Lake Country Power, through the Operation Round Up® Electric Trust Board, awarded $52,884 in assistance to local community programs. The cooperative’s Trust Board reviewed and considered 32 grant applications and distributed funds to 28 projects and programs this past quarter. Since the program’s inception in October 2004, more than $2.7 million has been distributed to community-based projects and programs.

Pictured at the Lake Country Power service center in Cohasset on Sept. 20 are (front): Beth George (Itasca Community Television-local happenings calendar), Lin Benson (City of Hill City – Community garden/learning center), Rose and Wayne Suronen  (Barnum Community Church – Blessings Bag project), Carol Johnson (Longville Lions – for Longville Area Community Garden) and Shirley Schwan (Zion Love Project-quilt supplies). Back row: Brad Olson (Voyageurs Area Council/Boy Scouts of America, Mark Box (City of Deer River-Walking/bike trail), Ann Schwartz (Aitkin County Habitat for Humanity-software to schedule donors/volunteers) and Janie Heitz (Children’s Discovery Museum/The Judy Garland Museum-movie on outdoor screen).

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 percent is distributed to charitable organizations through an application and selection process. The Trust Board uses special guidelines and policies when choosing recipients.