To report an outage, call
1-800-448-2383
Alleghany Community Helping Agencies Receive Foundation Grants
Grants Presented by Blue Ridge Energy Board of Directors
(l-r): John Evans, Operations & District Manager of Blue Ridge Energy’s Alleghany office; Bryan Edwards, Johnny Wishon, and Mitch Franklin, of Blue Ridge Energy’s Board of Directors (holding grant check for Alleghany County Rescue Squad); Claire Brooks and Cindy Atwood of Alleghany Historical Genealogical Society; Steve Mason and Heather Andrews of Alleghany Wellness Center
Alleghany County citizens will benefit from three grants totaling $23,500 awarded recently to local helping agencies from Blue Ridge Energy Members Foundation for the most recent grant cycle.
The grants are examples of why Blue Ridge Energy established the Members Foundation in 2007 to support the work of community organizations providing services that are vital to the quality of life for the cooperative’s members. Since 2007, the Foundation has awarded over $1.5 million in community grants. Projects in the areas of health, wellness, education, youth, and economic and community development are the Foundation’s priorities for support.
A grand total of $140,000 was awarded to 16 different organizations across the Blue Ridge Energy service area for this grant cycle. Local Alleghany County agencies receiving grant awards include:
- Alleghany County Volunteer Rescue Squad - $10,000 to help purchase a utility terrain vehicle for search and rescue efforts in difficult mountain topography;
- Alleghany Historical Genealogical Society – $3,500 to upgrade the museum’s lighting for energy efficiency, as well as to enhance the viewing of the exhibits;
- Alleghany Wellness Center, Inc. – $10,000 to help purchase equipment related to cardiac health and to offer classes to improve the quality of life for residents of Alleghany County.
During 2022, the Foundation also provided crisis funding assistance to more than 1,000 Blue Ridge Energy members in need of emergency help to pay their electric and fuel bills. While crisis assistance is funded by the Foundation, local helping agencies evaluate needs and determine who qualifies for assistance.
Funding for Foundation grants and crisis assistance comes from members participating in Blue Ridge Energy’s Operation Round Up® and Operation Round Up Plus® programs as well as an annual contribution from profits of the cooperative’s subsidiaries, Blue Ridge Energy, LLC, and RidgeLink, LLC. Over 22,000 members are either rounding up their monthly electric bill with Operation Round Up or adding a dollar or more with Operation Round Up Plus. Members also contribute by donating some or all of their annual capital credits.
Anyone with questions about the Foundation, or agencies interested in applying for grants, may contact Tasha Rountree, director of community relations, at 828-759-8994 or trountree@blueridgeenergy.com.
Blue Ridge Energy is a cooperative utility serving some 78,000 members in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Wilkes, and Alexander counties. For more information, visit www.BlueRidgeEnergy.com.