Oceana agencies receive Great Lakes Energy donations

Great Lakes Energy employees, in partnership with cooperative lender CoBank, donated $21,119 to local United Way agencies and charities including Crystal Valley Care Fund and Love INC of Oceana. Char-Em Executive Director Lorraine Manary, left, accepts the check for United Way from Shari Culver of Great Lakes Energy.

OCEANA COUNTY — Local United Way agencies and charities, including the Crystal Valley Care Fund and Love INC. of Oceana are receiving donations from Great Lakes Energy.

GLE Cooperative employees along with the help of CoBank, a cooperative lender, contributed $21,119 to local United Way agencies throughout the GLE service area.

Local agencies and charities selected to receive contributions in 2015 include: Crystal Valley Care Fund, Love INC. of Oceana, United Way of Mason County, Char-Em United Way, United Way of the Lakeshore, United Way of Northwest Michigan, Mecosta-Osceola United Way, Otsego County United Way and the Salvation Army.

GLE employees annually participate in a United Way campaign pledging money from their paychecks throughout the year. This year, the employee contributions got a $5,000 boost from one of GLE’s lenders, CoBank. Through its Sharing Success Program, CoBank agreed to match up to $5,000 in contributions to one nonprofit organization in the GLE service area.

Since 1999, GLE employees have contributed more than $130,000 to local United Way agencies and charities.

Great Lakes Energy is a member-owned electric cooperative headquartered in Boyne City serving more than 125,000 members in 26 counties throughout West Michigan.

CoBank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states.