‘Who Powers You’ Contest Nominations Now Being Accepted
Southeastern Southeastern Electric along with the region’s other Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives are excited to announce the fifth annual Who Powers You Contest. Online nominations open on Sun., Feb. 1 at WhoPowersYouContest.com. The contest highlights local figures who are making a difference in their communities.
“Each year, I look forward to meeting and learning about our members that are volunteering their time and energy to bring positive change to our communities,” said Erica Fitzhugh, Communications and Public Relations Manager at Southeastern Electric Cooperative. “They don’t do it for the recognition, but each of them deserve to be recognized, and we’d like to help make that happen.”
Member-owners, employees, and residents who live or work within the service territory of the region’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives are eligible to be nominated. Nominations will be accepted February 1 through mid-April 2026. 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 starting in March, and the three contest winners will be announced on Keloland Living in May.
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.
In 2025, Tami Berens, Daniel Knutson, and Antonio Casiello from Southeastern Electric’s service territory were featured as finalists during the contest. Tami Berens positively impacts the Parker community with her involvement on the REC sports board, as a 4-H Club Leader, as the FFA Poultry team coach, and as co-leader of a high school youth group at her church. Daniel Knutson is an active member of the Centerville community and impacts many organizations in positive ways, especially by volunteering with the Scandia Lutheran Church. Antonio Casiello helped start the Longley Foundation, a suicide prevention foundation, which provides suicide awareness programs and raises funds for suicide prevention.
“As an electric cooperative, our services extend beyond delivering safe and reliable power to our member-owners,” Fitzhugh said. “The Who Powers You contest highlights the commitment of our co-op to the communities and member-owners that we serve. We know that our co-op community is filled with people making a difference. Let’s celebrate them!”
To learn more about the Who Powers You contest and to nominate someone in your community, visit WhoPowersYouContest.com.
Click here to submit a nomination!
Please direct any questions about the contest to cbakken@eastriver.coop.