Commonwealth Electric Company of the Midwest became an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) on January 1, 2017,
and this was our second year of celebrating Employee Ownership Month. And boy did we celebrate! The Employee Ownership
Committee set the theme for this year’s month of activities as “Tailgating”. Each Commonwealth location decorated around
the theme and every week an event was held that also followed that theme.

Week One we handed out stress balls in the shape of footballs, with our Employee Ownership logo on them, and at the same
time brought in a cookie shaped like a football for all employees to enjoy.

Week Two we shared our favorite tailgate snack (we seem to plan a lot of activities around food!), and there were some tasty
snacks brought in!

Week Three was donation week, and the amount and variety of donations was truly heartwarming and incredible. Each location chose their own specific charity to donate to, and no two locations were alike. At our Phoenix Expo location, they chose to donate children’s books to the local Children’s Hospital. Our Phoenix Branch donated over a pallet and a half of bottled water to the homeless. The Tucson Branch did a food drive this year that was incredible. Des Moines, Iowa, held a bedding donation week for the Youth Homes of Mid-America – there were quite a few blankets, pillows and sheets that were brought in! Omaha collected toilet paper for Sienna Francis house, which, monthly, goes through over 2400 rolls of toilet paper. Both Lincoln locations collected and donated over 850 pairs of socks to People’s City Mission. Columbus collected winter clothing for the Center for Survivors. Every employee who made a donation received an ESOP Owners Month 2019 long-sleeve t-shirt, in appreciation for their donation.

Our final week of ESOP month we had a true tailgate at each location, with cookouts and lots of food for all the employees. A
couple locations had a chili cook-off contest that was delicious, with a Cornhole tournament and Jenga games. Each location
had a great time with plenty of team building time.

Throughout the month we also had a few contests that employees could participate in, and at the same time, they learned more
about the nuts and bolts of our ESOP plan. We know with being new to an ESOP there are always lots of questions and concerns,
and this was a great opportunity for employees to ask questions, and, be rewarded with gift cards for submitting questions!