GOOD EATS

LOGAN COUNTY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

THE POWER OFsma gains

Every gift which is given, even though it be small, is in reality great, if it is given with a ection.

Why small gains are important

Because added together, they make a diff erence!

Change. While the concept of change can be overwhelming, change is simply defi ned as “making something diff erent.” Often, change is only recognized as meaningful if a signifi cant and measurable result can be seen. But small gains that are unrecognizable, when added together, can bring meaningful results. Consider the needs of our local community and the way many of those needs are met. While no individual came forward to donate $1 million to the United Way of Logan County, together, the community did. In the same way, nobody donated $20,000 to the co-op’s Operation Round Up fund, but together, our members did. Ninety-two percent of the co-op’s members agree to have their electric bill rounded up each month to the next whole dollar and generously donate that amount to the Operation Round Up fund. Each monthly donation is literally less than a dollar. But each gift, given with aff ection for our local community, is added together to produce signifi cant and measurable results. Throughout 2022, the co-op’s Operation Round Up grants made a diff erence to multiple local organizations: • Bellefontaine Fire Department and EMS purchased a fi re extinguisher simulator • Huntsville Fire Department purchased an air mattress to help transport injured victims • Logan County Genealogical Society purchased a computer and other IT equipment • Indian Lake Middle School science teacher Mrs.

Core purchased a Green

Energy machine • Indian Lake schools

FFA program fi nanced part of their new agriculture building • Benjamin Logan High

School purchased and updated chemistry lab equipment • Bellefontaine Police

Department purchased a canine ballistic vest to protect their K9 o cer • Numerous teachers were awarded Energizing

Education grants to fi nance their creative ideas for their classrooms These needs were met because small gains were added together to achieve something important. By working together with your fellow co-op members, you helped the co-op fulfi ll its mission of being a local organization that works to meet the needs of the local community. But this work is only possible because of small gains that are added together to achieve signifi cant and measurable results. Ashley Oakley STAFF LIAISON TO OPERATION ROUND UP

You can help power holiday cheer

Providing acts of kindness to our local community.

Logan County Electric Cooperative off ers its members two impactful ways to give back to our local community this season: holiday utility gifts and winter gear for kids.

Holiday utility gifts

Giving a holiday utility gift provides one-time fi nancial assistance to co-op members. When a member gives a holiday utility gift, it pays for a portion of or the entire electric bill of another member. The holiday utility gift program lets you spread the power of kindness by meeting the fi nancial needs of members. When you give to the holiday utility gift program, your kindness can be given to a specifi c member you request or can be made to the program’s general fund for the co-op staff to distribute. To make a holiday utility gift payment for a co-op member, please contact our o ce at 937-592-4781. We will send a card to each recipient on your behalf or mark the gift as coming from an anonymous member.

Warm Clothes for Kids/Toasty Tots

Would you consider giving a donation to our local community as part of your holiday gifts? There is a need for winter coats, hats, gloves, and mittens for kids of all ages. These items can be donated in the sizes from newborn to adult medium. Each donation will be delivered to families in our local communities by the Warm Clothes for Kids and Toasty Tots programs. If a child is in need, your donation will be given to help them stay warm this winter. The co-op is collecting donations at our o ce through Dec. 16. Please drop off your donation at the co-op o ce to help the families and children of your local community.

It’s a unique business model

Operating as a NOT-FOR-PROFIT electric utility

As chairman of the board of trustees, I am pleased to announce that during the October board meeting, the trustees reviewed the co-op’s fi nancial condition and approved returning capital credits to our members. If you were a member 24 years ago or in the past few years, you may receive a share of this money. The retirement of capital credits is unique to the cooperative business model, and we are proud to announce that members’ capital credits checks should arrive before the end of December.

A fi nancial return

Federal law provides cooperatives with federal taxexempt status. To retain this tax exemption, co-ops are required to operate on an at-cost basis. Returning capital credits to our members facilitates operating at cost. Although the cooperative operates as a not-for-profi t organization, we must collect revenue that exceeds our costs so that the co-op remains in a strong fi nancial position. We use these excess dollars to invest in capital improvement projects to maintain our reliable electric system. Additionally, we invest in our members and the local community by giving back in meaningful ways — academic scholarships, sponsorships (Run-to-Educate, United Way Community Care Day, Logan County Fair), donations (Operation Round Up, community events, youth sports teams), education (Cardinal Power Plant tour, Be e3 Smart, safety demonstrations), and much more. We invest in our electric system, fi nd meaningful ways to give back to our communities, and then return the excess revenue to our members as capital credits. We do this because the co-op exists for the purpose of serving our members instead of profi ting from them.

A powerful purpose

Some people look at the co-op and conclude that it exists to bring electric power to the community. While there is truth to that statement, it falls short of the cooperative’s deeper purpose. All electric companies bring power to communities, and with that power comes a better quality of life for the consumer — AND profi t for the utility company. Profi t is fi nancial gain for the company when revenue is greater than costs. Typical electric Scott Hall BOARD CHAIR companies exist to provide electricity to communities so that they can profi t from those they serve. If your co-op makes money, we return capital credits to our members. To date, the co-op has returned over $12 million in capital credits to our members. I consider it a privilege to live on co-op lines. The privilege is more than just knowing there are good people working to bring us reliable electric service. The privilege is knowing that living on co-op lines means we are making an investment in our communities and its members. I hope that you view your co-op as not just your electric provider, but as a local business partner that helps bring pride and prosperity to our community and prides itself in returning money to our members.