February may be the shortest month, but it’s packed with special observances like Presidents Day, Black History Month, and Valentine’s Day, in addition to a host of unofficial “national” days you’ve probably never heard of, like “National Tater Tot Day.” But they all have something in common. They were created to draw attention to a particular issue or theme.

Valentine’s Day may seem like an observance originally created by a greeting card company, but over time, it’s become a widely celebrated day generating millions of dollars spent on flowers, candy, and of course, greeting cards professing our love. It’s the perfect time to let our friends, family, co-workers, and other special people in our lives know we care about them – with or without a store-bought greeting card. 

So, in that vein, we’ve created our list of top five reasons why we love serving you, the members of Pee Dee Electric.

1We love serving our members because the co-op wouldn’t exist without you. Our purpose is to provide you with reliable, responsible, and safe electricity. Simply put, Pee Dee Electric exists to serve you. That’s why we were formed in 1939 to bring power to our local area when for-profit utilities would not.

2You enable us to complete our mission by supporting our efforts to give back. A major part of our mission is to serve our community and look after the greater good. With your assistance, we’re able to help the most vulnerable members of our community through food and toy drives and programs like Care to Share.

3Members of our co-op also serve on the board of directors. They provide guidance for setting co-op priorities and helping make big decisions. Because our board members live in the area, they’re able to serve as the pulse of the larger community and identify immediate and long-term needs. The broader co-op membership provides helpful input through their vote on director elections and by weighing in on co-op and community issues.

4You help us get it right. Pee Dee Electric’s members are great about keeping us in the know. We do our best to avoid power outages, but Mother Nature can occasionally throw us a curveball; our members are quick to report any power disruptions and are patient as our crews work to restore power safely. We know outages are frustrating, and your support as we work through storms means so much to our employees. We also appreciate your feedback on co-op programs and services like our PrePay Services, free energy audits, energy efficiency loans, community solar, and rebate programs. Your opinions are critical for the co-op’s success, and we thank you for that.

5You and other Pee Dee Electric members make up the community we serve – and for us, it’s all about community. Our employees live and work here too and care about our community the same way you do. We’re invested and work to help it thrive. That’s why Pee Dee Electric donates to local charities, schools, fire departments, and scholarship funds. It’s also why we invest in economic development and why you’ll see our employees volunteering at local schools and other charitable and community endeavors. 

As a co-op, our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our community and look after its long-term interests. We love serving our members and our local community, and just like you, we want to see it continue to thrive.