Monday | September 13, 2021
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Cohasset, Minn. – Through the contributions of Lake Country Power's participating members, the Operation Round Up® Electric Trust Board recently approved $52,884 in assistance to local community programs during its quarterly meeting.

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.

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.

Most Recent Recipients

  • Longville Lions: Community garden, food shelf

  • City of Cook: Community Thanksgiving Dinner

  • City of Deer River: Walking, bike trail

  • Well Being Development/Northern Lights Clubhouse: Food, transportation, technology

  • Sisu Heritage, Inc.: Nelimark Museum signage

  • Friends of Wirtanen Pioneer Farm: Farm Fall Festival 2021

  • Independent School District 701 Hibbing: Clean and restore historic mural

  • Zion Love Project: Quilts for various entities

  • Aitkin County Habitat for Humanity: Software to schedule donors and volunteers

  • City of Hill City: Community garden and learning center

  • Itasca Community Television, Inc.: Local happenings support

  • Tower Soudan Civic Club: Community center water source spigot

  • Project Care Free Clinic: Medical, office and diabetic supplies

  • Society of St. Vincent de Paul: Neighbors in Need

  • Barnum Community Church: The Blessings Bag Project

  • Itasca Community Connect: Connect Itasca County residents to resources

  • Tower-Soudan Civic Club: Operation Santa Warm Gifts Drive

  • ElderCircle: In-home support

  • City of Cromwell: Pavilion park lighting

  • Hill City Area Food Shelf: Food for needy people

  • Wee Care Sewers – St. Paul’s Lutheran Church: Baby layettes for Life Care Center

  • Orr Recreation & Resource Center, Inc.: Community room, kitchen roof replacement

  • Children’s Discovery Museum/The Judy Garland Museum: Outdoor Judy Garland movie on mega screen

  • Ruby’s Pantry: Food for increased need

  • Voyageurs Area Council/Boy Scouts of America: Scholarships, volunteer recognition

  • TWC Caring Program (area clothing depot): Help children during Christmas season

  • Arrowhead Manufacturer & Fabricator Association: AMFA Legacy Grant tool box

  • Well Being Development/Northern Lights Clubhouse: Support for mental health adults

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 43,000 members, nearly 64 percent 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 or using an online form at lakecountrypower.coop.

Applications are available online at www.lakecountrypower.coop. The next application deadline is November 15.