Shannon Collins-Pinto Named as Southeastern Electric Cooperative Finalist in Regional Who Powers You Contest
Shannon Collins-Pinto powers the communities within Southeastern Electric Cooperative’s service territory with her involvement in the Sioux Falls Fraternal Order of Police, the Community Emergency Response Team, as a FEMA volunteer and by volunteering her time and skills to individuals in need of home healthcare. This selfless dedication to her community is what earned her recognition as a finalist from Southeastern Electric Cooperative in the third annual regional Who Powers You contest.
“My wife and I are no longer young, but I would guess that will never hold her back from living life to serve her community because when she is down herself, she looks to comfort others, and that is why I am nominating her so that she knows how much we care about her,” wrote Gino Pinto, Shannon’s husband.
The Who Powers You Contest is hosted by the region’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives to highlight local figures who are making a difference in their communities. “Shannon uses her leadership skills, healthcare experience and emergency response training to volunteer in several different ways in our community,” shared Chad Kinsley, CEO of Southeastern Electric Cooperative.
Through FEMA, Shannon was deployed as a volunteer to assist in the areas devastated from hurricanes Katrina and Evan. She assessed the damage and helped supply food and water at Red Cross Stations. She also assists with local disasters such as the recent derechos and blizzards. Shannon encourages anyone that is interested in assisting their community to attend the Citizen’s Police Academy and get involved with the Community Emergency Response Team.
Shannon spent years working in the healthcare industry and now uses that knowledge to provide both volunteer and paid assistance to families in need of home healthcare services. “Navigating the stages of life that come with age and illness are difficult for families,” shared Shannon. “With my previous experience in the healthcare industry, I am able to connect families with the right agencies to learn about their options for home healthcare, assisted living and more.”
Currently, Shannon is volunteering her time to help an individual start a new 501c3 organization to provide backpacks to local foster care youth. These backpacks will provide the children with school supplies, educational games and healthy snacks. Shannon has experience writing bylaws, statutes and implementing a board of directors as she previously created the Assembly for Northern Native Americans Foundation. The foundation supplied Native Americans with tools for assisting their aging elders and ways to keep their native languages alive.
“There is always time to do something a little extra to help out your community,” said Shannon. “All nominees in this contest are deserving of the accolades and each of us has the capacity to do many good deeds, but if you can find one thing you excel at, pursue that and use the skill to do good in your own community.” Shannon’s story was featured on Keloland Living on March 28. A recap of the segment is also available on the contest’s webpage at WhoPowersYouContest.com.
Member-owners, employees and citizens who live or work within the service territory of the region’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives were eligible to be nominated for the Who Powers You contest. Nominations for the 2024 program have closed. Three final winners will be selected by a panel of judges based on the impact that they have on the community. Weekly finalists will be announced and featured on Keloland Living and the three contest winners will be announced on Keloland Living on May 30, 2024. The Who Powers You contest grand prize winner will receive a $3,000 prize. A second place winner will receive $1,500 and the contest’s third place winner will receive $500.