Cooperative Living June 2020 - 7

TrainingTracks
'An interest in outdoor work'
Soon after he started at SEC, Frank Miskovic enrolled in the Line
Technician Apprenticeship Training program run by the Virginia,
Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives. He's
been a part of the association's lineworker rodeos as a participant
and as a griller.
Becoming a lineworker: " I thought it would be a good career to get into.
I have an interest in outdoor work. I grew up on a farm and I've always
enjoyed working with my hands. I can't be cooped up inside all day. "
What he likes best about his job: " The best part is when you throw that
fuse and see all the lights come on during big storms. Seeing people's
faces when they get the lights on; that's very powerful. I like helping.
I've been through a few big storms at Southside. I've also helped a few
other co-ops. I went down to Georgia in 2017 and North Carolina.
It's co-ops helping each other in a time of need. "
Our Training Tracks feature spotlights a lineworker
from an electric cooperative. Training is conducted
at the Electric Cooperative Training Center in Palmyra,
Va. The state-of-the-art facility is an ideal learning
environment to serve the needs of lineworkers,
system operators, substation operators and other
co-op representatives.
Frank Miskovic
Southside Electric Cooperative,
Eastern District
Been with SEC since October 2015
Resident of Burkeville, Va.
What he's learning: " A lot of rephasing. That's something
that I haven't gotten my hands on all that much. It's
good to learn something that you don't do every day.
You can keep it in your back pocket if we ever need it
at Southside. "
About the training center: " I love it. It's a whole lot better
than what they had. The old facility got the job done but
compared to what it was, this is a lot better environment
for people coming through and being able to learn. " 
Read about the training center at vmdaec.com/pr/trainingschool.
Co-ops Respond to a Crisis from Staff Reports
Keeping safe and building community during COVID-19
W
hen a crisis hits, you can
count on electric cooperatives
and their members to rise to
the occasion.
That's been a bright spot during the
novel coronavirus pandemic. From making
masks to thanking their members, co-ops
have demonstrated the seventh cooperative
principle - concern for community.
A few examples:
* In the Heritage Hunt community in
Gainesville, Va., Chris and Mary Ann
Bosco, members of Northern Virginia
Electric Cooperative, organized volunteers
with the House of Mercy to make 5,000
washable cotton masks for hospital health
care workers to cover professionally
made masks. Several other co-ops have
employees and members in the maskmaking
business.
* Multiple co-ops have created free
Wi-Fi hot spots at their headquarters,
school parking lots or facilities accessible
to the community. " With so many people
co-opliving.com
working and learning from home, we
want our members and community to
have access to the internet during the
COVID-19 pandemic, " says Steven
Harmon, president and CEO of
Community Electric Cooperative in
Windsor, Va.
* Powell Valley Electric Cooperative
and Prince George Electric Cooperative
are among co-ops reaching out on social
media with " We Appreciate You " posts
that urge members to send handmade
cards of support to senior centers and
first responders.
* Like many co-ops, PGEC also
recently pledged even more financial
support to three food banks in its service
territory as a way of combating hunger
in its territory.
* Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
members in a Caroline County, Va.,
neighborhood spread cheer via a
" Chalk Walk " and the response was
overwhelmingly positive. REC lineworker
NOVEC member Chris Bosco and his
wife, Mary Ann Bosco, are volunteering
with the House of Mercy in Manassas, Va.,
to supply local Northern Virginia hospitals
with homemade reusable masks.
Chuck Tippett flew his small plane in
a flyover to thank workers at Mary
Washington Health Care.
* In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley
Electric Cooperative territory, gardeners
have organized virtual plant swaps through
Facebook messages to exchange glovehandled
plants by leaving them on porches.
You're sure to find more concern
for community in your co-op's pages in
Cooperative Living or on its social media
feeds. 
June 2020 | Cooperative Living | 5
PHOTO BY MARY ANN BOSCO
http://www.vmdaec.com/pr/trainingschool http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living June 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living June 2020
