Today Debbie Robinson, CEO and General Manager of Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WCEC), presented a check in the amount of $3,472 to the Friends of the Arboretum (FOA). This check was made possible through one of WCEC’s lenders, CoBank, as part of their Sharing Success Matching Grant Program.
CoBank created and endows Sharing Success, which is a $3 million charitable fund designed to benefit cooperatives and the nonprofit groups they support. Under the program CoBank matches contributions made by their cooperative customers to a nonprofit organization of the cooperative’s choice. CoBanks’ intent in creating the program was to draw attention to the critical role cooperatives play in the U.S. rural economy and to highlight the cooperative spirit. Additionally, 2012 was designated as the “International Year of Cooperatives” by the United Nations, so CoBank deemed it a fitting year to kick-off the program to help cooperatives celebrate.
“With their all-volunteer group, the Friends of the Arboretum (FOA) continue to develop the gardens into a destination spot for various touring groups, photographers, and local strollers and visitors. FOA has also enacted significant improvements and achieved substantial preservation efforts to the historic Stinson House, which has become a key venue during community festivals and events. Because their organization so beautifully exemplifies the cooperative spirit that CoBank is observing with their generous gift, it was an easy decision to apply for this grant on their behalf.” Debbie Robinson said.
In accepting the check, president of FOA Pam Riley said, “I want to offer my deep gratitude to the CoBank team for developing this program and for their generous donation. The Quitman Arboretum and Botanical Gardens serves not only our community but the entire region. The accomplishments we’ve made have only been possible because many individuals and businesses have been willing to donate labor, money, and materials. On behalf of FOA, I thank both CoBank and WCEC for being in that number. This contribution will help us continue to make a difference.”
About CoBank
CoBank is a $90 billion cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing, and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water, and communications providers in all 50 states. The bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations serving more than 70,000 farmers, ranchers, and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. They are headquartered near Denver, Colorado, and serve customers from regional banking centers across the U.S. and internationally. For more information about CoBank, visit the bank’s web site at www.cobank.com.
About Wood Country Electric Cooperative
Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc. is a not-for-profit electric cooperative with the mission of providing member-customers reliable electric service at a reasonable rate. WCEC serves over 33,000 meters in parts of nine counties throughout northeast Texas, including Camp, Franklin, Hopkins, Rains, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, and Wood. Visit our website for further information about WCEC.
Contact
Paige Eaton, Director of Communications,
Wood County Electric Cooperative, Inc.
PO Box 1827
Quitman, TX 75783
Telephone: (903) 763-2203, ext. 260
Email Paige