20 local nonprofits receive $20,244 from Operation Round Up
Polk-Burnett Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up program awarded $20,244 to 20 local nonprofits in April, including $1,000 to the ICCPA Foundation to help publish a newspaper for local kids, pictured above. The newspaper will be delivered throughout the year to schools and libraries to improve media literacy and reading skills.
“We are proud to support community programs and local youth, according to our cooperative principles,” said Polk-Burnett General Manager Steve Stroshane. “We’re grateful to our members for their participation in Operation Round Up; your generosity makes a significant impact to so many programs and families in our area.”
Operation Round Up grants are funded by members of Polk-Burnett who round their monthly electric bill up to the next even dollar amount. Since 1998, Operation Round Up has given more than $1 million to local nonprofits to improve our local quality of life.
Spring Operation Round Up grant recipients are:
1. Luck Senior Center, $1,000, new carpet
2. Softec Education, $2,000, 3D printer for workforce training
3. St. Croix Falls Public Library, $1,000, summer reading program for youth
4. Inter-County Cooperative Publishing Assoc. Foundation, $1,000, newspaper for kids
5. Quarter Moon Acres Equine Therapy Center, $1,089, laptop computer and PATH membership
6. Friends of Amery Public Library, $1,000, large-print books
7. Caring Hearts Thirftshop, $1,500, Webster-area food pantry
8. Humane Society of Burnett County, $1,155, no-cost microchip clinic for local pet owners
9. Clear Lake Gaylord Nelson Elementary School, $1,000, books for students
10. Luck High School FCCLA, $500, state conference to build leadership and life skills
11. Luck/Frederic Boys Golf, $500, equipment for golf team
12. WPCA Radio Dream Center, $1,000, repair transmitter shack floor and studio entrance
13. Frederic Birch Street Elementary School, $1,000, schoolwide theme unit celebrating the arts|
14. Youth for Big Doctor Lake, $500, improve fish habitat and water quality with native plants and algae prevention
15. West Denmark Woodland School, $1,000, outdoor classroom for preschool program
16. Milltown Public Library, $1,000, programs for youth and adults, such as Touch a Truck
17. Wilberg Memorial Public Library, Osceola, $1,000, STREAM learning kits for youth and families
18. Cycling without Age in Amery, $1,000, trishaw bicycles for seniors and people with disabilities
19. Village of Clear Lake Parks, $1,000, benches, bike racks, swing set, water fountain and other park improvements
20. Festival Theatre, $1,000, move back into historic auditorium
Operation Round Up grant recipients are selected quarterly by a co-op member board of directors. Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for a grant or co-op members who’d like to round their bill up in support of Operation Round Up may contact 800-421-0283 or our Operation Round Up webpage. The next application deadline is June 1.
Below: Operation Round Up presented a $2,000 check to SOFTEC Education. The donation will be used for a new technician training program that teaches skills in 3D printing and computer-aided design. Over the course of two semesters, SOFTEC will provide training to become an entry-level medical device or research and development technician; students will learn computer-aided design skills, build a working robot and learn to test medical devices.
