toration Thursday, so co-op staff ….

toration Thursday, so co-op staff who live there had no power or water, which are essential to making repairs and cleaning up.

“We’ve got an employee who brought his family here to shower,” said Heston.

“Some of our staff are facing a very long haul getting their lives back to normal,” said Mark Sellers, PRECO’s communications coordinator. “They’ve not only lost their homes, cars and personal trucks, they’ve lost everything.”

Louise Blackman, Peace River Electric Cooperative’s vice president of member services and business technology, camped out in her office as Hurricane Ian swept through the co-op’s service territory.

The statewide association activated its FECA Disaster Relief Fund on Wednesday. The initiative is similar to other funds set up after hurricanes or major disasters in Florida and other states in the past. Employees at several of the statewide association’s member co-ops face challenges like those confronting PRECO workers and their families.

Staff and directors from co-ops across the country have often donated to those relief efforts based in part on their own memories of the hardships and challenges that follow natural disasters.

“Co-op people are part of the communities they serve,” said Sellers. “They live where they work, and when storms like Ian occur, they share the same challenges faced by their neighbors. They also know that life gets a little better for everyone once power is restored and the lights are back on.”

PRECO received help from hundreds of mutual aid workers during the week. It took the co-op nearly a week to fully restore power to all members who could safely receive it at their homes and businesses. Many of those mutual aid crews have moved on to other areas where restoration of co-op power is still under way.

NRECA, its sister industry associations and their staffs have consistently supported co-op-sponsored relief efforts following major disasters. Arlington, Virginiabased NRECA is donating $10,000 to the FECA-administered fund from proceeds that association employees have made to their Cooperative Development Fund.

Donations raised will be made available to staffers from several Florida co-ops who experienced losses related to Hurricane Ian.

Donations to assist co-op employees with hurricane recovery can be sent to FECA Disaster Relief Fund, FECA, 2916 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32301, addressed to the attention of Jeff Banka, director of accounting.