McKenzie Electric Cooperative lineworkers deliver blankets to local care facilities as part of the co-op’s annual blanket drive.
As Christmas lights twinkle across the North Dakota landscape, the state’s electric cooperatives are radiating holiday cheer in their local communities.
Electric cooperatives adhere to seven cooperative principles, including concern for community, year-round. But as the holidays approach, cooperatives collaborate with their members to bring a brighter Christmas to those who may otherwise do without.
Wrapped in warmth
McKenzie Electric Cooperative (MEC), Watford City, is spearheading its third annual blanket drive by inviting members to help share a little warmth.
The cooperative collects more than 250 new, full-size blankets to give comfort to residents at local assisted living and care facilities.
The blanket drive came about as the cooperative was looking to fill a needed niche.
“It seemed like quite a few people in the area were doing things that revolved around children, so we were talking with social services and trying to see where we could put some extra attention that maybe doesn’t get it during the holiday season,” says Makenah Bundy, MEC member services coordinator.
The cooperative settled on bringing a bit of holiday joy to the older generations, she says.
Collected blankets have brought cheer to residents at the Good Shepherd Home and Horizon Assisted Living in Watford City, the Hill Top Home of Comfort and Legacy Lodge Assisted Living in Killdeer, and the Golden Valley Manor in Beach.
“It went over with the residents really well the first year,” she says.
To add an extra personal connection, the blankets are delivered by MEC lineworkers and other staff.
“I know the guys really enjoy doing that, just getting to connect on that level. The blankets are great, of course, but it’s the conversation,” Bundy says.
“Some of the residents don’t get a lot of visitors, they don’t get to have those connections, so getting to go and do that regularly and getting to talk to them, I know that we very much so enjoy it. The lineworkers enjoy getting out of the field and getting to have those connections also, and I know that the residents find that really special, too,” she says.
This year, MEC continues the tradition with a goal of collecting 250 blankets. Donations of new blankets or monetary contributions can be delivered through December to MEC headquarters, 3817 23rd Ave. NE in Watford City. Blankets will be delivered to local care facilities in January.
Employees, cooperative members and local organizations have all donated either blankets or money to purchase blankets.
Sharing a Secret Santa
Verendrye Electric Cooperative’s (VEC) Secret Santa program gives members a little extra help with paying their electric bills during Christmas or any other time of year.
Through the longtime program, members can donate to specifically pay a bill for someone they know, or they can donate any amount of money and VEC will apply it to a bill of someone the cooperative knows needs help. A number of members also donate their capital credits to the Secret Santa program. Members can be a Secret Santa any time of the year, not just during the holidays.
“If somebody on our system is struggling to pay their bill or just needs a little help during Christmas, you can give us some money and you can name the person you want it to go to specifically, and we will put it toward their bill,” says Tom Rafferty, member services and communications manager for VEC, which has offices in Minot and Velva. “Or sometimes, we get people that just give us $100, and they say, ‘Pick somebody that needs help,’ and they just let us decide.”
Over the past two years, VEC averaged about 90 Secret Santa donations, totaling more than $4,000 each year.
“There are people that are truly struggling, and they need a little help. I think it goes a long way. A lot of us take it for granted that we’re doing OK and we can pay our bills and buy enough food, but there are people out there that aren’t as fortunate, so it does go a long way. It might be your neighbor that you want to help or maybe it’s your friend that you know is struggling or maybe it’s an elderly person in your neighborhood. We’ve had all kinds of different reasons that people have donated to it, so it does make a difference,” Rafferty says.
Spreading cheer
Each November, Northern Plains Electric Cooperative leads a donation drive to bring its communities together to impact those in need.
With drop-off locations at its offices in Cando and Carrington, the cooperative collects basic needs items. This year, the cooperative asked members to consider a donation of new socks, winter hats and gloves or mittens for adults or children to be distributed to local food pantries in the area.
Serving 11 counties, the cooperative selects one or two food pantries from its service area to receive the donations each year.
The cooperative started the basic needs donation drive in 2022. In 2022, over 150 items were distributed to the Carrington Daily Bread and the Cando Area Food Pantry. In 2023, the co-op distributed over 125 items to the Leeds Community Food Pantry and the Hungry Free Food Pantry in New Rockford. In 2024, over 200 items were given to the Jamestown Community Action and Dakota Prairie Community Action in Rolla.
“We are just trying to give back as much as we can,” says Brittnee Wilson, communications specialist at the cooperative. “It’s really surprising, too, those that we know who probably need the help are also donating, so that’s pretty cool to see.”
Willie Wiredhand lends a hand
North Central Electric Cooperative, Bottineau, and its members, employees and directors raise money each year through the Willie Wiredhand Christmas Giving Fund to help area people have a better and brighter Christmas.
The cooperative partners with area organizations in the five counties it serves to distribute presents for kids, food for families and other items to help those less fortunate.
North Central Electric matches up to $1,000 in donations and invites its vendors to donate as well.
“North Central Electric is a well-known organization in our area, so I think it’s a good thing for the co-op to step up and try to help some of these less fortunate families, just to be there for them at a time when there should be a lot of cheer and happiness. Not everybody gets to have that, just because they don’t have the resources everybody else does. As a co-op, looking to ‘concern for community’ as one of the cooperative principles, it’s just a good thing for us to practice what we preach,” says Cole Strong, the co-op’s member services manager.
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Luann Dart is a freelance writer and editor who lives in the Elgin area.
