Through the contributions of Lake Country Power’s participating members, the Operation Round Up® Electric Trust Board recently approved $44,300 in assistance to local community programs during its quarterly meeting.

The cooperative’s Trust Board reviewed and considered 33 grant applications and distributed funds to 27 projects and programs this past quarter.

All funds generated through Operation Round Up® are set aside in a trust fund. A voluntary Trust Board of nine co-op members administers the trust. Of the funds collected through the program, 100% is distributed to charitable organizations through an application and selection process. The Trust Board uses special guidelines and policies when choosing recipients. Since the program’s inception, more than $3.6 million in contributions have been given.

Most Recent Recipients

Friends of Wirtanen Pioneer Farm

Lawrence Lake Township

Hibbing Historical Society

Grace House of Itasca County

Longville Area Food Shelf

Cook Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church Quilters

Gethsemane Mission Sewing

Up North Quilt Guild

Wright Area Community Organization

Feeley Township

Grand Lake Volunteer Fire Department

Trinity Lutheran Church Quilters

Aitkin Youth Center

Tower-Soudan Historical Society

Well Being Development/Northern Lights Clubhouse

New Beginnings Pregnancy and Family Support

Aitkin County Triad

Project READ ISD #318

United Way of 1000 Lakes

St. Louis County Sheriff Rescue Squad

Support Within Reach Sexual Violence Resource Center

Faith in Action for Cass County

Walker Area Food Shelf

St. Louis County Historical Society

Tower-Soudan Civic Club

Queen of Peace Quilters

Operation Round Up® is a charitable program unique to electric co-ops, which is designed to provide financial assistance to worthwhile activities and community projects by “rounding up” members’ electric bills to the nearest dollar. The average donation of each participating Lake Country Power member is less than $6 annually.

Among Lake Country Power’s 44,000 members, 70% of all active electric accounts participate in the program through voluntary contributions. Interested members can opt into the Operation Round Up® program by calling the cooperative at 800-421-9959.

Applications are available online at www.lakecountrypower.coop (My Cooperative > Community > Operation Round Up®). The next application deadline is November 15.

Lake Country Power, www.lakecountrypower.coop, is a Touchstone Energy® cooperative serving parts of eight counties in northeastern Minnesota. The rural electric cooperative provides services to more than 44,000 members and has offices located in Cohasset, Kettle River and Mountain Iron.