Local Headline News

Look at all you beautiful listeners out there. How blessed are we here at KDOM to have such loyal, smart, funny and just all around amazing listeners and clients. Today is National Compliment Day and I hope that you all will be inspired to spread the joy of giving a compliment today. Have you ever just been led to tell a total stranger something positive? It was probably 40 years ago, when I truly learned the meaning of a compliment. I was standing in line and this gal in front of me had on the coolest bracelet and I just couldn’t help myself and I said to her, I just can’t help myself, I am obsessed with that bracelet. It is so unique and eye catching and I just had to tell you. She leaned in and gave me a hug. YEP, you have to be somewhat prepared and I wasn’t… After a brief apology from her and an amazing conversation, I learned that her sister that had passed had given her this bracelet and she wore it on occasion to “remember” and feel close. My compliment was her first that she had ever received and we both took it as a Heavenly nudge. I love giving strangers compliments, because to me they are a connection that is being made from somewhere else other than what I know. I can’t tell you how many times since that first real encounter, I have been led to tell someone they smelled good, or their haircut was super cute, or I’d love to have a shirt or pants like they had or the smile or laugh they grant to life is contagious. There are just so many cool things out in the world that should be spoken. With all the crazy dark and nasty words that are floating around right now, I challenge each of you to start a new path of spreading a little joy. BUT I must warn you… I also learned in my early 20’s from my pastor that you MUST learn to take a compliment too… YEP… That’s part of the whole circle of life… If you are going to dish it out, you gotta learn to take and accept what is given back to you. ESPECIALLY if it is a compliment. A complaint is a gift because you can learn from it but a compliment is a treasure because it is something that you can carry with you forever… I’d be in trouble if I didn’t tell you it is what Steve’s family calls the MOST important National Day EVER… It is National Peanut butter Day. It is a little batty at how much they ALL LOVE PEANUTBUTTER. I thought it was just a Steve thing and then I found out it was his mom and sisters thing too! And yes, I married him anyways. Peanut butter is a staple in the White Family Tree. I am telling you it goes on EVERYTHING… So today is a celebrated day in all the Whitehouse’s… If you care too, drop me a note with your weirdest Peanut butter creation, and I’ll bet I can top it. I mean I am talking, hot dogs, chili, with pickles and bologna… the list just goes on and on.

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Federated Rural Electric’s Operation Round Up Application Deadline is February 17th. Operation Round Up involves about 75% of Federated’s members in Jackson and Martin Counties that allow their monthly electric bills to be rounded up and placed into a trust fund that in turn has distributed nearly $983,000 to local organizations including senior dining, hospice, schools, fire/ambulance departments and as high school scholarships. This Spring’s recipients will top $1 million returned from members to area organizations and scholarships. The application form can be downloaded from Federated’s website: www.federatedrea.coop. You can also call Federated at 507-847-3520 or 1-800-321-3520. Ask for Andrea to request an application (or e-mail: info@federatedrea.coop). The recipients will be announced in April. Federated members with high school seniors can apply for the Federated Operation Round Up scholarships. The Trust Board authorized nine $700 scholarships with one for each of the six Federated districts and three for district At-Large where applicants have a second chance. The inserts will go out with the February 5 electric bills. Plus, the application is also found on Federated’s website or with school counselors in February. Scholarship applications are due back by April 1, 2025.

Full News Release and Information

For immediate release — January 21, 2025

This institution is an equal opportunity provider & employer

Contact: Andrea Christoffer, CCC, Marketing & Communications Manager

507-849-7850 (direct dial) or christoffer@federatedrea.coopDeadline nears for Federated’s

Operation Round Up applications — approaches $1 million mark helping local groups

(Jackson, MN) — Spring into action! Apply for the spring Operation Round Up funding. The next deadline is February 17 for Operation Round Up funds from Federated Rural Electric’s Trust Board.

Operation Round Up involves about 75 percent of Federated’s members in Jackson and Martin Counties; they allow their monthly electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest dollar amount. The “rounded up” change goes into a trust fund. An independent Trust Board, which consists of Federated members, evaluates local funding requests and distributes the funds.

The application form can be downloaded from Federated’s website: www.federatedrea.coop. You can also call Federated at 507-847-3520 or 1-800-321-3520. Ask for Andrea to request an application (or e-mail: info@federatedrea.coop). The recipients will be announced in April.

Since 1995 Federated’s Trust Board has distributed nearly $983,000 to local organizations including senior dining, hospice, schools, fire/ambulance departments and as high school scholarships. This Spring’s recipients will top $1 million returned from members to area organizations and scholarships.

Federated members with high school seniors can apply for the Federated Operation Round Up scholarships. The Trust Board authorized nine $700 scholarships with one for each of the six Federated districts and three for district At-Large where applicants have a second chance. The inserts will go out with the February 5 electric bills. Plus, the application is also found on Federated’s website or with school counselors in February. Scholarship applications are due back by April 1, 2025.

Organizations that serve Federated members in Jackson or Martin Counties can request funds for projects involving:

• community service • community leadership programs

• disaster relief • environmental programs

• youth education • emergency-energy assistance.

Federated is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative serving 5,300 members in Jackson and Martin Counties