Scenes from Lowell: Lineworker Appreciation Dinner

Each year, April 18 is set aside for Lineworker Appreciation Day. It’s a time to remember the men and women who help keep our lights on, and Lowell Light & Power often marks the occasion with a variety of giveaways and other special events.

For probably seven years, local lineworkers have also been invited to a special dinner in their honor. Organized by Marty and Laurie Chambers, the event has grown to accommodate all Lowell Light & Power staff and their families.

“Our light and power crew is second to none,” Marty Chambers says. When he and his wife realized that nothing was being done locally to commemorate Lineworker Appreciation Day, they decided it was time to change that.

The Lineworker Appreciation Dinner has been held at various locations throughout the years, but the 2024 event — held on Saturday, April 27 — took it back to New Union Brewery. That’s the same location as the first dinner. At that time, the gathering was small enough to fit inside the brewery. This year, more than 30 people attended and made good use of New Union’s expanded  outdoor space.

“It’s amazing that people care to do this type of thing,” says Ryan Teachworth, electric distribution and transmission manager for Lowell Light & Power. “To have this type of recognition, it’s pretty dang awesome.”

LLP General Manager Charlie West echoes Teachworth’s comments. “Marty and Laurie take the initiative to do something to recognize a group of people who work really hard for this community…not a lot of places to that,” he says.

While the Chambers head up the event, they have plenty of help from others in the community.

George Cook is one example. He prepares meat for the dinner, which this year included smoked chicken, ribs and pulled pork. “He has a huge smoker, and he does it for free,” Marty Chambers shares.

The meat was donated by Aaron Laux of Gary’s Meat, and John and Colleen Timpson of Timpson Trucking picked the drink tab at New Union.

In addition to the meats, the dinner featured cheesy potatoes, church beans and salad.

For dessert, there were cupcakes from Sweet Seasons, cookies from White Family Farms Home Bakery and, of course, cake.

In the past, lineworkers have been given a mug to keep at New Union Brewer that included the LLP logo. With the appreciation dinner now expanded to include all the utility’s workers, mugs were created for office staff as well. However, instead of traditional mugs, they requested mason jars, for which Optec provided complimentary etching.

After dinner was done, it was time for a raffle, and the Chambers made sure everyone got a prize. The couple own Red Barn Mercantile in the historic downtown and enlisted the help of other local businesses help.

“We’ve been doing this just because we want to,” Laurie Chambers says, and Marty adds that the couple isn’t looking for recognition. However, it’s hard not recognize that the annual Lineworker Appreciation Dinner probably wouldn’t exist without them, nor would a similar appreciation event for Department of Public Works employees in May.

Our thanks to the Chambers for creating this event, and our thanks to the LLP lineworkers and staff for ensuring Lowell residents have affordable, reliable energy!

 

The following people and businesses all contributed to the success of the 2024 event, according to Marty Chambers:

  • Ability Weavers
  • Bella Grace Boutique
  • Lewis G. Bender, Ph.D.
  • Betten Baker Auto
  • Big Boiler Brewery
  • Tina Cadwallader
  • Chimera Design
  • George Cook
  • Culver’s
  • Jeff and Tina Dickerman of Optec
  • Flat River Grill
  • Gary’s County Meats
  • Harold Zeigler Ford
  • Joella Miller
  • Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
  • New Union Brewery
  • Red Barn Mercantile
  • Jim Salzwedel
  • Nancy at Station Salon
  • Sweet Seasons
  • John and Colleen Timpson of Timpson Trucking
  • White Family Farms Home Bakery

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