Four Jackson EMC linemen recently joined fellow electric cooperative linemen from across Georgia to bring electricity to a Guatemalan village where people had never had electricity.
During the 15-day project, the volunteers built more than four miles of electric line, bringing electricity to approximately 55 homes, two schools and two churches in Guadalupe.
Brendan Brewer, Ben Brissey, Josh Nix and Alex Solhtalab joined linemen from Cobb EMC, Coweta-Fayette EMC, Flint Energies, Habersham EMC and Walton EMC. Together, the volunteer linemen completed the project through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) International Foundation.
Each day, the linemen traveled more than an hour and half from their hotel in a nearby city to Guadalupe, where local villagers installed more than 55 poles by hand prior to the volunteers’ arrival. The linemen then installed and connected power lines to local homes, churches and schools.
“Every pole had to be climbed,” said Brissey, a journeyman lineman in Jefferson. “It wasn’t really a place that a bucket truck would be able to go. Most of the places we went to, we either had to drive with a truck or a motorcycle, or we walked.”
“The terrain was very challenging,” said Solhtalab, a journeyman lineman in Gwinnett. “[It was] a lot of hills, a lot of walking.”
Throughout construction, residents carried wire, tools and equipment across the mountainous terrain and worked alongside the volunteer linemen to help bring electricity to their village.
“The kids were happy to see us,” said Nix, a journeyman lineman in Jefferson. “From the time we pulled in the village, the kids were just running up to us, screaming (and) just happy that we were there.”
Many homes in Guadalupe have tin roofs and dirt floors. The volunteer linemen installed basic outlets and switches so families could safely begin using electricity inside their homes.
The most memorable moment came when the power lines were energized. “When everyone got their lights on, it was very fun to go watch them flip on the light switches, and watch the lights come on and plug things in receptacles,” said Brewer, a journeyman lineman in Gwinnett.
Guadalupe residents showed their appreciation for the linemen with a celebration. “It was a real accomplishment for all of us in the state of Georgia and NRECA to finally get that project done,” Brissey said.
Brewer said the experience reflected the same spirit of service he sees every day at Jackson EMC. The cooperative supported the volunteer linemen by helping coordinate travel and ensuring they had the tools and equipment needed for the project.
“I think the reason why I wanted to go to Guatemala was the same reason I want to work at Jackson EMC, just because I like helping people,” Nix said.
Since 1962, NRECA International has helped more than 220 million people worldwide to improve their quality of life by providing them access to safe, reliable and affordable electricity. The NRECA International Fund has helped establish more than 250 electric utilities and electric cooperatives in 54 countries.