Through the contributions of Lake Country Power's participating members, the Operation Round Up® Electric Trust Board recently approved $49,950 in assistance to local community programs during its quarterly meeting. 

The cooperative’s Trust Board reviewed and considered 50 grant applications and distributed funds to 43 projects and programs this past quarter.

“I would like to thank the board for awarding Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge the funds to help overcome drug and alcohol addictions,” said Dave Buxengard, northern Minnesota funding director for MNATC. “The program is not an easy one, so on behalf of the recipients of these services, I would like to thank co-op members for their generosity and support.”

Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge is a 13-month program. To stay committed, patients receive counseling to diagnose the root cause of their addictions. With funding from Operation Round Up®, the organization will be able to provide counseling for 20 people for a month.  

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% 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

• Itasca County Agricultural Association

• Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge, northland chapter

• Siseebakwet Lake Association, Inc.  

• Leech Lake Area Chamber of Commerce

• St. Louis County Rescue Squad

• Bigfork youth baseball

• Ruth’s Free Wig Closet

• Forest History Center/Minnesota Historical Society

• Trinity Lutheran Quilters

• North St. Louis County 4-H Federation

• City of Tower/Tower-Soudan Historical Society

• Minnesota Firefighter Initiative

• Boundary Waters Care Center

• Over the Hill Quilters

• McGregor Area Food Shelf

• Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity

• Longville Area Community Choir

• KOOTASCA Community Action

• Hoyt Lakes Water Carnival Committee

• Grand Lake Fire Department

• Peace United Methodist Church Quilters

• Wee Care Sewers/St. Paul’s Lutheran Church

• Itasca County Family YMCA

• Check and Connect/South Ridge School

• Itasca Youth for Christ

• Check and Connect/Chisholm High School

• Grand Rapids United Methodist Church Quilters

• Thunder Fast Pitch Softball

• Kinney Great Scott Volunteer Fire Department

• City of Hill City Fourth of July

• Queen of Peace Quilters

• Project Care Free Clinic

• Gethsemane Women of the ELCA Quilters

• Well Being Development/Northern Lights Clubhouse

• Carlton County Retired Educators

• Ely Folk School

• Foster Love Closet

• McGregor Area Ambulance

• ElderCircle Senior Day 2023

• Project READ ISD 318

• Old School Lives, Inc.

• Boundary Waters Choral Festival and Choral Arts

• Northern Lights Music Festival, Inc.

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, 67% 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.