It's the season of giving, and once again Boone Electric Cooperative is partnering with Q106.1's Secret Elf Toy Drive to bring some holiday joy to kids at MU Children's Hospital. Head elves Q106.1's Damon Knight and Children's Miracle Network Assistant Director Kristen Fritchie join the show to discuss the 16-year legacy of this homegrown initiative, the best gifts to give this holiday season and — most importantly — how to participate in the 2025 toy drive.

Our journey through the 7 Cooperative Principles comes to a close with Concern For Community. Boone Electric Community Trust President Kelly Sharp joins us to discuss the Trust's history of giving in mid-Missouri, how grant applications are reviewed and the scholarships available to high school students in the Columbia area.

This month we go back beyond the pages of October's issue of Plugged In to speak with Boone Electric Cooperative Director Caroline Andriano. Caroline shares her experience during the first year of being a member of the board and learning the director's perspective on the co-op's culture of service.

Boone Electric Cooperative's 2025 Annual Meeting is coming up next Thursday! BEC Director Caroline Andriano shares her experience on the ballot as a director candidate in 2024, some changes in this year's meeting format to honor the anniversary of Sept. 11 and her experience as a candidate on the ballot in 2024.

Welcome to The Buzz — Boone Electric Cooperative's 2025 Annual Meeting is just around the corner, scheduled for Thurs., Sept. 11, 2025. In this month's episode, we discuss the voting process at annual meeting, who is eligible to vote and when voting is available to members of the cooperative. We also hear from the candidates — incumbents and challengers — running in this year's election for the Boone Electric Cooperative Board of Directors.

Welcome to The Buzz - Boone Electric Cooperative Manager of Operations Jimmy Goodnight returns to discuss one of the most important ways electric co-ops lend a helping hand: mutual aid. From power restoration after a storm to electrification in other parts of the world, Cooperation Among Cooperatives is a driving force behind the cooperative business model. We also discuss the safety culture surrounding the linework side of helping neighbors in need and the various forms that assistance sometimes takes in the field.

Welcome to The Buzz — This month we go beyond the pages of Plugged In to have a longer conversation with Boone Electric Cooperative Director Joel Bullard. The former BEC Board President and recent Missouri Institute of Cooperative Hall of Fame inductee shares his history with the co-op, the issues the board tackles at the table each month and his philosophy about making sure the members always have a voice in their business.

Welcome to The Buzz — This month, Boone Electric Cooperative’s member service technicians – Wes Fewell and Chuck Nichols – explain how to save money on your electricity bill! It’s all part of Cooperative Principle No. 5: Education, Training and Information. Learn how a simple review of your home’s basic features can help you keep cool in the summer or stay warm in the winter – and save some dollars every month in the process.

Welcome to The Buzz — Registration is open for members to join Boone Electric Cooperative at our second Night at the Movies event! Join us for family-friendly fun, free food and drinks and of course a movie! Lakeside Ashland Manager Meagan Hodges joins the show to discuss the guest experience at Night at the Movies, what’s new at Lakeside Ashland and what visitors can expect from the venue in 2025 – and beyond!

Welcome to The Buzz — Spring is just around the corner (we hope) and that means storm season in mid-Missouri. Boone Electric Cooperative’s Manger of Operations Jimmy Goodnight and Manager of Engineering Andrew Petri share how the co-op plans and prepares for bad weather and what it takes to turn the power back on in the event of an outage. Along the way, we find out how outages are prioritized, what members should do in case they experience an outage and the variables involved in how long it can take to restore the system. Plus, we answer the age-old question, “When is my power coming back on?” (The answer: “Never as quick we want it to!”)

Boone Electric Cooperative Journeyman Lineman Clay Nolte shares his story of an electrification mission to Viucalvitz, Guatemala — part of an ongoing project by the Missouri International Program. Clay along with his fellow linemen spent more than two weeks in December 2024 building a power system and wiring homes in a remote part of the jungle mountain countryside. Clay shares what it's like doing line work the hard way, traversing volcanoes and what he experienced helping bring electricity to new co-op members in another country. Bonus material: The one essential item he packed in case of emergency!

Mizzou student Case Melzer joins us in the studio to discuss his experiences as a delegate to the Youth Tour and CYCLE programs. Case also shares how his background growing up on a fifth-generation dairy farm in Harrisonville put him in touch with the cooperative business model at a young age, and how his high school experiences with electric co-ops have helped shape his educational pursuits and career aspirations.

Welcome to The Buzz — Boone Electric Cooperative CEO and General Manager Todd Culley joins us for an in-depth Cooperative Principle No. 4. (Autonomy and Independence) and how the origins of the electric cooperative movement still affect how co-ops of all kinds do business almost 90 years later. Members being able to shape their own destiny, it turns out, makes for a strong community with a bright future.

Welcome to The Buzz — Boone Electric Cooperative Board President Kim Ponder returns to discuss the third cooperative principle (Member Economic Participation) and what members receive for their investment in their cooperative.

Welcome to The Buzz — Boone Electric Cooperative Board Director Joel Bullard joins us to discuss the second cooperative principle (Democratic Member Control) and what it means to be a member of a cooperative. We also discuss the balance co-op directors must find between affordable rates and ensured reliability, the importance of voting and Joel's recent induction as a member of the Missouri Electric Cooperative Hall of Fame.

Welcome to The Buzz — Boone Electric Cooperative Board President Kim Ponder joins us to discuss the first cooperative principle (Open and Voluntary Membership) and what it means to be a member of a cooperative. Hint: It's more than just getting a bill!

Welcome to The Buzz — In today's special episode, Boone Electric Manager of Member Services Laura Baker joins us to discuss all things Annual Meeting. BEC's 2024 annual meeting of the membership is scheduled to be held on Sept. 14, 2024 at the co-op's headquarters located at 1413 Rangeline in Columbia.  For more information, visit us online at www.booneelectric.coop.

Welcome to The Buzz — a monthly message from Boone Electric Cooperative to our community celebrating what it means to be a member-owner of your local electric cooperative.In this introductory episode, Boone Electric CEO/General Manager Todd Culley joins us to discuss the origins of the cooperative business model and the birth of Boone Electric Cooperative. For more information, visit us online at www.booneelectric.coop.