Lake Region Electric Cooperative
At Lake Region Electric Cooperative, we strive to improve the quality of life for our members. We believe in the power of working together to make good things happen, and to take care of people. Each of us has the ability to do good but, when we band together, that ability multiplies, turning good things into great things.
This is why your cooperative established the Operation Round Up Program years ago. Operation Round Up allows the cooperative and its members to partner together to provide financial assistance locally.
The program is supported by members who voluntarily “round up” their electric bill to the nearest dollar. For example, if your electric bill is $98.45, your bill would be rounded to $99.00 and the change – never any more than 99 cents a month – would go into LREC’s Operation Round Up Trust Fund for distribution to local non-profit entities. The trust fund is overseen by a volunteer, nine-member board of trustees, who are selected to serve by LREC’s Board of Directors. In addition to monthly member contributions, unclaimed capital credits are also added to the fund.
More than one hundred local organizations throughout our service territory recently received a total of $37,700 through Lake Region’s Operation Round Up Program. Beneficiaries included five county 4-H extension offices – supporting Becker, Clay, East Otter Tail, West Otter Tail, and Wilkin County 4-H Programs. The county fair associations in each of those regions were also awarded funds.
Another way the funds are used is to support the food shelves in our service territory. We recently presented 14 area food shelves with $400 each to help support their ongoing commitment to serve our local communities. Funding for area food pantries will be sent in March to optimize matched donations during Food Share Month.
Other beneficiaries included 27 area fire departments, 13 post prom committees, 24 local high school and college scholarship foundations, and 24 community festivals and events. All of this is made possible because of the generosity of Lake Region’s members.
As a cooperative, we are committed to not only providing our members with safe, reliable, and affordable electricity, but also investing in and strengthening the communities we serve. The Operation Round Up Program is unique to electric cooperatives, allowing us to directly support local non-profit entities. Since October 2007, LREC’s Operation Round Up Program has awarded a total of $207,913.64 to area organizations.
Thank you to all of our members who choose to participate in Lake Region’s Operation Round Up Program. By giving a little each month, we are able to make a big difference in our community!
Map of Latest Distribution of Funds
Click on a pin to see more details about that particular distribution. You can also zoom into the map and pan around to see a specific area in more detail.