Kootenai Electric awards Operation Round Up grants
From left: Randy Foiles, Kootenai Electric Trust Board Member; Cheri Zao, Kootenai Electric Trust Board Member; Darrell Rickard, Community Action Partnership Food Bank Program Manager; Kimberly Spencer, CAP Community Services Manager; Kaylee Dinkel, KEC Marketing & Communications Specialist and Desi Sheetz, KEC Member Services Representative.
Photo courtesy of Erika Neff
Kootenai Electric Cooperative members who voluntarily “round up” their monthly electric bills to the nearest dollar support Operation Round Up and help their neighbors in need. The extra pennies go into the Kootenai Electric Trust fund, which distributes grants to worthy causes in our community. Through the program, more than $1.3 million have been invested in our community. The trust board awarded grants to the following organizations:
• $7,500 to the Community Action Partnership for energy assistance.
• $2,000 to Broken Iron Training to provide fitness training to low-income and at-risk youth.
• $1,500 to the First Judicial District CASA Program, to update and replace outdated and unusable software and computers.
• $1,500 to the Idaho Veterans Assistance League for the North Idaho Veterans Home to sponsor a room for four years.
• $1,400 to Albeni Falls Pipes & Drums of North Idaho for recruitment and training of new members.
The Kootenai Electric Trust is accepting applications for $2,000 scholarships for academic or professional technical programs. Children of KEC members who are either seniors in high school or currently enrolled in an accredited college, trade or training institution for fall 2023 or spring 2024 may apply. Online applications are due Feb. 1, 2023. Visit www.kec.com for details, eligibility and applications.
In late 2022, KEC, its lender CoBank and the Kootenai Electric Trust and Operation Round Up program donated a combined $25,000 to the Community Action Partnership project or Share program. Those funds are available to KEC members who qualify for help paying their energy bills.