Friends of Sanborn County 4-H received a $1,000 Operation Round-Up® grant from Central Electric Cooperative to help purchase tables for the new 4-H building addition. The grant was presented at Central Electric’s district meeting on June 3.

In the grant application, Executive Secretary for Friends of Sanborn County 4-H, Paula Linke, said the tables and addition will be used for a number of community events and 4-H activities.

“Many local groups use the building and facilities, and with the expanded space, there is even greater potential to host new events in Sanborn County,” Linke said. “The new tables and chairs enable us to host 4-H Achievement Days activities, graduation parties, reunions, wedding receptions and community events.”

Todd VanWalleghen of Letcher is Central Electric’s Board Vice President and Sanborn County representative. He appointed Dawna VanOverschelde of Letcher to serve on the Operation Round-Up volunteer board of trustees.

VanOverschelde said, “We appreciate the members who are participating in Operation Round-Up each month. There is power in numbers, and it all adds up to support great projects like this one.”

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

For more information about the grant program, call 1-800-477-2892 or visit www.centralec.coop and click on member programs.

In addition, Sanborn County’s 4-H and FFA were among the over 200 4-H and FFA programs in North Dakota and South Dakota that Agtegra Cooperative donated to this year. These donations are a part of the cooperative’s agricultural education community impact strategy.

“We are proud to support 4-H and FFA because of their commitment to developing future agricultural leaders,” says Agtegra CEO Jason Klootwyk. “The future of the agriculture industry and our rural communities relies on our youth, and we are proud to help support their education through these organizations.”

Part of being a member-owned business includes supporting the growth and development of its communities, which is evident in Agtegra’s commitment to agricultural education and the role it plays in developing the future workforce and future farmers/ranchers. Agtegra’s donations, including a matching grant from the Land O’Lakes Foundation, will impact 159 4-H clubs and 45 FFA chapters across its trade territory.

Klootwyk notes how his involvement in 4-H shaped the foundation of his career path.

“4-H was where I gained my first leadership experience as an officer and then as president of my club. I gained valuable experience in planning, speaking, keeping records, and holding myself and others accountable. There were also tremendous activities and opportunities for fellowship and friendship. All those experiences played a big part in my path in agriculture as I grew up,” says Klootwyk.

Agtegra supports 4-H and FFA because of the cooperative’s mission to enhance agricultural education throughout its trade territory. Both programs place an emphasis on developing youth’s skills in areas of leadership and agricultural education through a hands-on approach. As an agricultural cooperative rooted in rural communities, supporting these programs also means providing future workforce development for the industry.

…See a picture in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!