Monday, June 19, 2017

Beyond Grateful!

With Youth Tour 2017 in the books, I am feeling pretty reflective and incredibly grateful. So many people/organizations to thank. If you have followed any of our social media posts, you know that Youth Tour has many, many moving parts and it is impossible to run this program solo.

Thank you …

Most importantly, we are so very appreciative for the electric cooperatives that invest in the young leaders that they send on Youth Tour. The impact you make on these students is lasting!


Members of the NRECA Youth Tour Team are the unsung heroes of this program. They never seek the limelight, and they do a great job bringing us all together and keeping us moving in the same direction.

The chaperones that take a week away from their family and jobs to pour into the lives of the students. There are not enough words to thank our 2017 chaperones! They are truly rock stars! If you see, Keaton Hildreth, Holi Weston or Darren and Jody Johnson be sure to thank them. Couldn’t ask for a more solid group of partners in crime!



The Iowa Youth Tour Intern Rebecca Boyer. Her leadership and assistants were priceless! Anyone that follows Iowa Youth Tour on any of our social media platforms, has her to thank for all the timely postings.
A huge shout out goes to our bus driver, Rob, who kept us safe and displayed uncanny skills navigating around DC.


This year we welcomed some sponsors. So thankful for their support and participation.  

Presidential Sponsors:
The Iowa Institute for Cooperatives provide a proven business model that has fostered economic progress in Iowa for decades. The Iowa Institute for Cooperatives has been lighting the way for cooperatives across the state since 1951.

Their members come from a variety of industries, including agriculture, credit unions, rural electric, rural telephone, farm credit, petroleum, and more. They develop educational and training programs for their members, provide timely news updates, and guide legislative actions that build upon the strength of the cooperative system. They also promote new cooperative development and value-added production. 

Rural Electric Supply Cooperative (RESCO) is a member-owned and not-for-profit electrical wholesaling business incorporated in 1936 as Wisconsin Electric Cooperative (WEC).  In 1972, they became Rural Electric Supply Cooperative (RESCO) to reflect an expansion into multiple states and a more active role as an electrical distributor.

RESCO’s member-owners are the Rural Electric Cooperatives in the upper Midwest extending from Michigan to Montana. They assist our member-owners with the procurement of their distribution and transmission electrical material supply needs. RESCO views their cooperative organization as an extension of our member’s procurement department and they work hand-in-hand with their members to make sure their member’s material supply needs are met.

Like Rural Electric Cooperatives and other affiliated cooperative organizations, RESCO’s not-for-profit business model requires excess margins (profits) be returned to their members in the form of patronage refunds. 

Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO) is a generation and transmission electric cooperative supplying wholesale electric power to 7 distribution cooperatives covering 6,500 square miles in western Iowa. These distribution cooperatives supply retail power to over 30,000 members/consumers. NIPCO serves these customers with over 900 miles of 69kV transmission line and 80 distribution substations. Incorporated in 1949 and headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, NIPCO is a Touchstone Energy® electric cooperative and a member of Basin Electric Power Cooperative.

House (Meal) Sponsor:
Sullivan & Ward, P.C. is an Iowa law firm focused on bringing solutions that make a positive difference for clients and the community.

Since the firm was founded in 1935, Sullivan & Ward has helped thousands of clients — individuals, cooperative associations and businesses across Iowa and nationwide — achieve desired results. Many of their attorneys are recognized throughout the state and nationally for their professional knowledge and contributions.

Finally, I want to thank the students. I know you were nervous and not really sure what you were in for, but thank you for being open to new experiences and trusting us when we told you that you were in for the trip of a lifetime. I cannot tell you how many times strangers came up to me and commented about what a nice group we had. The lady sitting next to me on the plane between DC and Chicago said, “I guess young people in Iowa say ‘thank you’.” It was almost like she was surprised, but I wasn’t because that is how you were the entire trip! I hope you will always remember the friends you made, sites you saw and the incredible electric cooperatives that gave you this opportunity!

And they lived cooperatively ever after!



Gratefully,
Shelly York

Saturday, June 17, 2017

Last full day in DC! Guest blogger: Branden Barney, Calhoun County REC



I can’t believe that today is our last day in D.C. as an Iowa Youth Tour family! But today 23 students ran with Senator Charles Grassley (A very early run! 4:15 a.m.). A few questions were asked by students to Senator Grassley. Some of those questions included his thoughts on tax reform, living in Iowa or DC, and the bipartisanship between republicans and democrats. 

After the run, the group came back to the hotel and took showers and went back to bed till 7o'clock. Then we all got up and got dressed up. We got our breakfast in our rooms then we headed on the bus to Capitol Hill where we took our individual pictures and if we had more than one person from a cooperative, they got a group photo taken. Before we could finish our pictures, Capitol Hill was put on lock down/high alert (due to the shooting earlier that day). But we were able to still meet with the members of the Iowa delegation. Then we took a tour through the US Capitol and we also had Senate Gallery Passes. Then we loaded up the bus and went to our next destination.



Our next stop was the Newsuem. This museum is about recent news and our history. Things on display include things such as the Berlin Wall and part of the twin towers. There were seven floors to explore.

After the Newsuem we went back to the hotel, finally! We changed out of our stinky clothes and put on new clean ones! Then we met in the lobby one last time as a group and ate cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcakes (being sold by the Snack Cooperative). Then we went down stairs to the All-States Farewell Dinner Dance were we could do anything from rest or dance on the dance floor, to watch a move or play southern gospel Baptist music (on the piano). 

After the dance we had a co-op meeting in the hall, where we received awards and closed down the Snack Co-op and received our patronage/capital credits

It's been a short week in DC, but I will never forget about the most important thing why we’re here so I would like to thank all of the co-ops that blessed me to see DC and meet new and awesome people that I will love and miss forever!!

From the hotel desk of the Hyatt and a 2017 Iowa Youth Tour Student, I'm Branden Barney

Friday, June 16, 2017

Guest blogger: Bailey VandeKamp, Pella Cooperative Electric Association



Tuesday...
Once again we started off the morning at the Crystal City Sport's Pub for breakfast, before heading to Mount Vernon. It was very hot, (at one point the heat index was 110!) but we managed to survive. Personally, George Washington is my favorite president and one of my heroes, so I was very excited to see his estate. It was beautiful, and in addition to the house, Mount Vernon also features a barn, two gardens, and orchard, and many animals. It was the most like Iowa that any of us had seen in a week, and despite the grueling temperatures we couldn't all help but to appreciate it. Inside, we were able to cool off in the education center, which goes through George Washington's life chronologically, as well as a special exhibit about the enslaved people who worked at Mount Vernon. 

After Mount Vernon we headed to Arlington National Cemetery. This is sacred ground for all Americans, and was incredible to see in real life. We were lucky that in addition to the regular tour stops, we were able to witness the changing of the guard and lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier. Witnessing such ceremonies and the grave sites of so many soldiers caused us all to reflect on what it means to be American and gain a new respect for those who have fought and made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 



For supper we picked up burgers from Five Guy's (SO GOOD!) before heading to the Sunset Parade at the Iwo Jima Memorial. The parade was incredible. Both the Marine Corp band and silent color guard performed, and making for a spectacular show. As someone who is in marching band, I can attest that they really are the best of the best. Not only were all members perfectly in-sync with each other, but the music was perfectly in tune as well. After the beautiful performance, we were able to meet some of the Marines. 

The last thing we did before heading back to the hotel was seeing the Pentagon 9/11 memorial. I personally have seen all 9/11 memorials, and have found them all to be very moving, so it was no surprise that the Pentagon memorial was just as incredible and beautiful. The memorial features benches for each of the 184 victims from the attack, organized according to their birth year. It was a lot to take in, but overall was beautiful and moving. 

Tuesday was a very busy day, with a lot of time spent in the heat. While some parts of the day were uncomfortable in the heat, none of us would have traded our experiences for anything. All of us are very thankful to our Co-ops for investing in us and funding our trips to D.C.; it's been an amazing experience.