News

Through Operation Round-Up, First Electric members turn pocket change into powerful community impact — simply by rounding their bill up to the next dollar. Since 1998, that small gesture has added up to more than $1.7 million supporting local nonprofits and opening doors for students through scholarships.

The Operation Round-Up (ORU) Board of Trustees met on Dec. 4, for its annual Christmas gathering — a celebration that captured both the holiday spirit and the generosity of our cooperative members. This year marked a milestone for the program, with a record number of applications submitted for funding. The surge in requests demonstrated how deeply communities across our service area depend on the support from ORU.

This meeting also represented an important transition for the board. Jim Zahnd, who has faithfully represented members in the Benton District for the past seven years, stepped down. His dedication, thoughtful insights and commitment to helping others were greatly appreciated and acknowledged by the board. Susan Cigelman of Hot Springs Village has been appointed as his successor, and the board looks forward to the experience and perspective she will bring to ORU’s mission.

After careful review and discussion, the board approved funding for 20 deserving nonprofits and community groups. These grants will directly support food initiatives, senior services, domestic-violence shelters, educational programs, rural volunteer fire departments and organizations dedicated to restoring hope and stability.

From supporting shelters like Margie's Haven House and Women & Children First to aiding the Turtle Creek Volunteer Fire Department and empowering students through programs such as the Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Foundation, each award reflects our members' commitment to uplifting neighbors and strengthening our communities.

The Christmas meeting concluded with gratitude to the members who round up their monthly bills, the volunteers serving on the ORU board and the organizations working tirelessly to make a difference. This record-breaking year reminds us that even small acts of giving, when multiplied across thousands of members, can create a powerful and lasting impact.

Organizations funded:

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Foundation – Arkansas County – $500

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Foundation – Cleburne County – $1,500

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Foundation – Independence County – $250

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Foundation – Stone County – $250

Cleburne County Aging Program, Inc. – $1,205

Floyd Community Center – $1,000

Grant County Unified Community Resource Council, Inc. – $500

Greers Ferry Storehouse Ministries – $2,000

Hot Springs / Hot Springs Village Symphony Guild – $1,000

Imagine & Believe Foundation – $2,000

Lisowe’s Lights – $1,000

Margie’s Haven House – $2,000

Mid-America Science Museum – $500

Perryville Elementary PTO – $1,500

Pine Snag–Lobo Association, Inc. – $2,000

Rachel’s House – $1,000

Renewal Ranch – $1,000

Restoration Hope – $1,000

Turtle Creek Volunteer Fire Department – $2,500

Women & Children First: The Center Against Family Violence – $2,000