In mid-January, while Missouri was settling into winter, CREC linemen Rodney Braddy and Jacob Tiefenthaler were boarding a plane for a mission unlike any other. They traded the Midwest cold for the sweltering heat of Jamaica. Not for a vacation, but to answer a call for help after Hurricane Melissa devastated seventy-five percent of the island's power grid this past October. The Jamaica Public Service Company contacted NRECA, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, requesting assistance. NRECA's international program usually focuses on first-time electrification in developing countries, but this was different. This was about getting the power back on. For nearly a month, Rodney and Jake worked alongside other Missouri linemen and local crews to rebuild what the storm had destroyed. Today we're talking with them about the sweat, the challenging Caribbean terrain and the incredible people they met along the way.

Thank you for tuning in to Plugged In from Cuivre River Electric Cooperative. This episode was hosted by Mary Wilson and Rod Smerkar. Have a topic you'd like us to cover? Share your ideas at communications@cuivre.com. And don't forget to subscribe and leave a rating on your favorite podcast app so you never miss an episode.

In today’s episode we talk to Communications Media Specialist Tim Schmidt about CREC’s annual Youth Tour Competition. For more than 60 years, CREC has sponsored and sent over 200 students to the nation’s capital as part of this statewide initiative. Students learn about leadership, governance, and co-ops and get an all expenses paid, once-in-a-lifetime trip. We’ll also hear from former Youth Tour delegate Bailey Schneider about her experience in the program.

Learn more and apply at cuivre.com/youthtour

Welcome to Plugged In. Our first episode features President and CEO Doug Tracy's address from our recent Annual Meeting. In his remarks, Doug discusses pricing challenges facing the energy industry, upgrades being made to strengthen our electric system, and the outstanding employees who make it all possible.

You can watch a full recording of this year's Annual Meeting at cuivre.com/annualmeeting.