The Missouri Electric Cooperatives bring community service and fish to Jefferson City.
The Missouri Electric Cooperative held its annual fish fry earlier this week. In what has become a staple event for the Co-op’s, and a favorite of many in Jefferson City, the event displayed what is so loved about the co-ops, their desire to serve their community and do it with a smile.
Electric cooperative employees from across the state came together to host the annual Your Local Electric Cooperative Fish Fry in Jefferson City on April 23. Nearly 900 guests, including legislators, state officials, cooperative members and Capitol visitors, were served more than 600 pounds of freshly fried fish and sides during the event right on the front lawn of the Missouri state capitol.
“The Fish Fry is more than a good meal — it’s a symbol of who we are as electric cooperatives,” says Caleb Jones, CEO and executive vice president of Missouri Electric Cooperatives. “For more than 20 years, this tradition has brought us together to share our mission and connect with the people we serve, including those who impact our communities.”
Missouri electric cooperatives began in the 1930s and 1940s during the New Deal era, a time when many rural communities faced significant challenges in accessing reliable and affordable electricity. Disregarded by profit-driven utility companies, local farmers and residents formed electric cooperatives to pool resources and build the infrastructure necessary to deliver power to their communities. By the 1950s, these cooperatives were instrumental in transforming rural Missouri, facilitating economic growth and improving quality of life. Today, they serve millions of residents, focusing on providing dependable power, fostering community engagement, and promoting sustainable energy practices.
The Fish Fry, first held in 2002, is now an annual tradition that celebrates the partnership between Missouri’s electric cooperatives and the communities they serve. The event allows electric cooperative leaders to share the mission of electric cooperatives: delivering reliable, affordable power to homes and businesses across the state.
“We want to send a huge thank you to Sho-Me Power Electric Cooperative for organizing the event and all the members of our co-op family from across the state for joining us in Jefferson City to serve those working at and visiting the Capitol,” Jones said. “This event allows cooperative leaders to share the electric cooperative mission: delivering reliable, affordable power to homes and businesses across the state.”
The fish fry is one of many outreach efforts by the state’s electric cooperatives to keep the lines of communication open between cooperatives and the people they serve.
Jake Kroesen is a Jackson County native and a graduate of the University of Central Missouri. He holds a B.S. in Political Science.
