Can donating a few pennies a month to help others really make an impact?  They can when those pennies are combined with similar donations from other electric cooperative consumers. 

That is the whole premise behind Operation Round Up. Through the aptly named program, those who receive their electric service from a cooperative like LaGrange County REMC can “round up” their monthly bill to the nearest dollar. So, if your bill is $52.52, it be rounded up to $53 with 48 cents deposited into the ORU fund. The average yearly contribution (a 50-cent contribution per month) is $6. The maximum you’d contribute is just $11.88 a year — or 99 cents a month. Your contribution is tax-deductible.

It’s hard to believe such small donations could affect big change. Through Operation Round Up, donations from you and other cooperative consumers are collected and placed in a trust. Non-profit organizations right in your community — like youth sports, volunteer fire departments, and other programs benefiting those in need — can apply for grants through Operation Round Up. A volunteer board of trustees reviews the applications and chooses which programs ORU can help during that funding cycle. Grants given back to organizations in and around LaGrange County have totaled more than $580,000.

“Operation Round Up’s mission to make a positive difference in our community fits in perfectly with LaGrange County REMC’s role,” Mark Leu, CEO at LaGrange County REMC, said. “We’re happy we can offer this option to help our consumers help others.” 

Participation in ORU is voluntary, and consumers can join or drop out of the program at any time. Contact LaGrange County REMC or visit lagrangeremc.com for more information.