I’m reminded of the Irving Berlin song from “White Christmas,” which perfectly fits Thanksgiving: “Count Your Blessings (Instead of Sheep).” If indigestion or the stress of the season keeps us up at night, we can, as the song says, fall asleep counting our blessings.

Our blessings here at Gibson Electric Membership Corporation are indeed abundant. Every time I plug in the coffee pot, take a picture on my phone, stream a show on TV or simply turn on the lights, I’m grateful for the forward-thinking leaders who founded our co-op in 1936.

Even today, in a much more urbanized society, co-ops fulfill a mission that would look daunting to other kinds of utilities. Did you know that investor-owned utilities have an average of 35 customers per mile of line, whereas electric co-ops serve an average of just seven members per mile? Co-ops cheerfully do more with less — and I’m so grateful for what we accomplish every day.

We couldn’t do it without our great team. From engineering, linework and fiber services to accounting, member services, technical support, communications and more, all of us at Gibson Electric are aligned with the mission of providing safe, affordable and reliable electricity and internet services. We know how important this work is, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by people who take it as seriously as I do.

Most importantly, I’m grateful for our member-owners. Thank you for trusting us to provide electricity and internet to your homes and businesses. Thanks for engaging with us, supporting our community initiatives and taking ownership of your cooperative. It’s our honor to work with you to enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve.

As you prepare for the holidays, I hope you’ll take a moment to count your blessings. Whether you count them in whispered prayers as you drift off to sleep, write them in your journal or make a mental list, do like the old hymn says and name them one by one.

Happy Veterans Day and happy Thanksgiving from all your friends at Gibson Electric!