The Beltrami Electric Cooperative Trust Board for Operation Round Up® met in October and awarded grants to 26 area nonprofit and community organizations totaling $42,011.   Many local programs and non-profit organizations benefit from Operation Round Up®, a charitable program unique to electric cooperatives. A volunteer board of five cooperative members manages the program, ensuring funds are used to strengthen the communities we serve. The Trust Board members are Kay Mack, Miriam Osborn-Dougherty, Sharon Hadrava, Marne Waldo and Jean Diffley.

Organizations receiving grants for projects included: Beltrami County Historical Society, Bemidji 31 Education Foundation, Bemidji Boys High School Volleyball, Bemidji Community Education, Bi-County Community Action Programs, Blackduck Area History and Art Center, Blackduck Area Kids Ice Fishing Derby, Blackduck Area Toys for Kids, Blackduck Senior Center, Great River Rescue, Growing our Future, Headwaters Music and Arts, Headwaters Science Center, Hope Lutheran Church, J.W. Smith Elementary, Kelliher Library and Information Center, Lincoln Elementary, Madden McKean Foundation, Oak Hills Christian College, Red Lake Nation College, St. Philip’s Catholic School, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, United Way of Bemidji Area, Village of Hope, and Youth Emergency Shelter & Supports. A complete list of organizations and grants can be found at www.beltramielectric.com.

The program is designed to give co-op members a means of working together to use their small change to make a big impact on their local communities. Every dollar collected stays local and goes directly to nonprofits and community projects. From youth programs to emergency services and healthcare initiatives, Operation Round Up continues to show that small change can make a lasting impact. To date, Beltrami Electric's Operation Round Up program has awarded grants to 640 projects totaling $813,453.