Member focused. People powered.
PEC is member focused and people powered. That’s why we proudly sponsored a project at Wimberley High School, whose top-notch career and technical education program perfectly matched PEC’s commitment to supporting area students. With funds from our Power of Change Program, PEC sponsored a barbecue pit designed and built by seniors Aiden Dornak and Sam Kenley under the guidance of Ag Mechanics Teacher Brent Werner. The 250-gallon smoker was showcased at four agricultural mechanics competitions across Texas, earning blue ribbons at each event.
“We worked countless hours after school, all night,” Werner said. “They were very thankful to PEC for the opportunity.”
In May, Dornak and Kenley fired up their barbecue pit, hosting a cookout at Wimberley High School to thank PEC for its support and give back to local first responders.
“My advisor and I were talking about doing a welding competition and maybe barbecuing. I figured if we were barbecuing, we ought to help give back to the community that gives us so much as well,” Dornak said at the cookout. “My favorite part of the project is what we’re doing today, being able to cook on it for the first time and share it with friends and family from all over Texas.”
PEC’s Mikayla Herron, Freddie Fernandez, Blaine Carlile, and Daniel Hill attended the cookout to show their support. Events like this are an opportunity for community connection and for PEC to share information about our lineworker Pre-Apprenticeship Program with students. Recruiting and training talent locally reinforces our cooperative values by building a workforce that is rooted in the community.
After the event, the pit was donated back to PEC to feed our hungry crews.
“We’re so proud of what Aiden and Sam were able to accomplish with our support,” Herron said. “Investing in the success of local students creates a better future for us all. We know they will go on to do great things!”
