Cuivre River Electric | Operation Round Up Monthly Summary

Trustees Celebrate Pennies And People

At their recent meeting, members of the Cuivre River Electric Community Trust Board celebrated the power of pennies, which provided $276,629.61 in grants in 2012, thanks to Operation Round Up donations.

Trustees put the pennies to work for their neighbors, laboring over decisions about where each penny could do the most good. They awarded $20,371 in their final meeting of 2012, helping struggling families as well as organizations that provide valued services to children, the poor and working poor, the sick, the disabled and those deployed overseas in service to our country.

Families received assistance with home weatherization, supplies for children, medical expenses and equipment to assist disabled family members.

Patriot Packages, Warren County, received $500 to send packages to deployed military service members from local families.
The Warren County Bookcase Project received $500 to help improve literacy among young readers in low-income families.
Bread for Life Food Pantry, Troy, received $3,000 to purchase pantry items.
Saints Joachim & Ann Care Service, St. Peters, received $2,500 to purchase supplies for its outreach program.
Volunteers in Medicine, Lake Saint Louis, received $2,000 to purchase medicine.
Youth in Need, St. Charles, received $1,000 for its outreach programs.

In addition, $500 grants were awarded to Friends of Emmaus, Marthasville; F.A.C.T., St. Charles; Elsberry Ministerial Alliance; Warren County Sheltered Workshop, Warrenton; Wentzville Rotary projects; and St. Vincent de Paul/St. Cletus.

Trustees also took a few moments to celebrate the service of Don Schappe of St. Charles and Melba Houston of Elsberry, whose terms were concluding after six years of continuous service.

In addition to volunteering as trustees, Schappe served as Vice Chairman in 2008, and as Chairman from 2009-2012; Houston served as Vice Chairman from 2009-2012. New volunteers will be seated at the next meeting.

Cuivre River Electric Community Trustees Melba Houston And Don Schappe.

(L-R) Trustees Melba Houston of Elsberry and Don Schappe of St. Charles were honored for their Trust Board leadership. Schappe served as Vice Chairman in 2008, and Chairman 2009-2012. Houston served as Vice Chairman from 2009-2012.

To be eligible, individual, family and organization grant requests must:

be from the general Cuivre River area, though applicants do not need to be Cuivre River members,
be for an approved purpose, including health, youth, education, weatherization, community groups or emergency service providers,
include complete personal or organizational information as specified on each application, and
include personal or organization statements indicating why funds are needed at this time and how they will be used.

Trustees meet monthly to award funds Cuivre River members donate by rounding up their electric bill payments to an even amount.

Organization and Individual/Family applications are due the last day of each month. Scholarship applications are due October 1 and May 1; scholarships are reviewed at monthly meetings held in November and May.

To learn more about Operation Round Up, or to obtain a grant application call 800.392.3709, Lonnie Tucker (ext. 230), Mary Jane Clark (ext. 234), or Rod Smerkar (ext. 330), or visit www.cuivre.com.