Electric cooperatives team up to complete five service projects during National Co-op Month

October 7, 2026

The familiar adage, ‘Many hands make light work,’ comes to life the first Wednesday of October. For the fourth year in a row, nearly 120 employees and directors from Dairyland Power Cooperative and 11 of its member cooperatives kicked off National Co-op Month with the Cooperative Day of Service on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

Dairyland coordinated five service projects throughout its service territory and joined forces with employees from local electric cooperatives to showcase their dedication to the Cooperative Principles, Concern for Community and Cooperation Among Cooperatives.

Projects included:

• Josie Creek County Park, Quarry Park | Tony, Wis. – Park beautification and clean-up; staining pavilion, bridge, map kiosks; stacking wood at parks near Dairyland’s Flambeau Hydroelectric Station, which has been in operation for 75 years. (Participating co-ops: Dairyland Power Cooperative, Jump River Electric Cooperative, Chippewa Valley Electric Cooperative, Taylor Electric Cooperative)
• Pietrek Park | Arcadia, Wis. (Riverland Energy Cooperative) – Planting trees, park beautification, trail clean-up, building bird and bat houses. (Participating co-ops: Dairyland, Riverland Energy Cooperative, MiEnergy Cooperative, St. Croix Electric Cooperative)
• Pilot Knob State Park | Forest City, Iowa (Heartland Power Cooperative) – Clean up campsites, refresh fire ring numbers, stain benches and gazebo, remove brush. (Participating co-ops: Dairyland, Heartland Power Cooperative)
• Richland County Fairgrounds | Richland Center, Wis. (Richland Electric Cooperative) – Replace wooden bleacher seats, pressure wash bleachers, fairground clean-up. (Participating co-ops: Dairyland, Richland Electric Cooperative, Vernon Electric Cooperative, Scenic Rivers Energy Cooperative)
• Rock Creek Disabled Outdoors | Willard, Wis. (Clark Electric Cooperative) – Paint garage, caulk cabins and pavilion, winterization and landscaping clean-up. (Participating co-ops: Dairyland, Clark Electric Cooperative, Taylor Electric Cooperative)

“It is incredible to witness the annual support our Dairyland teammates and member cooperatives give to Day of Service, which benefits wonderful organizations within our local communities,” Dairyland President & CEO Brent Ridge said. “I am so proud of the hard work and collaboration that’s on display to complete so many projects safely. This is our Cooperative Principle of Concern for Community in action.”