KREMC Raises Funds to Build a Ramp for Member in Need

Electric cooperative partners with Servants at Work for ramp fundraiser

Two images of ramps built for community members by SAWs

Warsaw, Ind. (March 13, 2023) – Kosciusko REMC (KREMC) is holding a fundraiser through the end of March 2023, with the end goal of building a ramp for a local community member. KREMC is matching every donation up to $2,000 from the community and seeks to raise that amount from the community for the ramp materials. The cooperative is partnering with Servants at Work (SAWs), a local nonprofit that builds ramps to provide freedom and accessibility to community applicants.

The partnership between KREMC and SAWs was born from the co-op’s grant program, Operation Round Up. SAWs received an Operation Round Up grant in the 2021-2022 year and used the funds to build ramps for two community members on KREMC lines. Earlier this week, KREMC published a blog at kremc.com/blog that featured SAWs as a grantee and highlighted their mission in the community.

“The ability to go outside can greatly impact someone’s quality of life,” said Laura Belko, the program development manager at SAWs, in KREMC’s blog. “We’re ‘boots on the ground’ in the communities, identifying and taking care of immediate needs. KREMC does the same thing. We both see quality life not as a luxury, but as a necessity,” Belko added.

Donations to the fundraiser can be made here.

KREMC will keep their social media platforms updated on the progress of the fundraiser, and continue to ask for donations through the end of March.

Community members are also welcome to volunteer to build the ramp after the fundraiser is complete. SAWs ramp projects are assigned to volunteer crews throughout Indiana once the organization has approved an applicant and raised the necessary funds.

“Our volunteers get to be there and interact with the clients, and they get to immediately see the impact in just a few hours of volunteering,” said Belko.

If community members are interested in donating to the ramp fundraiser, they can visit sawsramps.org/kosciusko, and they can contact knewlon@kremc.com to inquire about volunteering.

Kosciusko REMC is a Touchstone Energy® electric cooperative serving over 18,000 accounts throughout Kosciusko County and into surrounding counties.

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If you would like more information about the KREMC/SAWs fundraiser, please contact Kyrsten Newlon at knewlon@kremc.com.

Photo: Two KREMC Members receive ramps from SAWs, funded by KREMC’s Operation Round Up grant; photo provided by SAWs.