Central Electric Cooperative is awarding $13,800 in Operation Round-Up grants to support area projects. Through Operation Round-Up, participating cooperative members round up their monthly electric bill to the next whole dollar, and the contributions are pooled together to support local causes. Several Central Electric employees also contribute to the fund.
Upon reviewing applications from several worthy organizations, the Operation Round-Up board of trustees approved the following grant awards:
- Abernathy Post 16 (Gann Valley): $1,000 for American Legion grave markers
- Bridgewater-Emery School Career & Technical Education: $1,500 for welding equipment
- Canova Volunteer Fire Department: $2,000 for hoses and equipment
- Friends of Miner County 4-H: $500 for campground improvements
- Friends of Sanborn County 4-H: $1,000 for tables and chairs
- Hanson County 4-H Leaders: $1,300 for arena bleachers
- Hearts and Hammers of S.D. (Howard): $1,000 for home repair materials and equipment
- Helping Ends Meet Food Program (Chamberlain): $1,500 for youth nutrition program
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery Association (Mount Vernon): $500 for a fence
- J&B 4-H Shooting Sports (Wessington Springs): $1,000 for equipment and supplies
- Sleep in Heavenly Peace (Mitchell): $2,500 for youth bed building program
“We are so grateful to co-op members and employees who make this program possible,” said Tara Miller, manager of communications at Central Electric. “There is power in numbers. Every year, the board of trustees sends roughly $25,000 back to our local communities through Operation Round-Up.”
Since 2015, Central Electric’s Operation Round-Up® fund has generated nearly $200,000 to support area projects. A volunteer board of trustees made up of cooperative members from each county awards the grants. Members of the board of trustees are Julie Dykstra of Stickney, Clarissa Glaus of Chamberlain, Yvette Isburg of Fort Thompson, David Jorgenson of Mitchell, LeAnn Moe of Alexandria, Amber Kolousek of Wessington Springs, Tami Moore of Howard, Dawna VanOverschelde of Letcher and cooperative director Merl Bechen of Mitchell.
Grant applications are accepted every six months. The next deadline is May 1, 2024.