The Power of Connections

James Fortman (left) and Chris Mennemeyer made their way to Maridi, Sudan, in 2011.

following a 2005 peace accord that stabilized the region. With access to few tools and no machines, the group set forty poles and built nearly three miles of powerlines to help bring the war-ravaged community to life. In 2011, a return trip to Sudan to the city of Maridi included CREC’s James Fortman and Chris Mennemeyer, who volunteered their time and skills from March 26 through April 16 that year, again as a part of the NRECA International Foundation. Working in temperatures up to 90 degrees without any rain, the linemen continued building distribution lines to bring power to homes. Chris Mennemeyer continued his international journey in 2013 and volunteered for a trip to Haiti, this time joining a lineman from New York and another from Alaska. The three helped to set fifty-two poles, climbing and stringing wires to electrify thirty two residential and industrial buildings. Throughout all these trips, the linemen were also teaching local, newer electric laborers as they worked.

78 Cuivre River Electric Cooperative