All linemen are dedicated. Being a lineman is not a Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 job. There are no routine days. Being out in the field presents opportunities for extra acts of kindness, and linemen oblige with helping hands. Like helping a member catch a horse on the loose. Or discovering and putting out a small fire in a garage. Or the time a lineman rescued an injured hunter from a tree stand. They will say it’s all in a day’s work.

So you see, a lineworker is more than a person who keeps your lights on. He or she is your neighbor, a volunteer at the local fire department. He coaches youth sports and buys the equipment that is needed when the league has budget shortfalls. She is there at a local fundraiser for an individual in need. They juggle their time and make the best of every moment because at any moment, the phone will ring, the pager will alert or they will just get that feeling that “lights are out” and members are in need. A lineman is more than who they are at work, and more than just the person who keeps the lights on. 

On Lineman Appreciation Day, remember our lineworkers, remember what you see them do. But also remember what you don’t see: The sacrifice, the selfless dedication, their concern for their fellow linemen, and most of all their hearts… they have big hearts.