As the backbone of your electric cooperative, Great Lakes Energy employees are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of our members and the communities we serve. They do this not only by providing reliable, affordable electric, fiber internet, and telephone service but also by fostering the cooperative’s many community outreach efforts.
However, for many of our employees, the same drive that motivates them to pursue the cooperative principle of “concern for community” on the job, also spills over into their personal lives.
From coaching youth sports teams to serving on nonprofit boards, our employees generously give their time and talents to make a positive impact. Whether volunteering at local schools, food banks, community service organizations, or in countless other ways, their dedication to making a difference is inspiring.
While this spirit of volunteerism is nothing new among our staff, in August of 2023, GLE launched the “Energy of Giving” program to recognize and celebrate these contributions. This initiative encourages employees to log their volunteer hours and share local volunteering opportunities with their colleagues so they, too, can get involved.
The Energy of Giving program has also been used as a catalyst for employee fundraising efforts, collection drives, and other projects, such as participation in the Emmet County Road Commission’s Adopt-A-Road roadside clean-up program.
The results of the program’s first year were impressive: GLE employees logged nearly 3,000 volunteer hours. That’s the equivalent of about a year and a half of 40-hour work weeks.
At the end of the first year, GLE staff members also had the opportunity to select a fellow employee as “Volunteer of the Year” from among the program’s participants.
We are pleased to share that our employees selected Bridget Moul, who works in our payroll department at our Boyne City headquarters, for this honor.
Bridget volunteers with Safe Families for Children, Genesis Church, Manna Food Project, and “Clear their List” – Boyne City Teachers.
As part of this honor, Bridget will be the custodian of a traveling trophy that will be passed along to each year’s Volunteer of the Year winner. She also had the opportunity to choose a charity for a donation to be made in her name.
We’re proud of our employees’ contributions to the community, both through their work at GLE and their dedication to volunteerism. Their commitment to making a positive impact is a testament to the cooperative spirit that drives our organization.
