When the lights go out, they show up.

This April, it’s the perfect time to celebrate a lineworker… the ones who answer the call when others are taking cover, who step into the storm so others can stay safe at home. Their work is often unseen, but their impact is felt in every light that comes back on. Behind every restored moment is someone who showed up when it mattered most.

Before the first call comes in. Before the roads are clear. Before most of us have even stepped outside to see what the storm left behind, they’re already on their way. Trucks rolling. Gear loaded. Minds focused. Ready to do what needs to be done. For lineworkers, storms don’t mean slowing down. They mean it’s time to go.

After a major storm, a TVEC lineman cuts through a massive tree to clear the line.

Linework isn’t just a job, it’s a commitment that doesn’t follow a schedule. It doesn’t pause for weekends, holidays or family plans. In fact, it often asks for more when it matters most. It may mean missing a birthday party or a child’s baseball game. It may mean leaving the dinner table halfway through a meal or answering a call in the middle of the night. Behind every lineman is a family that understands the call to serve, even when it takes them away from home.

At TVEC, that service doesn’t stop at our own lines. Through mutual aid, our crews have packed up and headed out to help other cooperatives and communities during some of their toughest moments.

With floodwaters rising below, a lineman assesses the situation to help restore power.

After major storms, hurricanes and widespread outages, they’ve traveled far from home to stand shoulder to shoulder with other lineworkers, restoring power for people they may never meet.

Different towns. Different faces. Same mission.

TVEC crews assist fellow Texas co-op Bowie-Cass with power restoration after a tornado.

Long days turn into longer nights. The work is steady, the conditions are tough, and the goal is always the same: get the lights back on. It’s not about recognition. It’s not about credit. It’s about doing what needs to be done, because that’s what co-ops do.

That’s the cooperative difference.

TVEC crews working alongside other co-ops after Hurricane Helene damage.

Electric cooperatives were built on the idea that communities take care of each other. That when one needs help, others respond. It’s more than a model, it’s a promise. One that stretches beyond service territory lines and shows up wherever it’s needed.

Lined up and ready, crews gather for one purpose: mutual aid.

There are two days often recognized to honor lineworkers. Co-op Lineworker Appreciation Day is observed on the second Monday of April, as designated by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. While some still recognize April 18, many cooperatives celebrate on this Monday in April. National Lineworker Appreciation Day, established by Congress, is observed on April 18. But the truth is, recognition isn’t limited to a single day on the calendar, because the work they do doesn’t happen on just one day.

When we say we are Here. For You., we’re talking about the individuals who show up in the hardest conditions, at the most inconvenient hours, doing work that is often unseen but always essential. They are the ones who climb, restore, repair and respond. They are the ones who leave when others stay. They are the ones who answer the call, every time.

They are your neighbors.
They are your friends.
They are your community.

And no matter the day, no matter the storm, they remain committed to one simple promise… to show up and serve.

So the next time you see a lineworker, take a moment to say thank you. It means more than you know.