On June 10, Cherryland will hold its Annual Member Meeting in person at Turtle Creek Stadium. Some may remember the “old” days when we held the meeting outside before a Beach Bums game. Well, the Pit Spitters are the team at the stadium now, and they will be playing a game after our work is done this year. All things old are new once again.

We pulled off a virtual Annual Meeting last year during the height of the pandemic. There was thought given to doing that again. In fact, we could actually do it online every year, but that is not who we are at our core.

We are an electric cooperative owned by the members we serve. The Annual Meeting is our one time each year to thank members face to face for supporting us. I love to answer questions from the crowd. In person, you can look somebody in the eye and feel the sincerity of the inquiry and give an answer from the heart. A computer screen will never have the same human connection.

Please know that the pandemic is not over. Caution and respect for the rules of the day are neither being tossed aside nor do we take them lightly. Management, employees, and players with the Pit Spitters went through the pandemic at its height in 2020. They know all the rules, and we support following protocols to the letter. We want to see faces in the stands, but it must be done safely. Safety will be our main priority.

Turtle Creek Stadium will allow us to spread out while being outside in the open air. This checks off two key safety measures. When we get to June, if the governor says masks will be worn, masks will be required. If six feet remains the mandated social distance, members will be spaced accordingly. This could lead to a limit on attendance. We can only apologize in advance for any inconvenience people may encounter. Your patience and understanding will be appreciated.

Special thanks go out to Chris Mohrhardt at Incredible Mo’s. He allowed us to move our 2021 deposits forward to 2022. We have had a great partnership with everyone at “Mo’s” while holding our Annual Meeting there the past several years. They understood the need to spread people out and keep them completely outside until we are free of the virus. We remain grateful for their partnership and understanding. We look forward to going back there in the future.

I believe we are all craving some human interaction after more than a year of uncertainty and isolation. Everyone at Cherryland is excited about talking and laughing with the people we serve once again. If you feel comfortable and safe, I hope you consider attending the meeting and staying for the game.

In the old days of speaking to the membership from the top of a dugout, I often wore a shirt with a message or sign of the times. Could that old tradition come back too? I think you may want to step up to the plate on June 10 to find out.

It’s been a long year. We will be ready to take you out to the ball game!