CEO Karen Moore

Angie Lucas isn’t a lineman. She doesn’t know the ins and outs of a substation or how to frame a power pole.

But when Hurricane Michael came through her hometown in Alabama’s Wiregrass community, she played a vital role in getting power back to her area. She washed clothes. It might not sound very heroic. But when Baldwin EMC sent several crews of employees to Dothan, Ala. to help Wiregrass Electric Cooperative restore power following the storm, they couldn’t take the comforts of home with them. But thanks to Angie and her fellow church members, along with many other community volunteers, these men who were putting in long hours to bring light back to a storm-ravaged area could do so in clean clothes.

One of our employees shared a note from Angie that he found with his freshly washed and folded laundry. The handwritten and heartfelt words said:

“Jon, I just wanted to let you know what a blessing it was to wash your clothes. I prayed for you as I folded them. I prayed for your safety as you work to restore power to our community. I prayed for your family, as they continue their daily activities without you. Thinking about your family made me wonder where Baldwin EMC was located, so I looked it up. What a small world, or a “God wink” as I like to call it! My grandmother lives in Summerdale…she will be tickled that someone from her area was here to help her granddaughter! Thank you for what you do!”

Obviously, Jon was touched by this act of kindness and the words that accompanied it. He wasn’t the only one. Shortly after we shared the note to our social media page, it began to gain more attention than anything we had ever posted before. Within five days of its appearance on our Facebook page, it had been shared more than 2,400 times and garnered 200 comments.

To me, this is evidence of a belief I’ve held since we experienced Hurricane Ivan 14 years ago. After a hurricane makes landfall, the crews who put themselves on the front lines to restore power get a lot of attention. And while they deserve every ounce of the recognition they receive, restoration can only truly happen when an entire community comes together.

While we were spared any major blows this hurricane season, this time of year, I still get lots of opportunities to see our community rising up to make a difference. Through programs like the Magical Christmas Toy Drive, our Power of Giving Drive, Operation Round Up and the Christmas Blessing Fund, Baldwin EMC is happy to facilitate neighbors helping neighbors.

Whether you brought in a toy for a child in need, donated blood, coats or non-perishable food, or let us round up your power bill to the next dollar amount, you contributed to a community that takes care of its own.

And if you happened to be one of the fine folks who washed the clothes of Baldwin EMC’s crews in the Wiregrass community, on behalf of them, thank you.