Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives are marking a major milestone this year as beloved mascot Willie Wiredhand celebrates his 75th birthday, and everyone is invited to join the celebration through a statewide coloring contest.

The contest welcomes participants of all ages, with four entry categories designed to include everyone – from pre-kindergarten through second grade, grades 3-5, grades 6-8 and high school and older.

Entries must be turned in by Oct. 24, with winners announced on Oct. 30. Prizes will be awarded to first, second and third-place winners in each age group.

Participants are asked to color the official Willie Wiredhand birthday sheet and fill in their name, grade, school, city and co-op information before submitting.

Entries can be mailed directly to OAEC (Oklahoma Association of Electric Cooperatives) by Oct. 24, or dropped off locally at East Central Electric by Oct. 21. East Central Electric may also set an earlier local deadline to allow time to collect and batch entries for statewide judging.

Organizers encourage educators, parents and community members to help spread the word and make this year’s contest one to remember.

As Oklahoma’s electric cooperatives put it, celebrating Willie’s 75th birthday is about more than crayons and creativity – it’s a way to honor the cooperative spirit that keeps communities connected across the state.