This year marks 85 years for People’s Electric Cooperative as a member-owned electric cooperative. “We are thankful to be celebrating 85 years of providing electric service to our area,” said PEC’s Executive VP & CEO Kevin Wood. “We have a deep appreciation for our membership and the strong leadership and employees who have helped shaped PEC along the way.”
In honor of our three 2023 Youth Tour delegates, we are kicking off our 85th celebration this month with history about our Youth Tour program. In early 1957, NRECA’s Annual Meeting was off to a strong start in Chicago. U.S. Senator Lyndon B. Johnson (D: TX) addressed the crowd with a novel idea: Rural teens should have the opportunity to experience Washington, D.C. and to see their government in action – And America’s rural electric cooperatives are the perfect organizations to facilitate this!
That summer, a few Texas electric cooperatives sent teens from their service areas to Washington, D.C. to work for the then Senator Johnson. The following summer, in 1958, Iowa’s rural electric cooperatives sponsored 34 delegates for a week-long tour of
Washington, D.C. Later that same summer, Illinois followed suit and brought their own bus load of rural youth to our nation’s capital. 253005012
The success of these fi rst trips garnered national attention and in 1964, NRECA began to coordinate activities among state delegations and assist with Capitol Hill visits. That year, about 400 teens from 12 diff erent states got to tour monuments, visit museums, and speak with their elected officials – all on behalf of America’s Electric Cooperatives!
Since 1964, more than 50,000 young Americans have taken advantage of this special opportunity offered by their electric cooperative. PEC alone has sent 104 students since 1964. Without a doubt, Youth Tour has grown into an invaluable program that gives young Americans an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives!
"If one thing comes out of this meeting, it will be sending youngsters to the national capital where they can actually see what the flag stands for and represents."
– Lyndon B. Johnson