Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines patriotism as “the love for or devotion to one’s country.” It’s easy to feel a swell of pride for our country during holidays like the Fourth of July and Veterans Day when parades and celebrations mark the moment. But there’s another form of patriotism that runs even deeper—active engagement in public and civic life.

Involvement in our town promotes a richer community life and ensures that institutions thrive and communities remain vibrant, inviting places to live, work and play.

Besides being enjoyable, your participation in community events and activities makes a difference. Simple things like supporting a
bake sale or attending a local high school event signal to young people in the community that you care and support them—and that the community itself is worth sustaining.

There are civic engagement opportunities at Diverse Power, too. One of our most important cooperative principles is democratic participation. If you pay your bill, you are a member of the co-op with an opportunity to provide input through voting at your Annual Meeting.

Diverse Power was formed to serve a need that was not being met by traditional, for-profit electric companies. While providing reliable electricity is our top priority, we explore other needs that might not be met otherwise. We make decisions based on long-term thinking by asking questions like: Which decisions will benefit the larger community in which we operate?

One of the best ways you can engage with your co-op is to cast your vote when it’s time to elect board members. These are folks just like you, from our community, who direct cooperative leadership on a myriad of issues and decisions, both short term and long term. Democracy is not a spectator sport; it takes active civic engagement by citizens to thrive. I hope you will embrace any opportunity you have to cast your vote, whether it’s at elections for county, state or national leaders—or for decisions that impact your local electric cooperative.