NLI Members Enjoy Annual Meeting Barbecue
PrintStory and photos by Elissa Glassman
On a pleasant evening in June, as the sun peeked through the clouds, Northern Lights Inc. (NLI) members gathered, once again, to enjoy delicious Wood’s Smokies and ice cream at the Sagle headquarters.
Attendees at this year’s annual meeting shared the honor of listening to a beautiful rendition of the national anthem, sung by Sarah Kugle from the Sandpoint High School choir.
There were 189 registered NLI members, with 268 folks in attendance, as the cooperative celebrated 87 years of service to the members.
NLI Board President Steve Elgar addressed the members. General Manager Annie Terracciano gave an annual meeting message on the cooperative’s many goals and accomplishments.
This year’s educational and lineworker scholarship winners were congratulated, and those in attendance received certificates.
Co-op members visited with Steve, Annie and the rest of the board members.
Members were captivated by the life-size electrical display built and demonstrated by co-op lineworkers.
NLI has a long and rich history in northern Idaho and western Montana, the area it has served since 1935. The co-op was organized to bring electricity to those rural areas investor-owned utilities would not serve. When it was established more than 87 years ago as Northern Idaho Rural Electrical Rehabilitation Association, it was the first rural electric cooperative west of the Mississippi River.
Today, NLI is one of the largest cooperatives in Idaho, serving more than 22,000 accounts.
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- Lineworker Brian Lanaville, right, visits with members.
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- Members observe an electrical safety demonstration presented by NLI lineworkers.
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- NLI members gather for the annual meeting.
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- From left, NLI General Manager Annie Terracciano, Board President Steve Elgar, Line Superintendent Mike Thompson and attorney Susan Weeks chat before the meeting.
