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Published April 13, 2011, 12:00 AM

Small change makes a difference with REA's Operation Round-Up

Runestone Electric Association’s Operation Round Up has distributed more than $475,000 in grants to community-minded groups and organizations throughout the Cooperative’s service territory since its inception seven years ago. More than 61 percent of REA members allow their bills to be rounded up an average of 54 cents per month amounting to $6.44 per participating member for the year.

  • Recipients
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    Representing some of the organizations receiving Operation Round Up grants in March are (back row, left to right) Ken Voigt, American Red Cross; Jenny Kokett, Millerville Summer Rec; Sharolyn Sievert, Central Lakes Search and Rescue; Amanda Schmidt, Millerville Summer Rec; DeWayne Bisek, Operation Round Up; Karen Kuhnau, Spruce Hill Foundation; Iris Stark, Smokey Timbers Camp Foundation, Jerome Hagen, Operation Round Up; Ron Domschot, Outreach Food Shelf; Norman Stark, Smokey Timbers Camp Foundation, Tina Christenson, Someplace Safe; (middle row) Tina Johnson, Lakes Area Kids Day 2011; Jody Cunningham, Hancock Post Prom; Melanie Greseth, Lakes Area MOPS, Emily Siira, Kid’s Groundwater Festival; Kaitlin Bruns and Paige Stark, West Central FCCLA; (front row, left to right): LoAnne Jaeck, Stevens County Food Shelf; Barb Wiener, The Diaper Drive; Carla Beem, Operation Round Up; McKenna Blehr, West Central FCCLA.

Runestone Electric Association’s Operation Round Up has distributed more than $475,000 in grants to community-minded groups and organizations throughout the Cooperative’s service territory since its inception seven years ago.

More than 61 percent of REA members allow their bills to be rounded up an average of 54 cents per month amounting to $6.44 per participating member for the year.

The following 36 area organizations shared $13,350 in grants from Operation Round Up during the fourth quarter distribution cycle:

• Fire departments and first responders: Kensington Fire and Rescue ($500).

• Food shelf: Stevens County Food Shelf ($500); Long Prairie Food Pantry ($500); Hearts and Hands Food Shelf ($1,000); Grants County Food Shelf ($1,000) and Outreach Food Shelf ($1,000).

• Youth: Douglas County Safety Day Camp ($500); Lakes Area Charter School ($50); Kids’ Groundwater Festival ($250); West Central Area Post Prom ($200); Brandon/Evansville Post Prom ($200); Hancock Post Prom ($200); West Central Area Babe Ruth ($200); JHS Senior Graduation Party ($200); Morris Area Post Prom ($200); New Testament School Prom ($50); Ashby High School Post Prom ($200); Millerville Summer Rec ($200); Lakes Area Kids Day 2011 ($200) and Brandon Summer Rec ($200).

• Community: Minnesota Lakes Maritime Museum ($250); Someplace Safe Stevens Outreach ($250); Someplace Safe Pope Outreach ($500); Someplace Safe Grant Outreach ($500); Someplace Safe Douglas Outreach ($500); Habitat for Humanity – Stevens County ($500); Lakes Area MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) ($100); Spruce Hill Foundation ($300); Central Lakes Search and Rescue ($500); American Red Cross – West Central MN Chapter ($500); Kensington Nutrition Center ($500); West Central Area Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) ($250); Smokey Timber Camp Foundation ($500); Grant County Humane Society ($250); MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) of Elbow Lake ($100) and The Diaper Drive ($500).

Participation in Operation Round Up is strictly voluntary. Members that wish to participate, do nothing. Your contribution will be included on your future bills. If members want to opt-out of the program, they merely need to call REA to be removed from the rounding up of their electric bills.

Area organizations are encouraged to apply for Operation Round Up grants. The deadline for the next round of funding is May 13. Application forms are available by calling Runestone Electric at (320) 762-1121 or 1-800-473-1722. Applications can be downloaded from the REA website www.RunestoneElectric.com.

Runestone Electric Association serves more than 13,600 members in the rural areas of Douglas, Pope, Grant, Stevens, Otter Tail, Stearns and Todd counties.

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