The Power of Small Change: Operation Round Up
Hi, everyone. I’m Tracey Haberman, Member Services Manager at Nobles Cooperative Electric, and welcome back to our Current Matters podcast.
Today I want to talk about a program that has been part of our cooperative for 25 years — Operation Round Up.
It’s one of those programs that works because a lot of people each do something very small, and when we put all of those small contributions together, they can make a pretty remarkable difference in our communities.
Nobles Cooperative Electric started Operation Round Up in 2001 as a way for our members to help support worthwhile projects and organizations throughout our service area.
The idea is really simple.
Participating members allow us to round their monthly electric bill up to the next whole dollar. So, if your bill were $142.63, it would round up to $143, and that extra 37 cents would go into Operation Round Up.
On average, that amounts to about 50 cents per month — or around $6 a year for each participating member.
Six dollars a year may not sound like much.
But when hundreds and hundreds of cooperative members participate, those pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters add up.
And over the past 25 years, they have really added up.
Since Operation Round Up began at Nobles Cooperative Electric, more than $613,000 has been distributed to organizations and projects in our local communities.
That is more than half a million dollars that has gone right back into the communities we serve.
Where Does the Money Go?
Operation Round Up funds are administered through the Nobles-Murray Rural Electric Trust.
A volunteer board made up of people from our communities meets twice each year to review applications and determine how the available funds will be distributed.
Over the years, Operation Round Up has supported a wide variety of needs — including youth and education programs, community service organizations, public safety and emergency services, scholarships, environmental projects and assistance following emergencies or disasters.
And I think one of the best things about this program is that the money stays local.
These are organizations serving our friends, our neighbors and our communities.
Individually, none of us may think that rounding up our electric bill by 20 cents or 40 cents is going to accomplish very much.
But collectively, it does.
Operation Round Up also helps us invest in young people throughout our service area.
Each year, scholarship funds help local students continue their education, whether they are attending a four-year college, pursuing a technical degree or preparing for a career in the trades.
That is another way these small contributions continue to have an impact long after the money is awarded.
It might help purchase equipment for a youth program today, provide resources for a community organization tomorrow, or help a student take that next step toward a career.
A Little Change Goes a Long Way
Operation Round Up is also a great example of one of the principles behind being an electric cooperative — Concern for Community.
We aren’t just here to provide electricity.
Our employees live here. Our members live here. We raise our families here. We attend the same schools, community events and local organizations.
Operation Round Up gives all of us one more way to work together to make those communities stronger.
And the really amazing part is that we’ve done all of this a few cents at a time.
And if you have questions about whether your organization or project might qualify, give us a call. We’re always happy to help point you in the right direction.
Finally, to all of our members who participate in Operation Round Up — thank you.
You may only see a few cents added to your bill each month, but those few cents are doing some pretty great things throughout southwest Minnesota.
Twenty-five years.
More than $613,000
Countless local organizations, students, volunteers and community projects.
All from simply rounding up.
That’s the power of small change — and the power of a cooperative community.
I’m Tracey Haberman with Nobles Cooperative Electric. Thanks for listening to Current Matters, and we’ll talk to you again next month.