Central Electric Cooperative is awarding $13,100 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. Contributions averaging 50 cents per member are pooled together to support local causes through the grant program. Several Central Electric Cooperative employees also contribute to the fund.

Upon reviewing applications from organizations across the service territory, the Operation Round-Up board of trustees approved the following grant awards.

November 2022 Grant Awards:
$1,400 – Aurora County 4-H Leaders (facility wiring and improvements)
$2,000 – Dacotah Tipis Habitat for Humanity (tools and supplies)
$1,500 – Fedora Volunteer Fire Department (rescue equipment)
$1,000 – Kimball Backpack Program (youth nutritional support)
$1,500 – Kimball Center Food Pantry (building improvements)
$1,000 – Little Tikes Daycare (appliance upgrades)
$500 – Sanborn County 4-H Leaders/Hudson Fouberg (outdoor learning space)
$1,000 – Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery (shelter, parking improvements)
$700 – Town of Fulton (automated external defibrillator)
$2,500 – Wessington Springs Athletic Boosters (tables and chairs for community events)

“Residents and non-profit groups in each county we serve are benefitting from current and past Operation Round-Up grants. Since 2015, the program has generated more than $170,000 to support local projects,” said Tara Miller, manager of communications at Central Electric.

Trustees represent the eight-county territory, consisting of Aurora, Brule, Buffalo, Davison, Hanson, Jerauld, Miner and Sanborn Counties. Trustees are Julie Dykstra of Stickney, Jill Ekstrum of Kimball, David Jorgenson of Mitchell, Amber Kolousek of Wessington Springs, LeAnn Moe of Alexandria, Tami Moore of Howard, Ellen Speck of Gann Valley, Dawna VanOverschelde of Letcher and cooperative director-at-large Merl Bechen of Mitchell.

Grant applications are accepted every six months. The next deadline is May 1, 2023. For more information, please call 1-800-477-2892 or contact your local trustee.