1399 Business Park Drive South North Baltimore, OH 45872-0190 Phone: 419-423-4841 Toll

1399 Business Park Drive South • North Baltimore, OH 45872-0190 • Phone: 419-423-4841 • Toll Free: 800-445-4840 • www.hwe.coop

Contact: Diana Hersch, Director of Marketing and Communications Direct line: 419-257-5011 Cell: 419-509-3290 Date: February 23, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Hancock-Wood Electric Co-op launches Thank-a-Lineman and win an iPad campaign

NORTH BALTIMORE, OHIO – Feb. 23, 2015 – Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative President and CEO George Walton invites northwest Ohio communities to thank a lineman via email at [email protected]. Emails will be accepted from February 23 to March 31, 2015, and writers of these tributes will have their names entered into a drawing for an Apple iPad.

Members, citizens, businesses, schools and organizations are encouraged to write a short tribute to these first responders, who restore power outages in the most challenging of weather situations. In addition, the co-op seeks proclamations from elected officials to cite April 13 as Lineman Appreciation Day in their communities.

The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) recently proclaimed April 13, 2015, as Lineman Appreciation Day. Hancock-Wood wholeheartedly supports this action and encourages its Member-owners and the community to join in the campaign.

Walton said, “We hope everyone will email us at [email protected] today so we can present community tributes to our linemen in a reception scheduled for Monday, April 13. These line crews are the first responders to interrupted power distribution in incidents such as ice- and wind-storms, tornadoes, floods, high winds, microbursts or vehicular accidents. Linemen don’t wait for a sunny, calm day to do their jobs. They do it no matter the weather conditions to keep the lights on for our members.”

A judges panel will review the emails for the most moving and appropriate submissions and select a winner, who will receive an Apple iPad.

Bill Barnhart, vice president of engineering and operations, said, “We often hear stories about how our line crews have assisted families and individuals in the 10 counties we serve in northwest Ohio, but our crews don't often hear those kind words because they are out in the field continuing to keep power going for our 10,000 members. So, we challenge our community mayors, trustees and elected officials to declare April 13 as Lineman Appreciation Day and local residents to write their best story about a lineman and email it to us.”

Hancock-Wood Board of Trustees Chair Ed Crawford said, “We would love to see this campaign grow in momentum so we could make the Guinness Book of Records for most proclamations and tributes issued for linemen.”

The NRECA resolution states, in part: “linemen...put their lives on the line every day and...are the first responders of the electric cooperative family. There would be no electric cooperatives without the brave men and women...”

Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, established April 20, 1938, serves portions of Hancock, Wood, Allen, Erie, Hardin, Henry, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot counties. For more information about Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative, visit www.hwe.coop or call 800-445-4840.