When most of us in North Dakota simply flip a switch, a remote community in central Guatemala still relies on candles and open fires. Recognizing that stark contrast, Capital Electric Cooperative organized a volunteer mission to bring reliable electricity to San Luis Palo Grande.

Volunteer team and mission goals

Jeff Holzer, manager of operations at Capital Electric Cooperative, and Paul Fitterer, the cooperative’s general manager, led a crew of 13 volunteer line workers from electric cooperatives across the state. Over a 17‑day period, the team will install roughly two‑and‑a‑half miles of new power lines, connecting more than 50 homes and a local school to the grid.

“We felt that we needed to make a difference using something we’re good at,” Fitterer said. The volunteers will hand‑string wire, mount poles and wire homes entirely by hand, as the crew does not have access to bucket trucks or digger derricks. “Everything will be done by hand. We’ll have to be creative on stringing wire, wiring homes, and using our best imagination on how to get the job done,” Holzer explained.

Impact on daily life

Electricity promises safer cooking, extended study hours for children and a foundation for local businesses. Residents currently grind corn and coffee beans by hand, cook over open fires and rely on candles—if they can afford them—to study after dark. With power, families will pay only a fraction of what they now spend on candles, expensive alternative fuels and batteries.

Once construction is complete, the local utility will assume responsibility for maintaining the lines, ensuring the community continues to benefit long after the volunteers return home.

Supporting the effort

The North Dakota Association of Rural Electric Cooperatives is encouraging residents to contribute to a fundraising campaign that will purchase electric kitchen devices for the village. Donations can be made through the North Dakota Guatemala electrification project page.

This mission exemplifies how North Dakota’s cooperative spirit can reach beyond state borders, offering tangible help to families in need while reinforcing the values of service, faith and family that define our communities.

Original reporting: KFYR-TV Bismarck (news) — read the source article.