In his 2021 book Unleashing Your Hero: Rise Above Any Challenge, Expand Your Impact, and Be the Hero the World Needs, motivational speaker Kevin Brown writes that he once believed heroes were ordinary people doing extraordinary things. After speaking with hundreds of people around the world, he revised that view. Heroes, he now says, are extraordinary people who choose not to be ordinary. Daily, they are the people who show up, use their talents, and make a positive impact at work, at home, and in their communities. When things go south, they’re the ones who step in to make them right.
As Lineworker Appreciation Day approaches in April, these are the heroes I think of first in the cooperative world. Lineworkers are the skilled, dedicated professionals who restore power when Mother Nature throws her worst at them. They work in the dark, in the cold, and in the aftermath of storms to keep our communities safe and connected.
Oakdale lineworkers
in the late 1930s.
What sets them apart is their instinct to serve. When storms hit, they’re the first out the door. When outages strike, they stay until the last home is restored. And for many, that commitment extends far beyond their own service territory. They respond to national disasters, helping rebuild devastated systems after hurricanes, tornadoes, and winter storms. Through NRECA International, they volunteer to electrify remote villages in Guatemala—places where a single light can transform daily life. Others join the “Light Up Navajo” project in Arizona, helping to bring power to indigenous families who have waited generations for it. They take on these challenges quietly, without fanfare, because service is simply part of who they are.
Lineworkers remind us that reliability is built by people—skilled, dedicated, and unafraid of hard work. This April, we honor not just what they do, but the spirit of service that defines them. Thank you for being heroes at your cooperative and in your communities. Thank you for choosing not to be ordinary!
April also marks the 90th anniversary of the Wisconsin Electric Cooperative Association. On April 30, 1936, fourteen electric cooperatives came together to form the nation’s first statewide rural electric cooperative association in the country organized by cooperatives. Their work followed President Franklin Roosevelt’s creation of the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935, which sparked the electrification of rural America and brought power to communities long left in the dark.
Over the decades, WECA’s name, mission, and priorities have evolved. In its early years, the association supported nearly every aspect of cooperative operations—administration, engineering, construction, materials supply, insurance, communications, and legislative advocacy. As challenges and opportunities changed, so did WECA. Today, our focus is education, advocacy, and communication, ensuring cooperatives have the tools, training, and representation they need to serve their members effectively.
With a staff of ten, we serve our members with the same dedication and purpose as those who built this organization 90 years ago. Vice President of Operations Tim Clay (30 years), Director of Education and Events Wendy Fassbind (25 years), and Wisconsin Energy Cooperative News Editor Dana Kelroy (20 years) exemplify that commitment. Their decades of service reflect not only professional excellence but a deep belief in the cooperative mission. Beth Alesch, Ben Bella, Julie Lund, Joe Mesec, Jennifer Taylor, and Tina Walden complete a team that understands that service to our members is the foundation of who we are. Their work honors the legacy of those who helped this organization thrive across nine decades.
As we celebrate WECA’s 90 years, we recognize the vision and determination of the cooperatives that came together in 1936—and the generations of employees, directors, and members who carried that mission forward. The cooperative model endures because it is rooted in service, community, and accountability. Those values continue to guide us today.
Congratulations to WECA on 90 years of service and success!