Surry-Yadkin Electric Membership Corporation employee Jeff Nixon, senior apparatus technician, recently coordinated donations to provide lineman’s climbing gear for a lineman in Uganda.
Nixon explained that the need came to him through fellow church member and missionary Brian Tyndall. Tyndall and his wife, Carla, are the founders of Uttermost Evangelism. Each year, Tyndall travels to Africa to conduct outdoor crusades at different locations approved by the governments there.
Charles, a new lineman in Uganda, uses new climbing gear donated by Jeff Nixon
Tyndall reached out to Nixon early in 2021 before a trip to Uganda to let him know that one of the men who works with him in Africa, Charles, had recently taken a lineman’s job with a Uganda power company. But because of limited resources in the country, it was difficult to acquire the climbing equipment Charles needed for his job. Nixon shared the project and his intention to provide the tools for Charles with his supervisor, manager and a few co-workers at SYEMC.
“They all loved the idea and were eager to offer the funds needed to buy the tools with their own money,” Nixon said. “You can always count on all of my co-workers to help out when there is a need for assistance, whether it is for a co-worker, co-op member, food pantry, or community need.”
Nixon coordinated with friend and business owner Tim Sawyers, operator of AGP Utility Tool & Repair, who donated the climbing boots and quoted the prices for the other tools needed. Sawyers reached out to Wade Summerlin with Utility Service Agency in Charlotte, one of his equipment suppliers, who was able to provide some of the tools needed through his company. The remainder of the tools needed were paid for by Nixon and his co-workers and delivered a few days before Tyndall headed to Africa. “It was a great way to help people like Charles in other countries develop and maintain their country’s infrastructure and provide the benefits of electricity and a better quality of life, along with meeting their spiritual needs,” Nixon said.