Monday | July 3, 2023
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Central Electric Cooperative is awarding $15,000 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 more than two dozen organizations across the cooperative's footprint, the Operation Round-Up board of trustees approved the following grant awards:

 

  • Artesian Volunteer Fire Department - $2,200 for gear and equipment upgrades

  • Canova Cemetery Association - $1,400 for grounds maintenance

  • Children's Care Corner - $250 for the summer education program 

  • City of Emery - $1,000 for an automated external defibrillator (AED)

  • Dakota Counseling Institute - $2,200 for low-income and disabled housing

  • Howard School District - $500 for community garden trees

  • Miner County Historical Society - $1,500 for kitchen improvements 

  • Plankinton Ambulance Association - $800 for training equipment

  • Safe Place of Eastern South Dakota - $2,200 for appliances

  • South Dakota Tractor Museum - $500 for building improvements

  • The Salvation Army - $1,000 for the Compassion Kitchen nutrition program

  • Town of Stickney - $1,200 for playground equipment

  • White Lake Community Library - $250 for the summer reading program

 

"Since 2016, Operation Round-Up has given back roughly $185,000 to support local projects," said Tara Miller, manager of communications at Central Electric. "Many projects in our rural communities would not be possible without this support from our members." 

 Members on the board of 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 Nov. 1, 2023. For more information, please call 1-800-477-2892, visit www.centralec.coop/operation-round-up or contact your local trustee.