Jaws of Life for the Kabetogama Fire Department and new snowshoes for the Voyageurs National Park Association are among a list of items area organizations can purchase thanks to funding from Operation Round Up.
Operation Round Up is a voluntary member-driven fundraising program of North Star Electric Cooperative Inc. Many local programs and organizations benefit from the program which was designed to provide financial assistance for worthwhile projects and charities in the area. Donations are given to organizations to help make the area a more pleasant and safe place to live, according to a news release. See the box for a complete list of recipients.
This year, almost $8,000 in Operation Round Up funds were distributed to various qualifying programs and organizations throughout the area by the North Star Community Trust Board.
The board received about 20 applications totally more than $20,000 in requests.
With only a limited budget of about $9,000 to work with, the release said, “it was not an easy task selecting which group would get funding and what amount they would receive.”
All funds for Operation Round Up are contributed by the member-owners of North Star Electric and the money is put into a trust fund that is separate from electric accounts. The trust is administered by its own board of directors comprised of people from across the area.
Operation Round Up directors are appointed by North Star’s board members and must be members of the cooperative.
Organizations from the area may apply for a donation from the Operation Round Up Trust. The applicant must be charitable in nature and be working to meet a need in the area. The Operation Round Up Board meets twice a year and decides if an application meets the guidelines of the trust and if funds are available.
If a member chooses to be part of Operation Round Up, their bill is “rounded up” to the next highest dollar. For example, if a bill is $96.47, the computer will round up the bill to $97. The additional 53 cents will be placed in the trust and distributed to local charitable and community-based programs.
About 80 percent of North Star’s members have chosen to participate in Operation Round Up and it is expected that contributions will be about $18,700 each year, the release said. That money goes right back into the community.
