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Something To Be Thankful For
By: Chris Reese, President & CEO
Email: contacttheceo@sussexrec.com
Every year around this time, it’s customary for us to look around and take stock of what we’re thankful for. The love of family and friends, as well as a nice Thanksgiving meal, are all common choices each year and are things that should never be taken for granted. We’ve reached this special time of year once again, though the rest of this year has been far from normal or customary.
As hard as the pandemic and 2020 have been, I think and hope that it has made some of us even more thankful for what we have. I know it has for me. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you, the members of Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative, some of the things I am thankful for this year.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, our office still remains closed to the public. Inside our office, we are now operating fully staffed as we have recently welcomed back our remaining employees who were working from home since March. We are once again all together, safely under one roof, and this is something that I am truly thankful for.
I am thankful for the health and safety of our employees and all of our families. At the beginning of the pandemic, the decision to change our day-to-day operations was a daunting one. We shifted many of our employees to a work-from-home model and implemented new rules for our other employees, including linemen, to be consistent with social distancing guidelines. By remaining dynamic and acting quickly, we were able to ensure that we preserved the health and safety of our employees, without having to compromise on our duty to provide power to our communities.
I am thankful for the health of our community. I have been relieved to see coronavirus case numbers remain relatively low in our area, and I hope that this trend continues. Our members are at the heart of everything we do and I hope that you all, along with your family and friends, remain safe and healthy. I have appreciated you all being so understanding of the changes to our day-to-day operations that came at the beginning of the pandemic. Know that if you ever have to reach us, we are still here for you. If circumstances have affected your ability to pay your bill, know that we are open to helping you work through that. There are a variety of options our members can make use of if they are in need of financial assistance. You can read more about those options on page 3.
Lastly, I am thankful of a new perspective. On a “normal” Thanksgiving, we tend to express thanks for our loved ones, our community, and a bountiful Thanksgiving dinner. These are all blessings, of course, but I feel that the circumstances of this year have deepened my appreciation of these things. For myself, a nice meal shared with my extended family in celebration of the holiday is probably unlikely. This is probably the case for many of us as we adhere to our new status quo of social distancing, limiting exposure and travel, and reducing risk of infection. This has created space between loved ones, but it can never truly separate them. All this does is bring into perspective that we ought to voice our thankfulness more often. We all have a lot to be thankful for – I know I do.
This Thanksgiving, please be sure to let an important person in your life know how much they mean to you, whether you haven’t seen them in-person in months or even if you see them every day. We may not all be together right now, but we’re all going through the same thing. By showing someone that you’re thankful to be a part of their life, you can make their holiday a bit brighter.
I wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving!
