In August this year, NRECA Vice President Mike Partin traveled to Guatemala to join a team of eight lineworkers from Missouri. They traveled as NRECA International volunteers to complete the first phase of an electrification project that will eventually bring power to 123 households, a school, and health center in Viucalvitz, a village located in northwestern Guatemala.
Partin is the CEO of Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative in Tennessee. Following are a few highlights from a recent conversation, where he shares some stories about the special bond between volunteers and the community, and reminders of of Southern Appalachia, where his family is from.
Why did you decide to go?
I’ve heard so much about the volunteer program and about NRECA International’s mission, and there are so many people who are passionate about the work. I wanted to see it for myself.
You arrived after the volunteers had started working. What did you notice?
The volunteers made such a deep connection with the people in the village over the course of a few weeks. They had skin in the game – the villagers worked with the volunteers to get the work done, and I think that created a special bond. Every volunteer left with a little bit of Guatemala in their hearts. They helped change the community, but they changed too.
How do these volunteer missions impact the lineworkers?
I have thought a lot about this as I look for emerging leaders at my co-op. Leaders will always lead from the front. They will take risk and explore where others will not. I think the men and women who volunteer to go on these types of trips know the conditions will be tough, but the rewards, experiences and broader understanding of the world will give them the tools to step out from the rest of the pack.
You were in a rural mountainous area in Guatemala – not an easy location to get to. What were your impressions?
I’m from Southern Appalachia. We’re not too many generations removed from living in the same conditions with the people in the village. My grandparents here didn’t have electricity, and they stayed in substandard housing. There’s still a pair of post hole diggers in my barn from when my grandparents put the powerlines through. So being there resonated with me. Just in my lifetime, we’ve seen advancements because of the generation before me.
Why is it important for co-ops to support NRECA International?
As national cooperative association we cannot overlook our obligation to the greater good. National co-op leaders need to keep the momentum going out there. Part of our DNA as co-op folks is to help people. Whether it’s after a hurricane or a rural village in Guatemala. We want to make a difference. That’s the beauty of who we are.
Why do you support NRECA International?
Once you see the work that we are doing and teh difference we are making, how could one not support NRECA International. We are changing lives for the better and that’s part of our DNA as electric cooperatives. It makes me proud to be a part of our movement.
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