The Newsroom

None of us make it through life alone. Take time to pause and reflect on those who have helped you along the way.” Welcome to Week 166 of #TheFridayFeature. 🇺🇸 On this Memorial Day Weekend, pause and reflect on those who died protecting our freedom. I am grateful. I feel for the families whose loved ones didn’t return home. The quote above comes from my book of the month for May: “Feeling Grateful” by Kobi Yamada. Be sure to pause. See the flags. Say thanks.

Ps: As I read the book to our grandchildren last night, this second quote came alive: "The best things in life often aren't things at all. They are experiences lived, emotions felt, and connections made. These are the things that sparkle in our memory. And it is when we are feeling grateful that we can perform our most beautiful acts and appreciate our most treasured moments." I could highlight this book every Friday for The Friday Feature. Have a blessed weekend.

See more books of the month: https://lnkd.in/gxqCe7JY

The weather was perfect. Smiles were plentiful. And a record number of SEMO Electric Cooperative member-owners participated in the Cooperative's 2023 Annual Meeting May 18, 2023, at the Sikeston Jaycee Bootheel Rodeo Grounds. Member-owners approved minutes from the 2022 annual meeting, approved the 2022 financial report and elected four directors - James Deneke, Dennis Fowler, Dicky Hanor, and Myron Hawes - for three year terms on the board. The 2023 version was the 85th meeting of members.

Did you know the first meeting of the Cooperative was held at 1 p.m. on January 15, 1938, at the Del Rey Hotel in Sikeston? (Today the building houses Jeremiah's Restaurant and Lounge). The purpose of the meeting was to adopt articles of association, adopt bylaws, and elect 12 directors to serve on the board. This was the official start of the effort to bring electricity to rural southeast Missouri. It took until March 10, 1939, for the lights to come on for 250 farm families. The Cooperative had to construct power lines and homes had to be wired for electricity. A lot has changed in 85 years. Today, we are "wiring" homes for fiber. We should be grateful for electricity and fiber-fast internet. They are essential services that make our lives better.

😅 Instead of another take this morning, we decided to use this video - you will see my mistake! Grateful for my cheerleader for 35 years! Be sure to let those special people in your life know how #grateful you are for them. Don’t take them for granted! For those following along, back surgery was 15 days ago. I can’t bend or twist, but I can drive now! Have a great week. Welcome to Week 165! #keeppushingforward

Self Insurance Agency, located in historic downtown Sikeston, is ready and willing to meet all your insurance needs. Auto, home, business, farm, and employer benefits are just a few options. Being independently owned gives them the advantage of having over a hundred providers to find you the best plan at an affordable cost. If you have questions, call (573) 471-3347.

👊 “It’s so important to be persistent and persevere, and do everything you can - in your power - to make tomorrow better than today.” Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500 in 2001 and 2003. He participated in 784 NASCAR races over 33 years. He currently is a race commentator and might be found helping patrons at Michael Waltrip Brewery in Bristol, Virginia. Thanks to Michael Waltrip for taking time for #TheFridayFeature at Michael Waltrip Brewing Company. Week 164! 

Storms rocked the cooperative's service area late Monday evening creating thousands of power outages. Crews have worked through the night and will continue restoring power throughout the day. SEMO Electric hired contractors Pike Electric and Townsend Tree Service to replace several broken poles and remove many downed trees. Thank you for your patience as we clean up Mother Nature's mess. Please stay away from downed power lines. For updates, please follow our Facebook page. 

1st Choice Builders LLC., located north of Bloomfield, Mo., specializes in quality-built post-frame buildings, farm shops, garages, or any other shop/ag building you may have in mind. To learn more, give Ethan a call at (573) 625-2208.

Hello. Welcome to Week 163 of The Friday Feature. It’s May 5, 2023. We may only see the bright side of people’s lives and assume their life is grand. We may not see the other side as individuals suffer with chronic pain, the loss of a loved one, financial issues, employment frustrations, and so on. Many people are dealing with something. However, they keep pushing forward. Some push forward by helping others, which is rewarding and makes us feel better.

During the last 24 hours, I have so much gratitude for the medical team that has cared for me as I was under anesthesia for more than four hours for surgery, plus pre and post-op attention. I have met some incredible people as I try to smile through the pain and be a patient patient. I realize they are juggling other patients (some with issues much more desperate than mine) and things at home. It has been a good reminder that people with empathy understand how to turn the focus from them to you.

Three additional items: 🙏 First, prayers to our friends who were impacted by the dust storm wreck on I-55 in Illinois. We used to live in the area. 👍 Second, thanks to our friends and #teamsemo for your support. 😃 Third, we all need our own Incentive Spirometer to help remind us to take slow and deep breaths each day as we keep pushing forward.

Make the most each day. See you next Friday.