Members of Paulding Putnam Electric Cooperative recently donated $13,820 to 15 local charities and community projects through the cooperative’s Operation Round Up program.

About 80% of PPEC members round up their electric bill and donate those pennies to this fund, making a huge impact in the co-op’s northwest Ohio and northeast Indiana communities.

Participating members round up their monthly electric bill to the next dollar, with the extra pennies being used to help fund charities and groups in their communities. Each quarter, the funds are dispensed to local causes that applied for funding.

The most recent donation recipients include:

• Antwerp Ball Association; $970 to purchase wire for a new court.
• Antwerp Local Schools; $800 to purchase an AED.
• Blessing in a Bag Paulding Exempted Village Schools; $800 to provide food bags for needy students.
• Challenged Champions Equestrian Center; $1,500 to fund boarding expenses for horses.
• Fort Jennings Fire Department; $2,100 to purchase emergency lighting for a rescue trailer.
• Friends of the Paulding County Park District: $700 to provide funding for Port-A-Johns for three parks during the months of May – October.
• Hands of Hope Pregnancy Services: $650 to purchase an online course subscription.
• Miller City Soccer Team: $1,200 to purchase new poles for the field.
• Paulding County Opportunity Center; $500 to purchase gym class supplies.
• Paulding County Relay for Life/American Cancer Society; $1,000 to fund a survivor's dinner.
• Pauling Soil and Water Conservation District; $800 to provide funding for GREEN Day.
• Putnam County Special Olympics; $1,000 to fund a new bus.
• Van Wert County Humane Society; $500 to provide funding to spay and neuter cats.
• Van Wert YMCA; $500 to provide funding for the after-school program.
• Woodlan Band Boosters; $800 to purchase uniforms and music.

Photos of each recipient can be found on PPEC’s Facebook page.

Operation Round Up was started in 2010 as a way to give back to PPEC’s communities. Groups in both Ohio and Indiana can apply.

Organizations can apply for Operation Round Up assistance by contacting Paulding Putnam Electric Co-op’s Marketing and Communications Manager Samantha Kuhn at skuhn@ppec.coop or visiting www.ppec.coop/operation-round. If you want to participate by rounding up your monthly bill, call PPEC’s office at 800-686-2357. The average member’s donation is about $6 per year.