October is National Co-op Month, and Hancock-Wood Electric is joining cooperatives across the U.S. to celebrate. Co-ops come in all shapes and sizes, but they all have a common goal: to provide goods or services for the members of the co-op. Electric co-ops, including Hancock-Wood, exist to serve their members.
Our priority is to provide affordable, reliable energy to our local communities. Because we are led by you, the members we serve, we can evolve to meet your needs. Our members can run for the board each year to help guide the cooperative and have a voice in your electric utility. Hancock-Wood Electric is local and we’re independent. But together, we’re mighty: Across the country, local cooperatives work together and learn from one another to develop new technologies and infrastructure. In the process, we bring electricity to one in eight Americans and more than 19 million homes, businesses, farms, and schools in 47 states.
Co-ops themselves provide 71,000 great jobs, invest billions in local economies every year, and are a driving force in helping attract and grow business and industry in rural America. The cooperative spirit has always been one of the best things about living in our community: neighbors looking out for neighbors and people working for the common good. Even as we celebrate our differences and our individual achievements, we know that we can’t do everything alone; we’re all in this together. And we are stronger and better for it. The power of community is what being an electric cooperative is all about. Hancock-Wood started small, but quickly expanded, because of demand, into other northwest Ohio counties over the decades.
Today, besides providing safe, reliable electric service, Hancock-Wood provides extraordinary member benefits, including patronage capital, rebate programs for energy-efficient appliances, member-only events, our annual business meeting, improved outage response via our SCADA systems, and more. Your co-op participates in local community events through sponsorships and donations, and our Operation Round Up Program has funded numerous schools, Boy Scouts, churches, fire departments, and more in our local communities. We offer a community solar program, OurSolar, which allows members to choose a green energy option without having to invest in rooftop solar systems.
Hancock-Wood is governed by a board of trustees, overseeing nine districts in portions of Allen, Erie, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Wood, and Wyandot counties. Our board elections take place in May each year. Your board of trustees typically meets once per month to establish basic business policies and rates. The board employs a president and CEO responsible for day-to-day business operations and overseeing each department at the co-op. If you have questions about Hancock-Wood or the benefits of being a member, please call us at 800-445-4840.