Thank a Lineworker

This National Lineworker Appreciation Day, members celebrate the men and women who power our communities

Each year, electric cooperatives take the time to thanks, honor, recognize the heroes of their cooperative. So, remember to celebrate your co-op lineworkers everyday but especially on April 14 for National Lineworkers Appreciation Day. This year Oklahoma Living reached out to cooperative employees, family members and members to share moments of appreciation for the heroes of their area and we wanted to share the kind words received with you our readers.

“Trevor has been working for NWEC out in Buffalo, OK since 2009. Not only does he work many hours keeping the electricity on in our rural community and surrounding areas but is always willing to represent NWEC by doing things like helping with the Special Olympics in Stillwater, community helper guest speaker to the kids at the Buffalo Elementary showing them what a lineman’s job is and the importance of safety when being around electricity. He has traveled to other states to work when there has been a need because of natural disaster. Trevor has had the privilege of being chosen three times to go to Guatemala and help very rural villages have electricity for the first time ever. He can also be seen hanging rodeo banners in Woodward before the Elks rodeo. When he is not doing any of those things you can find him voluntarily coaching his sons little league basketball and baseball teams or cheering on his daughter at her sporting events. He attends First Baptist Church in Buffalo with his family, enjoys coyote hunting, and when not busy with NWEC he helps out at a local feedlot. The biggest reason I appreciate him is he is an amazing husband to my daughter and dad to my grandkids. He is a great but humble example of an electric co-op employee!

– Kelly Dezort, Northwestern Electric Cooperative

“Randall goes above and beyond every day ensuring our special equipment is installed, maintained and working as it should. Randall is a professional and dedicated employee. In addition to his day-to-day responsibilities, Randall always answers the call when needed to get the lights back on.”

– Jerry Latty, Lake Region Electric Cooperative

“On the cold, frosty morning of February 21st, Blu Cloud was heading to check a staking job north of Vian, OK. Snow and ice still enveloped the ground from the winter weather the area received a few days prior. As he neared his destination, Blu spotted something incredibly tragic occurring alongside the road. A woman was lying on the side of the road helplessly being attacked by a pack of dogs. The dogs had already torn her clothing and were attempting to shred her body from head to toe. Blu immediately stopped and knew he had to help. Using a stake he carried in his truck, he was able to repress the dogs and relieve the woman from the attack. After placing her in his truck out of the frigid temperatures, he transported her to her home, where her family called emergency services. She was transported to the hospital and is expected to recover.” 

– Juli Orme, Cookson Hills General Manager/CEO

“Emitt Wilk always goes above and beyond! Kind and compassionate- such a hard worker!”

– Angela Steele, Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

“As the Workflow Coordinator in the Staking Department, I’ve had the pleasure of working with our great linemen for 10 years. They are the backbone of the co-op and TCEC has some of the best! One Journeyman Lineman in particular, consistently goes above and beyond and that is our construction foreman, Allen Keene. Allen leads his crew safely and efficiently and is always the first to volunteer to tackle urgent or complex work orders, or travel across the US for mutual aid. He prioritizes our members and their needs and excels with communication. Allen maintains a positive attitude and is always willing to assist other departments. TCEC and its membership are blessed to have Allen and his crew showing up every day, prepared and ready to respond to whatever is thrown their way. His most used phrase is “Go Team!” When we hear that, we can’t help but smile, knowing Allen is in the office. Thanks Allen and Crew for all that you do! And thank you to all of America’s brave linemen for powering our communities.”

– Marci Cotter, TCEC

“Thank you, lineworkers, for all you do! There would be no electric cooperative without you—you are appreciated!”

– Sara Thomas, Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

“Linemen, Often your hard work goes unnoticed, so I want to take a moment to say ‘thank you’ for your tireless work and dedication. I appreciate the countless hours you put in day and night to keep on our power and community safe. But more importantly, I would like to say ‘Thank You.’ Thank you for showing up in a storm, the ice and snow, showing up when we desperately need the electricity due to a family member hooked up to machines, to showing up at the scene of an accident to turn the power off to ensure the safety of the first responders and others. Thank you for leaving the comfort of your home and loving families during holidays, birthdays, reunions, sports events to make sure our lights are on. Words could never truly express the gratitude I have for you and the courageous work that you do. – signed, a lineman’s daughter”

– Mattison Elliott, daughter of Matthew Cooley, People’s Electric Cooperative

“I appreciate that the lineworkers of TCEC are at the ready to restore electricity to to us the customer. I read on Facebook about all the outages around our area and how they are already on the job repairing the problem. It makes me feel confident that if I lose electricity the problem will be resolved as soon as possible. Thank you to all the TCEC lineworkers. Great job.”

– Rosalinda Martin, TCEC

“When my son Tucker Shadley started his job as an apprentice lineman at OEC, I asked him after the first few days if he liked his job. His response was, “Mamma I don’t like my job, I love my job”! That was 4 years ago and I believe he still feels he has the best job in the world. Tucker works so hard and never complains about the extreme weather he works in, or the constant poison ivy in the summer, the long hours he has worked after a storm, or even missing out on time with his girlfriend, family or friends because he is being called out to work. He also always tells me about the amazing men he works with and how he wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. How blessed Tucker is to be a part of such an amazing brotherhood and working such a rewarding job that he loves. Your Mamma is always proud of you Tucker, and prays for you and your lineman brothers to stay safe and continue to do your rewarding work for your community!”

– Sunny Zwahlen, Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

“I would like to nominate and recognize Brent Glover as an exceptional lineman and person. Not only does Brent dedicate himself daily to keeping the lights on for our communities, but he has also gone above and beyond to make the job safer and more efficient for his fellow lineworkers. Brent’s commitment to his colleagues and the industry is unmatched. With firsthand experience in the field, he saw a need for a tool that would allow linemen to remove nuts and bolts from cross arms while keeping their safety gloves on – an innovation that enhances both efficiency and safety. Through determination and hard work, Brent invented the Nut Nob, a game-changing tool that has already begun to impact the way lineworkers approach their work. His dedication doesn’t stop there. Brent is always looking for ways to improve the industry, support his team, and ensure that every lineworker has access to the tools they need to do their job safely. His hard work, innovative thinking, and passion for his profession make him truly deserving of recognition today and every day.”

– Michelle Hohlier, Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

“I deeply appreciate Chris Speers for his unwavering dedication and exceptional service as a lineworker. One remarkable instance that stands out is when Chris was in a tornado shelter with his family, taking refuge from severe weather. Despite the dire circumstances, he remained on the phone, coordinating the Canadian Valley Electric cooperative storm response. This level of commitment is truly commendable. Chris works tirelessly in all kinds of challenging weather conditions, ensuring that our community experiences fast restoration of power and limited outages. On blue-sky days, he focuses on training and improving his crews, demonstrating his commitment to excellence and continuous improvement. His efforts have significantly benefited the community, providing us with reliable and efficient power services.”

– Gary Highley, Canadian Valley Electric Cooperative CEO

“I taught and coached both Lakon Lynch and Christian Ortiz while they were in elementary school. I am proud of the great kids they were then and the great employees they are now. I never hear anything but good comments from their other crewman and also from other coops when they provide mutual aid. Both are really fine home grown young linemen.”

– Mica Davis, TCEC

“Dylon Smith goes above and beyond for Central Rural in many ways from the way he comes in anytime we need an extra hand to showing compassion to our members. Helping members in situations that we normally wouldn’t help them in. From helping members with stuff on the members side to staying later on a false outage to help figure out the issue. Dylon is also a volunteer for his local fire department in Mulhall,  from helping with the members electricity he also fights the fires that could damage their homes He’s a family man and holds it dear. He goes above and beyond for his friends as well. He is the nicest man you’ll ever talk to.”

– Colton Stewart, Central Rural Electric Cooperative

“These men and women work tirelessly in rain, snow, sleet, and storms, often missing birthdays, holidays, and anniversaries—all to keep our communities powered and safe. Their dedication and sacrifice go unnoticed far too frequently, but they are our power system’s backbone. No matter the challenge, they show up and do the job with skill, courage, and commitment. They deserve every bit of recognition for their hard work and selflessness!”

#ThankALineman #LREC #LRTC #PowerOn

– JuaNita Keener, Lake Region Electric Cooperative

Some people keep driving when they witness an accident, because they have places to go. ECE Lineman-in-Charge Rodney Nixon is the kind of man who sits with an unresponsive victim until emergency services arrive, as he did just recently. Rodney never misses a call and takes great pride in his work. When a member has a problem, Rodney can’t rest until that problem is resolved. He stays informed about the entire system—not just his assigned area—proving his commitment to the success of the whole team. And when it comes to helping our young apprentices find their way, Rodney can always be trusted to teach the importance of safety and doing things the right way. Whether it is a mutual aid trip, or a storm at home, Rodney doesn’t shy away from working around the clock until the job is done. In 2024, Rodney spent 14 days in Georgia helping another co-op recover from Hurricane Helene. We joke at our co-op that Rodney is known for his rough demeanor, but the truth we value is that Rodney is known for his genuine heart and dedication for the members we serve.

— Jerome Roberts, East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative

As co-ops, we tout that everything we do is for the little old lady at the end of the line. For ECE Lineman-in-Charge Stacy Bourne, this is literally true. Stacy is on a first name basis with the co-op members in his area and has gone out of his way in ice storms to check on elderly members. He takes pride in knowing the people he serves and is always looking out for them. Stacy never misses a call, but he is especially relentless during storms. He will work as long as it takes and never complains. “Above and beyond,” doesn’t quite cover it, as Stacy regularly volunteers for every Mutual Aid trip, and even traveled to Bolivia to electrify a rural village as part of Energy Trails. In 2024, Stacy spent 14 days in Georgia helping another co-op recover from Hurricane Helene.  Around the co-op, Stacy has a positive attitude about his work that is contagious. There is no doubt that he truly loves our co-op members, and they love him too.

— Jerome Roberts, East Central Oklahoma Electric Cooperative