BY ERIN CAMPBELL
This is one of my favorite times of the year. While I enjoy the lovely weather and vibrant blooms, what makes it extra special is seeing your entries come in for our annual Shine the Light contest!
Celebrating volunteers across Iowa
Now in our sixth year, the Shine the Light contest is a statewide effort where Iowa’s electric cooperatives celebrate our commitment to the communities we serve. During the month of June, member-consumers, employees and retirees of Iowa electric co-ops are encouraged to nominate volunteers in their communities who are making a positive difference. If you live in Iowa and receive electricity from an electric cooperative, you are eligible to enter our contest.
After the contest closes on June 30, our panel of judges will take on the difficult task of selecting three volunteers, and each will receive a $3,000 donation to their local charity. We also feature each winning volunteer in the September issue of this magazine so our readers can learn more about the important work they do.
Who you can nominate
We are a few weeks away from accepting nominations but start thinking now about who you would like to recognize this year. You can nominate a friend, neighbor or relative for our Shine the Light contest starting June 1; nominees do not need to be electric cooperative member-consumers. Nonwinners who were nominated in previous years are welcome to be nominated again. Minors can be nominated as long as you have permission from their parents or legal guardians. Each co-op household can make one nomination per year.
How to submit a nomination
In the contest entry, we ask for some of your basic contact information (the nominator), contact information for the person you are nominating, and a summary (in 500 words or less) of how your nominee has made a difference in the community and how their local charity/nonprofit might use the $3,000 donation. We try to keep the nomination process simple while still providing essential details for our judges to consider.
This program is such a success because co-op members like you take time to celebrate those who go above and beyond in your community. Thank you for supporting our Shine the Light contest and consider making a nomination during the month of June at www.IowaShinetheLight.com!
Erin Campbell is the director of communications for the Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives.
Nominate a local volunteer and they could win $3,000 for their charity!
Contest entries accepted during June at www.IowaShinetheLight.com
