The Lead of the Line: Lonnie Wujcik’s Story

PLYMOUTH – Lonnie Wujcik seems steeped in storied service traditions.

Straight out of high school Lonnie joined the Navy and served a few years as a Boatswain’s Mate, stationed on the USS Denver in San Diego. Described by the Navy as “the heart of every ship,” the “Boats” are one of the oldest and proudest communities, dating back to the American Revolutionary War.

They are the go-to sailors. Their skills, leadership abilities and sense of adventure make them capable of handling a wide range of duties. Not unlike Lonnie’s work today as a lineworker.

Lonnie joined the Co-op 10 years ago. Recently, he moved into the role of lead – supervising the installation, removal or maintenance of electrical equipment. He’s enjoying the job and sharing the skills and techniques he’s learned in his years of working on the line.

Still, there’s a lot to being a lineworker, as any lineworker would tell you. It’s one of the types of jobs that when you get the call, you go. It’s a lifestyle.

“You miss a lot of big life events. Storms affect everybody working at the Co-op, so it affects everybody’s family. It’s not just a part of my kids’ lives,” said Lonnie, who has two children with summer birthdays – a son who will turn 16 and a daughter looking at 21.

The commitment to the work and the life, though, is not unlike the dedication of sailors on a ship.

Being lead on a crew brings satisfaction on many levels from problem solving power issues to team building.

“It’s helped me understand people and their personalities, kind of what makes them tick, which helps you and comes in very handy to make the job go smooth,” he said. “It’s made me a better communicator, especially when working in teams.”

When he’s off the clock, Lonnie, who does some hunting, said he mostly enjoys relaxing and hanging out with his family. And a lot of fishing.