Rural Missouri - May 2021 - 5

Missouri
RURAL

Volume 74 | MAY 2021 | Number 5
EDITORIAL STAFF:
Jim McCarty, editor
jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop
Paul Newton, managing editor
pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop
Heather Berry, associate editor
hberry@ruralmissouri.coop
Megan Backes, creative director
mbackes@ruralmissouri.coop
Zach Smith, field editor
zsmith@ruralmissouri.coop
Angie Jones-Wheeler, co-op page designer
ADVERTISING:
Mary Davis, production manager
mdavis@ruralmissouri.coop
Editorial:
Rural Missouri
2722 E. McCarty St., Jefferson City, MO 65101
573-659-3423 info@ruralmissouri.coop
Advertising:
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573-659-3400
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Rural Missouri is accepted on the premise that
the merchandise and services offered are accurately described and sold to customers at the advertised price. Rural Missouri and Missouri's electric cooperatives do not endorse any products or
services advertised herein. Advertising that does
not conform to these standards or that is deceptive or misleading is never knowingly accepted by
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shall be in the sole discretion of the editor.
Rural Missouri (ISSN 0164-8578) (USPS 473000) is published monthly by the Association
of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, 2722 E.
McCarty Street, Jefferson City, MO 65101, Caleb
Jones, CEO/executive vice president. Individual
subscription rate: $10 per year or $22 for three
years, taxes and postage included. Group rate for
members of participating RECs $2.22, plus taxes
and postage, paid from equity accruing to the
member. Delivery as specified by subscriber. If not
specified, delivery will be by periodical class mail
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offices. Copyright 2021, Association of Missouri
Electric Cooperatives. Call for reprint rights.

Circulation of this issue: 574,697

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RM | PERSPECTIVES

It's all for the kids
by Caleb Jones
cjones@amec.coop

t was one of those
sunny days this past
month when I decided
my kids should learn
how to ride a bike. After a
couple of scraped knees,
a few tears and one very
tired dad, I realized learning to ride a bike takes
more than 15 minutes. I
gave up and spent the next
couple of hours pulling
both of my kids around
My kids learned riding a bike is fun when dad pedals.
the neighborhood in a conyouth write an essay, then step up
traption I call the " bicycle
to the microphone for the downright
train. "
frightening task of giving a speech.
The next day while I was at work
The winners go on a trip of a lifetime
my wife sent me a picture of Max and
to the nation's capital where they walk
Charlie pedaling up and down the
in the steps of legends and see symstreet. When I got home that night, I
asked her how she managed to get our bols of our great country.
Missouri co-ops went a step further
kids riding their own bikes so quickand created the Cooperative Youth
ly. She explained that after I spent
Conference and Leadership Experithe previous day dragging our kids
ence, or CYCLE. Those selected for
around behind me, they realized how
this program visit our state capital
much fun riding a bike could be. No
where they will sit in the legislative
one wants to do something until they
chambers and craft a bill for debate.
see a value in it.
It didn't stop there. Electric co-ops
Your electric co-op figured this out
have many other ways to help rural
much quicker than I did. They were
youth achieve greatness. They have
built on the idea that rural areas were
partnered with Missouri's tech schools
great places to live, but only if the
to support our future lineworkers and
same benefits city folks had - like
offer scholarships that have sent farm
electricity - were available.
kids to college.
While there are some members who
It would be easy for electric co-ops
still remember life without electricity,
to just focus on reliable, affordable
how do you keep the same passion
electricity, but that's not how co-ops
for the electric cooperative alive in the
were built. They were built by stepnext generation? If we don't teach our
ping up to create better communichildren the value of living in rural
ties and leaders for rural Missouri's
Missouri and being a member-owner
future. Leaders like me, who received
of an electric cooperative, how can
an electric co-op scholarship that gave
we expect them to stick around when
me the chance to come back home
they become adults?
and join the fight to make rural MisKeeping the best and brightest
souri a great place to live, work and
rural kids in the community while
raise a family ... something I am forevcreating the next generation of leaders
er thankful for.
was a concern electric co-ops recognized early on. Fortunately, they came
Caleb is the executive vice president
up with some great ideas to help.
and CEO of the Association of Missouri
One is the Rural Electric Youth
Electric Cooperatives and a member of
Tour to Washington, D.C. Every year
Boone Electric Cooperative.
this program grows as more rural
MAY 2021 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP

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Rural Missouri - May 2021

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