Looking back to look ahead

My grandfather Alva Short homesteaded on the lower Florida Mesa in 1900. He and my grandmother, Belle, initially lived in a dugout where they had their first of 12 children, all surviving into adulthood. They were smart, hard workers, and Alva was filled with ingenuity. He installed the first electric generator on the mesa. Alva was a founding member of La Plata Electric Co-op, now La Plata Electric Association.

In reflecting on how successful my grandparents were, especially given the times, it is obvious they had an eye on the future. Alva lived in the same place until his death at 99. He followed local and world news; we spoke often about current events. I believe Alva would advise us to retain our best thought leaders, move forward with renewable, sustainable energy and avoid looking back and hanging onto fossil fuels.

We have a good slate of experienced, knowledgeable and thoughtful board members who are already guiding us with this transition. Vote for John Witchel, Joe Lewandowski or Holly Metzler through your LPEA account at https://lpea.coop or make sure to submit your ballot through the mail.

– Karen Zink, Sunnyside