HR0438 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0438 LRB098 12320 GRL 46595 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate the members of Corn Belt Energy Corporation on the 75th anniversary of their cooperative; and

WHEREAS, Corn Belt Energy Corporation was officially organized as Corn Belt Electric Cooperative on September 22, 1938 in Bloomington, Illinois, through the hard work and dedication of a handful of local residents wanting to improve living and farming conditions for themselves and their neighbors; and

WHEREAS, Because of the lack of density, it simply wasn't possible for the for-profit utilities to make a profit serving rural areas with only a few farms or homes per mile of electric line; with the help of loans from the Rural Electrification Administration (REA), the people living in these rural areas banded together to form member-owned and member-governed electric cooperatives; and

WHEREAS, This group of local residents went door to door signing up their neighbors to become members of Corn Belt Energy Corporation and convincing them that a cooperative would bring lights and power to the rural area; and

WHEREAS, Their hard work paid off and Corn Belt Energy Corporation's lines were first energized on August 3, 1939, initially serving 200 member-owners in Woodford and McLean counties; and

WHEREAS, In 1999, Corn Belt Electric Cooperative merged with Illinois Valley Electric Cooperative, creating the Corn Belt Energy Corporation, which continues to provides reliable electric service to member-owners in 18 counties; and

WHEREAS, For 75 years, the cooperative has served its member-owners based on 7 guiding principles: voluntary and open membership, member-elected and controlled boards of directors, members' economic participation, autonomy and independence, education and training, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for community; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the members of the Corn Belt Energy Corporation on the 75th anniversary of their cooperative; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Corn Belt Energy Corporation as a symbol of our esteem and respect.