Moments in Time: Electricity and Broadband Beginnings Intertwined 

Cooperative beginnings and Choptank Fiber’s first customer shared history.

“We wish we knew what fast was,” said Sherry Hollingsworth about the internet service she and her husband Gordon had been using up to this point. Mrs. Hollingsworth need not wonder about fast internet speeds anymore — now, she and her husband can experience true gigabit-speed internet service at their home on Log Cabin Road in Denton, Maryland. Gordon and Sherry Hollingsworth are the very first connected customers of Choptank Fiber, Choptank Electric’s broadband affiliate. 
Choptank Electric has recognized for a long time that internet has quickly become a necessity that, unfortunately, many do not have access to in the rural United States. It was not that long ago, only 82 years since 1939, that our Cooperative was formed by a small group of farmers in Caroline County who needed electricity to increase business activity, ease chores, and add quality to their lives. 
Among that original group of farmers stands Archie Carroll, who will turn 90 in August, and who is Mrs. Sherry Hollingsworth’s father. He remembers when his dad was connected to the electrical grid, as one of the very first members of Choptank Electric Cooperative when he was only eight years old. 
“We moved to the farm in 1937,” he recalled, “and we had a Delco-Light unit to run a few lights for a few hours, but that was it. We didn’t have any electricity. Then in 1939, I was walking home from school and these people were driving stakes into the ground.” Mr. Archie chuckled as he continued, “They told me ‘If you want electricity, don’t mess with these stakes. Leave them alone!’” 
Before electricity, Mr. Carroll recollected the heating situation in the home. “We had only two wood stoves. One in the kitchen and one in the living room, and nothing upstairs. You had to pile on the blankets at night, and it wasn’t uncommon to take a glass of water to bed and wake up with a cup of solid ice in the morning.” 
Electricity changed all of that. Not only did it relieve Archie’s mom from washing oil lamp globes every day and heat their home, electricity helped boost his father’s dairy farm production. They went from milking by hand with a bucket of milk exposed to the elements to an all-enclosed, cooling process that made it safer and more efficient. He was one of the first dairy farmers to own a milking parlor in the county because of their electric membership with Choptank Electric Cooperative. Access to electricity improved their quality of life personally and professionally. Electricity changed everyone’s lives for the better back then, just like reliable, fast broadband internet can and will here on the Eastern Shore. 
When planning out where these first broadband demo sites would be located, Choptank Electric staff analyzed the fiber that was already in place and how it connected back into our grid. 
“It’s a brilliant stroke of luck and extremely appropriate that the Hollingsworth family are our first Choptank Fiber customers,” said Mike Malandro, President and CEO of Choptank Electric Cooperative and President of Choptank Fiber. “It wasn’t planned this way, but the fact that they have deep-rooted ties to the origins of Choptank Electric Cooperative, and now Choptank Fiber — It’s just serendipitous.”  
“It’s amazing all the services that we depend on, that need internet,” said Mrs. Hollingsworth. While people who reside in the city centers don’t have to worry about high-speed internet service availability, Mrs. Hollingsworth spoke about her many issues as a rural resident with limited internet options. “All of this COVID mess has really made it difficult for us, especially without reliable internet. I was on a virtual doctor appointment the other day, and the video kept cutting off, the audio going in and out. The doctor was struggling to understand me and see me.” 
Telehealth is just one of the many benefits that members will finally be able to take advantage of once the gigabit speed is available. Virtual learning, running a business from your home, shopping — the possibilities are endless. “It’s such a big part of our world now. It’s the little things like trying to buy a movie ticket that people don’t think about,” said Mrs. Hollingsworth. 
The Hollingsworths cannot wait to use the faster internet service to talk to their grandchildren. “This is the bright side to the story,” said Mr. Hollingsworth. “It will be nice to finally see the grandkids over video chat.”  
“Gordon and I are extremely excited and honored to be part of this incredible service. We really appreciate the outstanding work of Choptank Electric’s employees,” continued Mrs. Hollingsworth. “It will be a blessing to finally have reliable internet service.” 
On April 15, Mike Malandro memorialized the Hollingsworth’s connection during a ribbon-cutting ceremony alongside Gov. Larry Hogan, members of the Eastern Shore Delegation, Caroline County Commissioners and others, along with employees and staff and held a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the special occasion.
During the event, Malandro introduced his “No Home Left Behind” philosophy by declaring that “our real goal is to change the quality of life for rural members on the Eastern Shore.” 
Gov. Hogan even commemorated the occasion by presenting an official citation to recognize the importance of Choptank Fiber’s ribbon cutting and honor Choptank Electric Cooperative’s commitment to expanding access to broadband on the Eastern Shore. 
“We have been so successful over the years at delivering electric service to rural residents …broadband service and internet access have become almost as important as electric service was over 80 years ago. I am pleased that we have found a way to deliver this life-changing service to our members,” said Jeff Rathell, Chairman of the Cooperative Board of Directors. 
Choptank Fiber plans to have its first 50 customers hooked up by end of June 2021. 
To learn more about Choptank Fiber please visit www.choptankfiber.com.