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RETIRING A LEGACY OF SERVICE
In October, Central Rural Electric Cooperative will bid farewell to a remarkable leader with a legacy woven into the cooperative’s history. Central’s board president, Carol Dvorak, will retire after 12 years of service on the board of trustees.
Her retirement celebrates a legacy of dedication and community service that began with her grandfather, one of Central’s founding members. A FAMILY’S LEGACY In the early 1930s, when the rural areas of Oklahoma were still without electricity, Herman Schroeder was among a group of local farmers who saw a need and the potential for change. Understanding the importance of access to electricity in rural areas, Schroeder and nine other local farmers worked tirelessly to establish the cooperative and light up central Oklahoma. “My grandpa would go and knock on
doors and emphasize to farmers the importance of electricity and that they could have light to do things like milk their cows,” Dvorak said. “He worked hard for the cooperative, and my mom would help by typing the applications.” During Schroeder’s time on Central’s board, which lasted into the 60s, the cooperative grew from powering 141 farms and homes to more than 9,000 members. “What stuck with me was how if you wanted to improve something, you worked hard to make it happen,” Dvorak said. “He didn’t wait for something to be done, he made it happen for so many rural families.” These stories left a lasting impression on Dvorak, shaping her values and guiding her path back to where her grandfather started. CONTINUING THE TRADITION When she married her husband, Scott, they had the opportunity to
Herman Schroeder and other founding members breaking ground at Central Rural Electric Cooperative’s first headquarters.
work the original farmland where her grandfather first received electricity when he helped start Central. Dvorak said, “While my husband was farming, he would say things like, ‘I figured out what your grandfather was doing to prevent soil erosion near the creek.’ It was like he knew my grandfather in a way I never did. It was a really special connection.” Dvorak won Central’s district three trustee seat in 2012. She said, “Hearing stories about my grandfather and watching my father start a rural water district and serve on a cooperative board, they had a huge impact on my decision to run for Central’s board.” While Dvorak considered running for Central’s board, she spoke to Jim Williams who had replaced her grandfather’s seat. n SEE “RETIRING A LEGACY OF SERVICE” PAGE 3
Carol Dvorak addressing members at the 2022 Chandler Kilowatts and Brats.