Central Electric awards grants to area groups in Kimball, Gann Valley

  • Buffalo County Rural Fire District received a $1,000 Operation Round-Up grant from Central Electric Cooperative for new gear. Pictured left to right: Central Electric Director Merl Bechen, Operation Round-Up Trustee Jill Ekstrum, Operation Round-Up Trustee Ellen Speck, Deandra Zastrow (front), Derek Zastrow, Raven Richardson (front), Ken Wulff, Ridge Roduner, Matt Sinkie, Tate VonEye, Lee Pawlowski, Allen Feugen, Jordan Waldner, Amos Stahl, Steve Roduner, Rodney Waldner, Pat Waskowiak and Jake Richardson.
    Buffalo County Rural Fire District received a $1,000 Operation Round-Up grant from Central Electric Cooperative for new gear. Pictured left to right: Central Electric Director Merl Bechen, Operation Round-Up Trustee Jill Ekstrum, Operation Round-Up Trustee Ellen Speck, Deandra Zastrow (front), Derek Zastrow, Raven Richardson (front), Ken Wulff, Ridge Roduner, Matt Sinkie, Tate VonEye, Lee Pawlowski, Allen Feugen, Jordan Waldner, Amos Stahl, Steve Roduner, Rodney Waldner, Pat Waskowiak and Jake Richardson.
  • Gann Valley Community Center received a $500 Operation Round-Up grant from Central Electric Cooperative for building improvements. Pictured left to right: Central Electric Director Merl Bechen, Operation Round-Up Trustee Jill Ekstrum, Operation Round-Up Trustee Ellen Speck, project coordinator Judy Gaulke, Jerri Lutter, Linda Ness and Debra Morrison.
    Gann Valley Community Center received a $500 Operation Round-Up grant from Central Electric Cooperative for building improvements. Pictured left to right: Central Electric Director Merl Bechen, Operation Round-Up Trustee Jill Ekstrum, Operation Round-Up Trustee Ellen Speck, project coordinator Judy Gaulke, Jerri Lutter, Linda Ness and Debra Morrison.

    Central Electric Cooperative recently awarded a $500 grant to the South Dakota Tractor Museum, a $500 grant to the Gann Valley Community Center and a $1,000 grant to Buffalo County Rural Fire District through Operation Round-Up.

    Operation Round-Up is a voluntary program in which cooperative members round up their monthly statement to the next whole dollar, and the extra cents accumulate to support area projects.

    The South Dakota Tractor Museum, a historic agricultural attraction located in Kimball just off Interstate 90, used a $500 grant for gutters and eave spouts on the visitor center. Project coordinator and museum president Maynard Konechne explained, 'The building was erected on a cement slab without eave spouts, so the water runoff became an issue when it rained. The new gutters help keep water away and decrease moisture in the facility.'

    Gann Valley Community Center used a $500 grant to help pay for building improvements. 'A new concrete slab was poured outside, and a new door was installed,' grant applicant Judy Gaulke explained. Her husband, David, performed the work. She expressed gratitude for the funds and shared that cooperative members and the 4-H club use the community center.

    Buffalo County Rural Fire District used a $1,000 grant to purchase personal protective equipment, including rescue coats and pants. Fire Chief Derek Zastrow explained, 'Most of our safety gear has been donated by other fire departments. It's older and may not meet today's standards, so the grant helped us upgrade some of our gear.'

    Jill Ekstrum of Kimball represents Brule County, and Ellen Speck of Gann Valley represents Buffalo County on the Operation Round-Up board of trustees. Both of their terms end this year, and they have worked hard during their tenure, awarding more than $180,000 in grants across Central Electric's eightcounty service area since the program launched in 2015.

    The next Operation Round-Up grant application deadline is Nov. 1. For more information about the program, contact Central Electric Cooperative at 1-800-477-2892 or visit www. centralec.coop/operationround- up.

     

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