“Find a penny, pick it up. All day long, you’ll have good luck.” Do you stop and pick up the penny on the sidewalk or just continue walking by because a penny isn’t really all that much? What if all the pennies on the sidewalk were grouped together? Surely that would make you take notice.
That is exactly what our members have done through Operation Roundup. They have gathered all their pennies and joined them with their neighbors. In just 5 short years, Wood County Electric Charitable Foundation (WCECF) via Operation Roundup has granted $497,757 to 80 local charitable organizations. That’s right at half a million dollars positively impacting our local communities.
During this last grant dispersal, the WCECF board of directors awarded $28,000 to 4 worthy non-profit organizations that applied. The recipients, the amounts awarded, and the projects they will fund are:
- Mineola ISD Education Foundation ($15,000) awards grants to Mineola ISD staff for classroom tools and programs that are not funded within the normal budget. The money will help to update the Outdoor Reading Room, the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Center in the high school library and help purchase Oculus Quest 2 goggles; a virtual reality tool that promotes learning in science, art, computing and graphic design.
- Safe Haven Equine Rescue and Retirement Home ($5,000) is dedicated to the welfare of abused, neglected, or distressed horses. They restore rescued horses to optimal health and then find them loving homes. In cases of age or disability, unadoptable horses are provided a home to peacefully live out the rest of their life with dignity. The grant will help feed and provide medical care to their current horses and also help future rescue horses.
- Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial ($2,000) is a premiere destination in East Texas for visitors to view retired military equipment and memorabilia and learn about inspiring Texas veterans. The memorial was built to honor the sons and daughters of Van Zandt County and all Military Veterans through education, while providing a place of reflection. The grant will be used to make repairs to the irrigation system, repair and replace lighting around the park, and for general ground maintenance.
- Winnsboro Center for the Arts ($6,000) is a vibrant cultural center that hosts a variety of activities including concerts, theater productions, art exhibits, classes, workshops, and festivals. The money will support their October event, which will bring famed cowboy artists, storytellers, and musicians to Winnsboro for public performances.