North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory signed the Lineman Appreciation Day act Thursday morning in Raleigh, designating Saturday to recognize linemen from the state’s 26 electric cooperatives, including Four County Electric Membership Cooperative, which serves Bladen County.
“I respect the work and sacrifice of linemen and their families,” McCrory said at Thursday’s signing ceremony. “It takes talent and skill to do the job they do in sometimes dangerous conditions, and they deserve this recognition.”
In future years, the act designates the second Monday in April as Lineman Appreciation Day. The bill’s sponsors were Rep. Kelly Hastings (R-Gaston), Rep. John Bradford (R-Mecklenburg), Rep. Gary Pendleton (R-Wake), Rep. Jean Farmer-Butterfield (D-Wilson) and Sen. Warren Daniel (R-Burke).
“I’m honored that our state’s legislators and Gov. McCrory saw it fit to honor linemen this way,” said Donald Neems, a crew leader with 24 years of experience from Piedmont EMC based in Hillsborough. “It feels really good to know they appreciate what we do and understand the unique nature of our jobs.”
Neems attended the signing ceremony along with Corey Hayes, a serviceman from Roanoke Electric in Aulander, and Derek Avery, a first class lineman with South River EMC based in Dunn.
North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives collectively employ more than 1,400 linemen who maintain more than 95,000 miles of power lines in 93 of the state’s 100 counties.
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