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Can you imagine life without electricity and the conveniences it affords us? I bet most of you can’t, and neither can I. But, rural residents in the early 1930s not only imagined it, they lived it. That is, until President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Rural Electrification Administration in 1935. Executive Order 7037, part of
Roosevelt’s New Deal, was the beginning of many electric cooperatives across the nation, like West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC).

A group of local farmers and Jackson County residents formed WFEC in December 1937, filing its Articles of Incorporation on December 11, 1937 and holding its first meeting of incorporators and members on December 21, 1937. At this meeting, applications for membership in the cooperative were approved and bylaws were adopted. A president, A.J. Crutchfield was elected and other officers were also selected. 

This year, WFEC will celebrate 80 years of empowering its members. Do you remember when electricity was brought to your home for the very first time? How life was before that? How electricity changed things? We want to hear from you! 30366003

Contact Candace Croft at ccroft@westflorida.coop and you may see your story in an upcoming issue of this newsletter.