Measuring the value of something can be difficult.
But those associated with the 4-County Electric Power Association Foundation are having no problem celebrating the program reaching the $1 million point in awarded grants.
The program exceeded the $1 million goal at the Foundation’s Feb. 17 meeting. Nearly 200 awards have been distributed to area organizations since the program’s inception in 2015.
Organization representatives from throughout the co-op’s nine county service area joined community and 4-County officials to celebrate the milestone.
The message was simple at the Corporate Center meeting: the value of Foundation awards is $1 million plus; but the value of helping your neighbors is priceless.
“It’s hard to truly measure the impact the 4-County Foundation has had for organizations involved in our service area. Thanks to 4-County members, the Foundation board, the 4-County board and its employees, we’ve been able to enhance the quality of life for our members. This is a monumental accomplishment. One million dollars given away is special,” said Brian Clark, 4-County CEO.
Awards were distributed at the meeting, too. Six area organizations took home grant money. The Brooksville Police Department’s grant of $4,500 for emergency response radios carried the Foundation over the $1 million mark in awards. Others receiving awards at the meeting include: Rainwater Observatory at French Camp ($6,000 for an educational programming series); Starkville Habitat for Humanities ($5,000 toward purchase of a truck); Starkville High School Robojackets ($7,000 for travel expenses for regional competition); Progressive Foundation of Clay County ($1,080 for Accelerated Reading Program); and the Columbus Soccer Organization ($2,695 for uniforms and training).
Those receiving Foundation Awards through the years are quick to tout the program’s success in area communities and their endeavors. Emergency response organizations and other non-profits have benefitted from the much-needed funds.
Back in 2015, Choctaw County Fire Services was the first Foundation award recipient. “We’re very thankful,” Chris Coleman of Choctaw County Fire Services said at the time. “We’ll be able to upgrade our equipment with this donation.” Another early Foundation recipient was the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department. They received three bulletproof vests in 2015. “The 4-County Foundation was there for us,” Oktibbeha County Sheriff Steve Gladney said at the time. “Everybody now has an updated bulletproof vest. We’re thankful to 4-County.”
4-County believes in helping the communities it serves. That’s why the cooperative launched the 4-County Foundation, a community service program. Since February 2015, participating 4-County members’ utility bills have been rounded up to the nearest dollar; a $125.78 bill, for example, becomes $126. Now, that’s an average of only 49 cents per member, per month. That may not seem like much. But when you multiply those contributions by the thousands of member participants, that’s a lot of pennies!
For more information on the 4-County Foundation, call 1-800-431-1544.
