A team of seven Conway Corp employees recently traveled more than 1,000 miles to bring light – literally and figuratively – to families in the Navajo Nation as part of the 2025 Light Up Navajo initiative.

Conway Corp Journeyman Lineman / Training Coordinator Si Anthony, Senior Lineman Nathan Ball, Apprentice Linemen 1 Dylan Hopper and Tim Ragland, Apprentice Lineman 4 Kyle Troxler, Electric Distribution System Manager Robert Meek and CEO Bret Carroll joined utility workers from across the country to help bring electricity to homes in the Dilkon District, a remote area of northeastern Arizona where many residents live without access to power.

The team spent a week working in six Navajo Nation chapters: Birdsprings, Whitecone, Dilkon Southwest, Winslow-Dilkon, Teesto and Jeddito. Throughout the project, the crew helped set nearly 20 utility poles, built new power lines and energized five homes – each in a different chapter.

For most of the residents they served, this was the first time they had electricity in their homes.

“It was a very humbling and rewarding experience,” Conway Corp Distribution Manager Robert Meek said. “Everyone was so friendly and happy to see us and very thankful for our assistance. You could see what it meant to them.”

The Light Up Navajo initiative is a collaboration between the American Public Power Association (APPA) and the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA). Since the launch of the initiative, public power utilities from across the country have volunteered time and resources to extend electric service to the more than 13,000 homes in the Navajo Nation that still live without power.

For the Conway Corp team, the trip was physically demanding but deeply meaningful. The crew worked long hours in unfamiliar terrain and under intense desert heat, but the smiles, handshakes and tears of gratitude from Navajo residents made every effort worthwhile.

Si Anthony called the experience ‘unforgettable.’

“I am honored to get the chance to go build power lines in the Navajo Nation,” Anthony said. “Getting to work alongside Navajo Linemen is something I’ll never forget. We worked long hours through high winds that blew sand everywhere and the hot sun with zero shade. My favorite part was meeting a grandfather and his grandchildren, that we finished providing power for. They invited us into their Hogan (home), which was so cool. They were so happy to have power now. Working there was one of the most rewarding experiences in my career.”

Kyle Troxler echoed the sentiment.

“I’m thankful that I work for a company that’s fueled by putting others first. The Navajo Nation needs our help, and I’m honored that I got to play a small part.”

For Nathan Ball, it was more than a service project – it was a calling.

“Traveling to the Navajo Nation was an incredible experience. It was a blessing to be part of the effort in bringing power to people who have never lived with electricity. The crew that left their families for over a week to serve the Navajo people did an amazing job, and I was honored to be found among them.”

Dylan Hopper added, “Not only was the food good, but everyone was super nice. It was a great feeling to go help those without power and to see how everyone lives in that area.”

“In my 27 years at Conway Corp, I’ve been fortunate to be involved in many meaningful projects, but participating in Light Up Navajo VI stands out as one of the most impactful,” Conway Corp CEO Bret Carroll said. “The team that represented Conway Corp did an exceptional job. Their skill, commitment and the heart they brought to the work were truly inspiring. I couldn’t be prouder of how they served.”

Conway Corp is honored to participate in projects like Light Up Navajo, where the impact of public power goes far beyond city limits. Through teamwork, compassion and commitment to service, these employees brought more than just light – they brought connection, opportunity and renewed dignity to the people they served.