News > Operation Round Up® Distributes $78,400 to 100 Organizations; Adds Trust Board Members

Operation Round Up® Distributes $78,400 to 100 Organizations; Adds Trust Board Members

April 15, 2025

Stearns Electric’s Operation Round Up® Program contributed $78,400 to 100 area organizations in March. Through the Operation Round Up® program, Stearns Electric Association member-consumers give back area communities by rounding up their electric bill to the nearest dollar. 

Since the program’s inception in 1993, Operation Round Up® (ORU) and Stearns Electric members have awarded over $3.35 million to over 5,700 local non-profit organizations and community service programs. The rounded-up funds, no more than $11.88 per year, per member, are placed in a trust fund that is administered by the Stearns Electric Association Trust Board. 

Two new member-consumers joined the Trust Board this year: 

• Nicki Holthaus of Richmond, District 4 
• Connie Spanswick of Osakis, District 7 

They join existing Trust Board Directors: 

• Al Poser of Randall, District 1 
• Meredith Ulrich of Avon, District 2 
• Chris Bergman of St. Cloud, District 3 
• David Cebulla of Belgrade, District 5 
• Ron Paulsen of Albany, District 6 
• Steve Gudgell of Grey Eagle, District 8 
• Ann Reischl of St. Joseph, District 9 

Trust Board Directors met on March 19 to review applications and funding requests. One hundred organizations were selected to receive funds totaling between $200 to $2,200 in this round of contributions. 

On March 27, some of the organizations who were the recipients of the most recent distribution gathered for a check distribution ceremony at our Melrose office.

Visit stearnselectric.org/community-impact/community/operation-round-up for a full list of March 2025 recipients and to learn more about the Stearns Electric Operation Round Up® Program.