HR0788 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0788 LRB100 17449 MST 32618 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of Norris Electric Cooperative on the 80th anniversary of their cooperative; and

WHEREAS, Norris Electric Cooperative was officially formed on September 18, 1938, in Newton through the hard work and dedication of a handful of local residents wanting to improve living and farming conditions for themselves and their neighbors; and

WHEREAS, Because of the lack of density, it simply was not possible for the for-profit utilities to make a profit serving rural areas with only a few farms or homes per mile of electric line; with the help of loans from the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), the people living in these rural areas banded together to form member-owned and member-governed electric cooperatives; and

WHEREAS, This group of local residents went door to door signing up their neighbors to become members of Norris Electric Cooperative and convincing them that a cooperative would bring lights and power to the rural area; and

WHEREAS, Their hard work paid off and Norris Electric Cooperative's lines were first energized on December 24, 1939, initially serving 550 member-owners in six counties; and

WHEREAS, Norris Electric Cooperative continues to provides reliable electric service to member-owners in Clark, Crawford, Cumberland, Effingham, Jasper, Lawrence, Richland, and Wabash counties; and

WHEREAS, For 80 years, the cooperative has served their member-owners based on seven guiding principles: voluntary and open membership, member-elected and controlled boards of directors, members' economic participation, autonomy and independence, education and training, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the members of the Norris Electric Cooperative on the 80th anniversary of their cooperative; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Norris Electric Cooperative as a symbol of our esteem and respect.