It took five years for Cuivre River Electric Cooperative’s Operation Round Up program to hit the $1 million mark. The second million took only four more years to reach.

Twenty-five years since its inception, Operation Round Up surpassed the $7 million mark, one of two milestones reached in 2022. The program also celebrated awarding $409,298.12 for 277 grants, the largest amount recorded in a single year. “Thanks to the generosity of our members, that small change adds up to make such a huge impact in the communities we serve,” said Tim Schmidt, Operation Round Up coordinator. “This program has made such a positive impact on those who have benefited from the program.”

In 2022, 136 grants equaling $177,861.24 were issued to individuals and families, 55 grants for $145,936.88 were presented to organizations, and 86 college scholarships totaling $85,500 were awarded to students. Operation Round Up funds are made possible from CREC members who voluntarily “round up” their electric bill payments each month to the next highest dollar. Over 95 percent of the cooperative’s members participate in Operation Round Up. The average yearly donation is just $6 per member.

Members who wish to donate more each month may enroll in Operation Round Up Plus. This allows for an extra donation amount — such as $1, $5 or more — to be added
to their monthly bill. Donations may also be made directly to the Trust or members can choose to donate their capital credit checks to the program. All contributions are tax-deductible, and 100 percent of the funds allocated to Operation Round Up are used for grants.

Operation Round Up funds are administered each month by the seven-member volunteer Trust Board. Applications are accepted monthly, with the deadline on the final day of each month. The Trust Board reviews each application and meets on the second Thursday of the following month. The following people will continue serving on the Trust
Board in 2023: Redonda Heitman and Blanche Kelly (Lincoln/ Pike County), Kyle Shell, Lisa Dunham and Tammi Kneib (St. Charles County), and Tammy Miller and John Nordwald (Warren County).

Applicants are not required to be CREC members, but they must reside in the cooperative’s service area. For more information, call 636-695-4837 or email tschmidt@cuivre.com. Applications are available at the Troy and Lake Saint Louis offices or can be downloaded here.