ECI REC celebrates our membership
Autumn is a busy time, and October is a particularly eventual month full of school, community, and sports activities. It’s also when cooperatives across the United States celebrate National Co-op Month!
When we say ECI REC is celebrating Co-op Month, it really means we are celebrating you, our membership. After all, we could not exist without our members. While cooperatives operate in many places, industries, and sectors of the economy, there are seven principles that set us apart from other businesses and bring value to you and your communities:
- Open and Voluntary Membership
- Democratic Member Control
- Members’ Economic Participation
- Autonomy and Independence
- Education, Training, and Information
- Cooperation Among Cooperatives
- Concern for Community
Nationally, cooperatives help build a more participatory, sustainable, and resilient economy. ECI REC is proud to be part of America’s cooperative network, serving members with ideals and principles like our own. This network includes more than 831 distribution and 63 generation/transmission cooperatives. Together, we serve 42 million people, powering over 21 million businesses, homes, schools, and farms in 48 states. In fact, 56% of the nation’s landmass is powered by cooperatives!
As more consumers seek out alternatives to “big box” businesses, the cooperative model stands out as a unique option rooted in local communities. Because ECI REC is not-for-profit, our mission is solely to serve you, our members. We thank you for being a member of East-Central Iowa Rural Electric Cooperative!