Electricity is electricity, but does it truly make a difference where you get it?
Unlike the big for-profit electric conglomerates out to maximize shareholder earnings, Wheatland Electric Cooperative, Inc. (WEC) is a nonprofit organization owned by you, our members. Because electric cooperatives like ours operate at cost, any excess revenues (called margins) are allocated and retired to cooperative members in the form of capital credits.
But what else sets Wheatland Electric apart?
One of our Seven Cooperative Principles is Concern for Community. While focusing on member needs, we work for the sustainable development of our communities. We understand the struggles and needs of our communities because we live, work and volunteer right alongside you.
How does Wheatland Electric give back to the community?
Cram the Van — With your help, in 2021 Wheatland’s Cram the Van food drive collected 44,576 pounds of cash and can donations for our local food banks. This brings our combined eight-year total to over 86 tons of food!
We do this by hosting six school-wide competitions, donation events, the annual Co-ops Care Charity Golf Tournament, and online collection efforts. We look forward to seeing you at one of our Cram the Van events beginning this September!
Higher Education Scholarships — Each year, Wheatland awards a $1,000 scholarship to a senior at each of the 13 schools in our service territory, as well as one at-large award for a member’s child not attending a school in our service territory. Seniors planning to attend an accredited university, community college or technical school can apply for consideration from November through January each year.
Youth Tour and Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp — High school juniors, whose primary residence is in the WEC service area, can apply for the opportunity to attend a weeklong, all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., to learn about our nation’s government and how rural electric cooperatives interact with legislators. Additional applicants are selected to attend Cooperative Youth Leadership Camp at the Glen Eden Resort, located just north of Steamboat Springs, Colorado, to learn about cooperatives and government and further develop communication and leadership skills. Juniors can apply for consideration from November through January each year.
Sharing Success Fund — Wheatland’s Sharing Success program awards $1,000 grants to local organizations to help fund special projects. These grants are made possible through contributions by WEC and CoBank and are administrated by the Scott Community Foundation.
Rural Economic Development Loans — WEC is committed to economic growth in the communities we serve. This is why we have loaned more than $2 MILLION for community and economic development projects in the form of zero-interest loans and grants. This is done in partnership with the USDA.
Bottled Water — Each year, WEC donates hundreds of cases of water for community events. It’s another way we give back to the community, saving worthy organizations the cost of purchasing bottled water for their events.
Christmas for Kids — Christmas can be a difficult time for many, but it is especially difficult for children in our foster care system. For the past five years, WEC employees and trustees have opened their hearts to sponsor children, by providing gifts and donations to Saint Francis Ministries’ Christmas Wish List program, helping to make the holidays a little brighter for area children.
You can find out what’s new at WEC and get more information about these programs at www.weci.net.