REA's Operation Round Up exceeds $500,000 in grants

Runestone Electric Association (REA) is celebrating! Operation Round Up has distributed more than $503,000 in 1,052 grants to community-minded groups and organizations throughout the cooperative’s service territory since its inception in 2003.

More than 65 percent or 8,616 of REA’s 13,683 members allow their bills to be rounded up to the next dollar with the average annual donation being just more than $6.

The following 31 area organizations shared $16,575 in grants from Operation Round Up during the fourth quarter distribution cycle:

• Fire departments and first responders: Garfield First Responders, $1,000; Morris Fire Department, $250; Alexandria Fire Department, $500; Wendell Fire Department, $500; and Lowry First Responders, $1,000.

• Youth: Osakis Public School, $200; Morris Area High School, $200; Hancock Post Prom, $200; Greater Minnesota Children’s Choir, $275; and West Central Area Schools, $200.

Community: Brandon History Center, $250; West Central Minnesota Communities Action, $1,000; Jingle Bells Foundation, $1,000; Douglas County Sheriff’s Posse, $500; Alexandria Area Uncompensated Care Program, $1,000; Urbank Lions, $500; Miracle Horse Riders, Inc., $500; Evansville Community Park, $500; Douglas County Salvation Army, $1,000; Pioneer Public Television, $250; Prevent Child Abuse Minnesota, $1,000; Friendship Ventures, $250; The Village Family Service Center, $250; Elder Network, $1,000; Habitat for Humanity Prairie Lakes-Stevens County, $500; Love, Inc., $500; West Central Minnesota Communities Action, $250; The Windmill Project, $500; Lakes Area Gymnastics, $500; and Angel Tree/Prison Fellowship, $500.

Seniors: Alexandria Senior Center, $500.

Area organizations are encouraged to apply for Operation Round Up grants. The deadline for the next round of funding is February 10. 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.

Tags: local news, news, rea, roundup