Lewis Kearney, board director for the Southeast Tennessee Resource Conservation & Development Council, center, accepts a grant check from VECustomers Share Board members, from left, Alton Lingerfelt, Doug Ford, Kearney, Harold Reno, and Pete Williams.
The program, founded in October of 2001, has donated more than $4.2 million to various community-service organizations across VEC’s 17-county service area.
Local groups garnering grants in July include the Southeast Tennessee Resource Conservation & Development Council which received a $1,000 grant; the Cleveland Emergency Shelter was awarded a $1,000 grant; Ocoee Middle School PTO accepted a $750 grant on behalf of the school’s wrestling team; the J.O.Y. School collected a $500 grant; The International Association of Community Service Chaplains garnered a $350 grant; the Bradley/Cleveland Public Education Foundation obtained a $250; and the Bradley County Thunder was awarded a $200 grant.
VECustomers Share is a non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization covering VEC’s 17-county service area.
The foundation’s funds come from VEC members who have opted to allow VEC to round their electric bills up to the next whole dollar. VECustomers Share contributions average 50 cents per month per customer.
The extra change is pooled with that of other members and distributed by the foundation’s board of directors, who all serve as volunteers.
Grant applications are available at any Volunteer Energy Cooperative Customer Service center, by calling 423-334-7051, or at www.vec.org.
Lewis Kearney, board director for the Southeast Tennessee Resource Conservation & Development Council, center, accepts a grant check from VECustomers Share Board members, from left, Alton Lingerfelt, Doug Ford, Kearney, Harold Reno, and Pete Williams.
