Small Change Makes a Big Difference in local communities.  Local charities recently received funding for projects they are implementing this year to better serve the community.  Sawnee EMC members that participate in the Operation Round Up program have helped to make a huge difference within their communities. Since inception in 2003, the Sawnee Foundation has donated over $440,000 to local charitable organizations and this quarter was no different. On March 4, 2008, the Sawnee Foundation board awarded $21,594.00 to seven (7) local charities.

·         Cherokee Co. DUI/Drug Court Foundation                     Cherokee Co.

·         Cherokee Co. Sheriff’s Foundation                                  Cherokee Co.

·         MUST Ministries                                                              Cherokee Co.

·         Reading Education Association of Dawson Co.              Dawson Co.

·         Forsyth Co. Family Haven                                                Forsyth Co.

·         Hall Family Initiative Residences, Inc.                             Forsyth Co.

·         Alpharetta Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL)        Fulton Co.

All of the 501(c) charitable organizations must complete an application request for funding.  The Foundation Board then reviews and investigates all requests.

The Sawnee Electric Membership Foundation consists of nine (9) volunteer Board members; one (1) from each of the nine (9) geographical districts within the Sawnee EMC service territory.

Participation in the Operation Round Up program is easy and completely voluntary. Sawnee EMC members can choose to sign up and automatically have their electric bill rounded up to the next dollar each month or they can choose the “round up” option on their bill on a monthly basis. “A member that participates in Operation Round Up will donate an average of $6.00 a year or $12.00 a year if they are on budget billing,” states Cindy Badgett, Director of External Affairs. “The donated funds help out in several ways. The funds can be donated to local charitable organizations, to help teachers expand the learning experience with Bright Ideas, and to fund the Sawnee Foundation Youth Scholarship program.”

For more information about the Operation Round Up program, please call Cindy Badgett, Director of External Affairs at 678-455-1539 or email cindy.badgett@sawnee.com. To view a complete list of grant recipients visit www.sawnee.com.

About Sawnee EMC:

Sawnee Electric Membership Corporation is a distribution electric cooperative headquartered in Cumming, Georgia.  Sawnee serves electricity to over 142,000 accounts in seven (7) counties of greater north Georgia.  Sawnee’s assets exceed $368 million with annual energy sales of 2.23 billion and revenue of $201 million.  With over 300 dedicated employees, Sawnee’s team of professionals meets the needs of its member-owners through its complex network of over 9,420 miles of distribution facilities.  Georgia’s 42 electric cooperatives now serve more customers than any other state network of EMCs in the nation.