7 organizations receive nearly $18,000 from Great Lakes Energy People Fund.

Seven Mason County organizations have received grants totaling almost $18,000 from the Great Lakes Energy People Fund. During 2015, the People Fund awarded $206,294 in grants to charitable and community organizations. The Great Lakes Energy People Fund is supported solely by Great Lakes Energy members who allow their electric cooperative to round up their bill each month to the next dollar.

  The grants funds were awarded to 66 charitable and community organizations throughout Great Lakes Energy’s 26-county service area, which stretches from Kalamazoo to the Mackinac Straits.

Organizations in Mason County included:

– Caritas Food Pantry, Custer: $3,570 for driveway renovations that would provide handicapped accessibility and better access for food truck deliveries.

– COVE, Ludington: $2,200 for nurse training for the SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) program.

– Fixing Furry Friends, Scottville: $1,229.76 for communications materials for tag days and other events.

–  Mason County Walleye:  $5,000 for fish transfer tanks and repairs.

– Tallman Lake Senior Center, Sheridan Township: $1,600 for insulation in building addition.

– The City of Ludington:  $3,000 for a storage shed for the new pickleball courts.

– West Michigan Fair Association, Pere Marquette Township: $1,000 for signage on fair buildings to help facilitate locating people during emergency situations.

“Thanks to the generosity of our members we’ve awarded more than $2.88 million in grants since 1999 to local non-profits groups and organizations,” says President/CEO Steve Boeckman. “The local communities in our service area benefit greatly from this program that is fully funded by our members who allow their bill to be rounded up to the nearest dollar each month.”

  Members of the electric cooperative who wish to participate are encouraged to enroll in the People Fund online at gtlakes.com or by contacting Great Lakes Energy’s office.

  “People may not think 50 cents a month can do much, but when added with the contributions of other Great Lakes Energy members, we are able to help so many,” explains Boeckman. “Giving back to the community is one of the cooperative principles and we couldn’t do it without our members’ generosity.”

The Great Lakes Energy People Fund invites applications for 2016 grants from local non-profit organizations. Deadline for applications for the 2016 grant cycles are Feb. 1, June 1 and Oct. 1. Request an application by calling 888-485-2537 ext. 1313, or request it online by visiting gtlakes.com.