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Northern Lights’ (NLI) Operation Round-Up Program
By Elissa Glassman

On April 1, 2005, Northern Lights, (NLI) began offering their members the opportunity to participate in a cooperative community support program called Operation Round Up. Operation Round Up is just what its name implies. NLI members can choose to have their monthly electric bill rounded up to the nearest dollar. For example, a member's monthly bill of $52.73 would be automatically rounded up to $53.00, with the additional 27 cents going to the Operation Round Up fund. Donations are tax deductible.

Since 2005 NLI this program raised over $3000 each that was donated to Habitat for Humanity in both Bonner and Boundary Counties.

To date, NLI has close to 950 members participating in this program. On April 1, 2008, 75% of the monies collected from this program have been allotted for local area food banks and 25% to NLI’s Helping Hands fund (a member assistance program to help pay qualifying members’ electric bills during financial hardship).

Operation Round Up is a nationwide program that was developed for electrical co-ops over 15 years ago. To date, $41 million has been raised from nearly 200 co-ops that participate in Operation Round Up. This nationwide program has grown steadily since its inception, in 1989, when G. Thomas Upshaw, president and CEO of Palmetto Electric Co-op, Hardeeville, S.C. searched for ways to help bring more funds to help people in the community that co-op serves. The idea came from the co-op tradition of “commitment to the community” ---- people helping people.

“Operation Round Up is one of the most successful endeavors that co-ops undertake,” said NRECA CEO Glenn English. “This charitable approach has helped millions, and it is just one more way that co-ops demonstrate to the public that there is a difference in their notion of responsibility and service to others.”

Operation Round Up donations will be administered by the NLI Board of Directors through recommendations from the NLI Donations Committee. Completed application forms are to be submitted to the NLI office.

Participation in Operation Round Up is strictly voluntary. Members may sign up for Operation Round Up by completing a bill insert that will be included with their energy bill, or on NLI’s website (www.norlight.org), or by calling our office at 208-263-5141 or 1-800-326-9594.

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Whether your contribution is small change or dollars, it all adds up to mean a big difference to our community.