MidSouth Electric Cooperative was founded by rural citizens who pooled their money to run electric lines to their properties when other utility companies refused. This is the foundation upon which MidSouth EC was created: It was built by members, it’s operated by members, and it is members who continue to fuel the cooperative’s decisions and advancements.
MidSouth EC has been serving the community for more than 83 years and is proud to look back and see how membership in the co-op has been passed down through generations. The LaSalle family from Madisonville exemplifies this tradition.
AC LaSalle grew up in Iola, graduated from Iola High School and has lived in MidSouth EC’s service territory since birth. His wife, Debbie, was born in Madisonville and after moving away for a time, returned to the area, where she met AC after the passing of her first husband.
The LaSalles hold the longest standing membership to date. AC’s parents, Arthur and Kathleen LaSalle, were one of the original 10 members of MidSouth. Their meter was established at their home in Iola when AC was a child.
Still in possession of the original family land in Iola, AC and Debbie now reside in Madisonville, where their home is powered by the co-op. They have five children and 13 grandchildren and have started to pass their MidSouth EC membership legacy to the next generation, as their daughter currently lives along co-op lines.
Over the years, Debbie and AC have borne witness to the growth of the co-op’s service territory and its communities, from the introduction of retail chains like McDonald’s and Walmart to technological advancements such as MidSouth EC’s high-speed fiber internet service.
AC and Debbie LaSalle in front of their Madisonville home.
“We signed up for fiber at my parent’s old place in Iola to keep an eye on the cattle my brothers and I raise,” AC says. “I can check surveillance cameras right from my phone. In fact, the other day I noticed a cow down on one of the cameras and was able to go over right away and get her up. Without remote access to those cameras, we could have lost that cow.”
Members like the LaSalle family are the driving force behind advancements made in MidSouth EC services over the years.
“The biggest thing we’ve seen change is the technology,” Debbie says. “From underground service to the fiber-optic lines, it has all made life a bit easier. It will be interesting to see what other changes come as our grandkids grow up here.”
The LaSalles love their small town and embrace the cooperative principle of Concern for Community. They’re deeply involved in the Madison County Fair, showing support for all fair participants and their own grandchildren. The couple also volunteers at the local food pantry and other community organizations, never hesitating to help their neighbors in need.
“I volunteer at the Son-Shine Center every Thursday, and on Tuesdays I get together with a sewing group at the Methodist church making quilts to give to the sheriff’s department and hospice center,” Debbie says. “If someone needs help hauling something, I’ll call up AC and tell him to bring his truck. We will never pass up a chance to lend a helping hand.”
AC’s parents, Arthur and Kathleen LaSalle.
MidSouth EC has grown significantly since AC’s parents first became members. The territory is not all rural anymore, and members’ needs vary. The board of directors, which comprises co-op members from eight districts, works diligently to bring the concerns of their respective communities into consideration. “We love the fact that our board members live right down the road from us,” Debbie says. “Just the other day we ran into one at the fair. It shows how they are a part of this community as much as we are.”
As the cooperative grows and the LaSalle family’s membership is passed on to their grandchildren, the values MidSouth EC was founded on, exemplified by members like AC and Debbie, will remain—community spirit and a commitment to service.
