Roundup for Safety grants distributed
Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety program awarded $46,660 in grants supporting community safety projects proposed by 12 local nonprofit organizations.
The Whitefish Police Department will use its Roundup funds, $5,498, for an emergency services drone and Project Whitefish Kids will get baseball safety netting with the $5,000 it was awarded.
Whitefish Legacy Partners will use its $3,000 grant for maps, safety signs and trail tools.
The Whitefish Performing Arts Center received $2,500 for maintenance on its hoist system, the Whitefish Thrift Haus received $1,500 for a new AED and the Whitefish United Methodist Church will use $428 for an AED refresh with child key.
The South Kalispell Volunteer Fire Department received a rare $12,000 award to replace its damaged extraction equipment, more commonly called the jaws of life. That is the maximum amount nonprofits are able to request.
“Very few organizations request this much, as Roundup typically provides seed money for community safety projects,” said Bill Leininger, Roundup for Safety Board President. “However, the Board recognizes the critical nature of volunteer first responder groups to the overall safety of our communities and was happy to be able to support this VFD's need for extraction equipment.”
Mutual aid agreements are in place between the South Kalispell Fire District and the Kalispell, Somers, Lakeside, Smith Valley, West Valley and Evergreen Fire Districts. Ron LaTray with the South Kalispell Volunteer Fire Department said over 20,000 Flathead Valley and Flathead Electric Co-op members may be served with this extraction equipment.
The Board expressed gratitude to the Co-op members who voluntarily round up their electric bills each month to fund Roundup’s community safety grants.
In 2024, the Roundup for Safety Board accepted 77 projects and awarded $336,209 in grant funding. Since 1997, Roundup for Safety has supported 1,493 projects via $5,265,134 in donations from Flathead Electric Co-op members.
December grantees also include Community Action Partnership was awarded $4,000 for concrete work for handicap ramp; Bigfork Community United Methodist Church received $2,000 for an elevator; Fellowship Church, $1,500 for an AED; First Presbyterian Church Kalispell will get a safety camera with $1,000; Flathead Food Bank received $8,234 for safety cameras.
Roundup for Safety funding comes from participating Flathead Electric Cooperative members who allow their monthly electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest dollar. The program costs each member about $6 per year and has provided over $5 million in funding since 1997.