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Through the contributions of Lake Country Power's participating members, the Operation Round Up® Electric Trust Board recently approved $57,115 in assistance to local community programs during its quarterly meeting.

The cooperative’s Trust Board reviewed and considered 44 grant applications and distributed funds to 42 projects and programs this past quarter. Since the program’s inception in October 2004, more than $2.9 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

  • Grace House of Itasca County, funds for homeless funding and volunteer recognition

  • North Country Ride, funds for feed toward therapy horses

  • Walker Area Food Shelf, funds to help offset rising food costs

  • Walker Bay Theater, funds for the summer 2022 theater season

  • Itasca Curling Association, funds to replace ice matt system

  • Hoyt Lakes Water Carnival Committee, funds for community carnival activities

  • Alborn Volunteer Fire Department, funds for self-contained breathing apparatuses

  • Siseebakwet Lake Association, funds toward a porta-potty at public landing

  • Mount Itasca Ski and Outing Club, funds toward ski patrol

  • Up North Quilt Guild, funds toward valor quilts

  • Grand Rapids Farmers Market, funds to promote healthy eating through the Power of Produce Club

  • City of Hill City, funds for community playground

  • Deer River Area Food Shelf, funds to help with hunger

  • Foster Love Closet, funds toward supplies and clothing

  • Longville Area Community Choir, funds for free music concerts in the park

  • New Beginnings Pregnancy Care Center, funds toward washer and dryer to clean free used clothing

  • ElderCircle Senior Day, funds toward a dinner for 400+ seniors

  • Queen of Peace Quilters, funds for adult and baby quilts

  • Lawron Church Quilters, funds for quilting

  • Moose Lake Township, funds for pickleball courts

  • Cloquet Fourth of July Celebration, funds for free family celebrations

  • Lakeside Quilters of Tamarack, funds for community service quilts

  • St. Louis County Volunteer Rescue Squad, funds for binoculars for incident response

  • Grand Rapids Players Association, funds for Grand Rapids Players Summer Theater Kids Camp

  • Old School Lives, funds for Cultivating Connection 2022

  • Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry (Camp Hiawatha), funds for septic field replacement

  • Embarrass Region Fair Association, funds for tents at Embarrass Region Fair

  • Voyageurs Lutheran Ministry (Camp Vermilion), funds for EpiPens and first aid packs

  • Project Care Free Clinic, funds for basic healthcare of uninsured and underinsured

  • Northern Lights Music Festival, funds for the music festival season

  • Alpha Delta Kappa Psi Chapter, funds for Little Red Bookshelf and Tales for Tots

  • Farmstead Artisans, funds to update the museum coffee center and visiting area

  • Itasca County Family YMCA, funds for youth room

  • Washington Elementary School P.I.E., funds for eighth annual Light Up The Night run/walk

  • Town of Morcom, funds for community playground

  • Carlton County Retired Educators, funds for cleaning supplies

  • Bethlehem Lutheran Church of Wright, funds for quilts

  • Ely Folk School, funds for Kids Makers Mornings

  • Well Being Development/Northern Lights Clubhouse, funds for transportation, food support, technology access

  • Orr Volunteer Fire Department, funds for turnout gear for volunteer firefighters

  • Northern Lakes Arts Association, funds for children’s theater accessible for all

  • Boys & Girls Club of the Northland-Hibbing Initiative, funds for general operating support

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 (My Cooperative > Community > Operation Round Up®). The next application deadline is August 15.