Electric co-op family recognized in national contest

family
The Schmieg family: (back row, from left): Caden, Tanen, Rachel, Sadie; (middle): Jensen, Eva, Blake; (front, seated): Kaliyah, Suryianna.

A family is founded in love, not blood. A community is built by connections, not boundaries. Rachel and Blake Schmieg have opened their hearts to foster children and grown their family through adoption. They power through ups and downs and strengthen their community with care they feel called to share.

What comes naturally to the Schmiegs has earned them recognition nationally. The family, members of Whetstone Valley Electric Cooperative of Milbank, South Dakota, placed third in Touchstone Energy’s annual #WhoPowersYou contest. Whetstone Valley Electric is a Class C member of Basin Electric through East River Electric Power Cooperative, Madison, South Dakota.

Read more in the Winter 2021 issue of Basin Today magazine: Whetstone Valley Electric family recognized in national #whopowersyou contest