Pictured is the Honor Flight Committee for PPEC: left to right- Erika Willitzer, Steve Kahle, Annette Schreiner, CEO George Carter, and Tara Schlatter.
Paulding Putnam Electric Co-op (PPEC) was awarded with the National Co-op Purpose Award yesterday for their fundraising efforts with Honor Flight in 2017. The co-op was recognized at the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s (NRECA) 2018 Annual Meeting held in Nashville, TN. The national award recognizes cooperatives for meaningful contributions to the community and exemplifying the purpose of cooperatives.
“By engaging their local community and giving back to our nation’s veterans, these co-ops clearly demonstrated their concern for community, a core principle of the cooperative business model,” said NRECA President Phil Carson. “I applaud Paulding Putnam for the determination to honor our nation’s veterans and inspire their communities to give back.”
Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative raised more than $170,000, allowing 475 local heroes to make the trip to Washington D.C. through the Northeast Indiana Honor Flight Chapter. “I challenge everyone to do something for our veterans. It truly can change their lives and at the same time, change yours,” stated President and CEO of PPEC George Carter.
PPEC engaged their whole community for the fundraising effort, and PPEC members raised $10,000 through electric bill contributions. PPEC staff also held a raffle for a new truck and local organizations, schools, and churches conducted their own events.
More than 6,000 representatives from electric co-ops across the nation attended NRECA’s Annual Meeting held Feb. 25-28 in Nashville. Another Ohio electric co-op, Holmes Wayne Electric, was also recognized for sending 24 veterans on an Honor Flight.
