Kentucky's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives' Who Powers You contest is back for 2024, and now is the time to think about who powers your community. You can nominate someone who plays a vital role in your community by going to https://www.ekpc.coop/who-powers-you
Nominees are eligible to win prizes - $1,000 for the winner, $750 second and $250 for third place.
Who powers You is an online contest in which the public can nominate co-op members who are making a positive impact in their co-op community.
The 2023 winner and Owen Electric member Marlene Browning-Wainscott was nominated for her volunteer work in telling the stories of veterans in her community. Browning-Wainscott has spent more than a decade interviewing and writing the stories of surviving World War II, Korea and Vietnam era veterans in Owen County.
She's interviewed dozens of veterans whose stories would otherwise go untold, but for her steadfast interest in memorializing their individual pieces of history. "It's become a mission," she said. "The World War II veterans have so many amazing stories, and they were my focus in the beginning."
Boyd Rowe, a South Kentucky RECC member, was named second place winner and received $750 for his fight for cancer screenings in the commonwealth. Rowe, diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and forced into retirement from his teaching career, lobbied legislators to pass a bill that requires all insurance companies to pay for biomarker testing for all patients in Kentucky. His work with the American Caner Society will improve the lives of all Kentuckians who may be able to catch cancer early or prevent it all together.
Phillip Trent, a Farmers RECC member, was names third place winner. Trent won $250 for his efforts in feeding the hungry in Hart County. Trent began the Abundance of the Hart Food Bank in 2000, and has been running it ever since, helping thousands of hungry Hart Countians facing food insecurity.
The contest was created to reward and support co-op members who are making a difference in the communities served by Kentucky's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives. Co-ops serve more than 1.1 million people in 89 counties.
To make a nomination, go to www.whopowersyouky.com. You'll simply share a brief description of how he or she makes a differences in the community.
Nominees must also be at least 18 years old, a member of Kentucky's Touchstone Energy Cooperatives (see website for complete list of co-ops) and a U.S. citizens or permanent legal resident. Co-op employees and board members are not eligible to win.
The contest begins October 1 and ends October 31, 2024. Winners will be selected by a panel of out-of-state judges, and announced in November.