Married PEC Members Meet Each Other on Youth Tour
Many previous Youth Tour participants have met lifelong friends during the trip to Washington, D.C. That was the case for PEC members J. Don and Patty McAlpin, who met the love of their lives back when they attended in 1985. Each year, PEC and electric cooperatives around the country sponsor young members to take a trip to the nation’s capital.
“I can still remember the moment we met,” J. Don said. “She was wearing a red-and-white striped shirt and white shorts.”
The two came from West Texas towns. J. Don, from Spur, was a delegate of Dickens Electric Cooperative (known as South Plains Electric Cooperative today), and Patty, from Olton, came with Swisher Electric Cooperative. To be selected, they each had to successfully make a speech.
“I had a copy of my speech for the longest time,” Patty said. “My topic was on the pros and cons of co-ops offering appliances for purchase. I remember one student using the
this piggy went to the market line and thought that would’ve been clever to use.”
Back in those days, students rode a bus, instead of taking a plane, to D.C. This gave J. Don and Patty a lot of time to get to know each other.
“I got to know her story, and she was about to be a senior in high school,” J. Don said. “I was a year older and about to go off to Texas Tech.”
Patty told J. Don that her father had recently accepted a new job, which meant they would soon move to Breckenridge, a town about an hour northeast of Abilene. So, they initially thought the friendship might only be for the trip. Nonetheless, they were able to chat a lot together while riding the bus to sites like Mount Vernon, the Washington Monument, and the National Mall.
“Back then, we didn’t have social media or cell phones, and since I was moving, he didn’t know what my address or home number would be, so we just went our separate ways,” Patty said.
After graduating from high school in 1986, Patty chose to attend Texas Tech. She remembered J. Don saying he was going to attend Tech, and saw his picture in the Kappa Alpha house her freshman year. They had a class together in 1987, began spending a lot of time together in 1988, started dating in 1989, and got married on September 1, 1990.
“She was always so easy to talk to, and since we had already known each other for so long, it felt natural,” J. Don said.
Time at Youth Tour
The two enjoyed their trip and meeting their state representatives, congressmen, and senators. They even heard President Ronald Reagan speak.
But what stood out the most was the camp-like closeness they felt with the rest of the students. They remembered times when they would play folk songs and hang out together at the end of every day. While it seemed like they’d never hear from their Youth Tour friends again, many of them have been able to reconnect through social media.
“There’s a 1985 Youth Tour Facebook group that we are a part of, and we’ve enjoyed getting to talk with many of the attendees through that,” Patty said. “And one of the attendees actually lives in San Saba, so we were able to go to his steakhouse.”
About Youth Tour
Youth Tour is an annual program in which electric cooperatives from around the nation send high school delegates on an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. Students have a chance to see historical sites, meet their representatives at the White House, and make lifelong friends.
PEC is accepting Youth Tour applications until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, November 12. Those selected will attend the trip between June 15-22, 2025.
A reference form is required as part of the application process and is due on the same date as the application. Please note your reference will not receive the form until you submit your application. Be sure to allow enough time for your reference to complete it by the deadline.
To become a PEC delegate, candidates must:
- Have completed their high school sophomore, junior, or senior year by June 2025.
- Have a parent or legal guardian who is a PEC member in good standing or is a PEC employee.
- Be available to attend the trip between June 15-22, 2025, and the orientation on February 9, 2025.
Complete an online application by Tuesday, November 12, at 11:59 p.m. This will include:
- Your current resume.
- A short-answer response not to exceed 250 words.
- A completed reference form.
The students with the highest scores will move to a group interview round. Click here to apply and learn more.
