Ranges donated to local high school

August 1, 2011 -- Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation of Jonesboro donated two electric ranges to the new Riverside High School in Lake City Thursday, July 28, 2011.

Riverside School Superintendent Tommy Knight (right) accepts ranges from Craighead Electric.

"Craighead Electric Cooperative is a strong supporter of education," said Brian Duncan, CEO of Craighead Electric Cooperative. "The electric range program along with our safety efforts and energy efficiency programs are examples of this support."

Craighead Electric Cooperative and the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas began donating electric appliances to high schools in the 1950s to allow students to extend their learning experiences beyond textbooks.

The Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas comprise 17 electric distribution cooperatives; Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc. (AECI), a Little Rock-based cooperative that provides various services to the distribution cooperatives; and Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corp. (AECC), a generation and transmission cooperative. The distribution cooperatives provide electricity to more than 500,000 members in Arkansas and surrounding states.

Craighead Electric Cooperative serves approximately 28,000 members in eight counties in Northeast Arkansas. Incorporated in 1937, the cooperative operates office in Jonesboro, Walnut Ridge and Paragould. The locally owned and managed organization has 100 employees.