Operation Round Up

From college institutions in-state to across the country, dozens of local students will be benefiting from scholarships provided through the Operation Round Up program.

This year, 75 students from Cuivre River Electric Cooperative’s four-county service area are receiving scholarships totaling $74,000.

This is tied for the largest amount of scholarship money awarded in a single year through by the Cuivre River Electric Community Trust Board. A total of 101 applications were submitted.

The following students were selected for college scholarships through our Operation Round Up program. This year, the Cuivre River Electric Community Trust is awarding scholarships to 75 students totaling $74,000.

Information on the 2021 scholarship program will be available in January. For more information, email Tim Schmidt at tschmidt@cuivre.com.

Lincoln County

Allison Bicker

Alex Daniels

Joscelin Gallegos

Brian Henke

Madison Illig

Lydia Kelly

When a six-year-old girl visited the Sports Closet, the Kiwanis Club of Wright City’s newest project, some pink softball shoes caught her eye. So did a matching helmet.

Her brother, meanwhile, didn’t leave empty-handed. He left dribbling a soccer ball and basketball.

The Cuivre River Electric Cooperative Board of Directors has appointed a new trustee to serve on the co-op’s Community Trust Board, which distributes funds raised through the Operation Round Up program.

Cuivre River Electric Cooperative is once again accepting scholarship applications from graduating high school seniors and current college students.

The Cuivre River Electric Community Trust is celebrating another million dollar milestone.

When Scott Ellinger first decided to serve free meals on Thanksgiving six years ago, the idea started small for The Brass Rail restaurant owner.

“I said I’m just going to feed people who can’t be with their families,” he recalled.

Since Operation Round Up was launched, nearly $6 million has been awarded to help disadvantaged individuals, families and community organizations.

Each milestone has been the result of the generosity from Cuivre River Electric Cooperative members.

CREC members voluntarily "round up" their electric bill payments each month to the next highest dollar. The average yearly donation is just $6 per member.

With his mother already homeless, one man journeyed across the state of Missouri between trips in and out of jail looking for a home. Nearby, a woman had been homeless for the past four years, never knowing when she might sleep somewhere with a roof over her.

It all started when a prayer group consisting of St. Charles residents adopted families in need one Christmas. As they reviewed the childrens' wish lists, some of the items were for basic necessities, like underwear and socks.

"They said if they need underwear at Christmas, they must need things all year long," recalled Audrey Ryan, Eagle's Wings president.