Flathead Electric Cooperative is charged up for another year of supporting communities throughout the valley and invites the public to help out.

Owned and governed by its members, the nonprofit cooperative has a stake in the safety, education and well-being of the communities it serves in the Flathead Valley and Libby, creating programs and events to support them such as Roundup for Safety, the Pulse Project and Ribeye Raffle, in addition to offering free kits containing energy-efficient items and awarding scholarships to area students.

“The co-op was founded on seven principles. One is a concern for the community while focusing on member needs and working toward the sustainable development of communities,” Flathead Electric spokeswoman Wendy Ostrom-Price said.

The annual Ribeye Raffle is a fundraiser benefiting area food banks. Tickets are on sale now for a chance to win premium cuts of beef, about 60 rib-eye and T-bone steaks sourced from livestock raised by 4-H and FFA students.

Through the program, the co-op purchases animals at the Northwest Montana Fair Market Livestock Sale. Along with raffle proceeds going to food banks, most of the meat is also donated after the premium cuts are awarded to winners.

Tickets are $1 each or six for $5. Tickets may be purchased in advance at https://www.flatheadelectric.com/ribeyeraffle or at the co-op’s Evergreen office. Tickets will also be sold during the fair at the co-op booth. Winners will be announced on Aug. 23.

The raffle has raised $17,246 for food banks since the program’s start in 2016.

THE PUBLIC should also mark their calendars for the Pulse Project in September. Two blood drives are set for Sept. 8 and 9.

Since the Pulse Project’s start in 2018, 360 pints of blood have been collected, with the potential to save up to 1,080 lives Ostrom-Price said.

“We’re very proud of the fact we have also attracted 91 first-time blood donors,” she said.

From 10 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Sept. 8, a Red Cross blood drive will be held at the co-op office located at 2510 U.S. 2 E. in Evergreen. The Sept. 9 blood drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Evergreen Vitalant donation center located at 2593 U.S. 2 E. Schedule an appointment by visiting https://www.flatheadelectric.com/community/pulse-project

Monetary donations to the Pulse Project support members who are struggling to pay electric bills during temporary financial crises and who may not qualify for low-income assistance programs. To date, $54,600 in monetary donations has been raised and has helped 224 local families, Ostrom-Price said.

ROUNDUP FOR Safety is another program people may participate in to help improve neighborhood safety. Flathead Electric members opting to participate will have their monthly electric bills rounded up to the nearest dollar. The money then goes toward grants awarded to local nonprofits to help pay for projects that improve life safety such as defibrillators, lighting, first-responder gear, or bike paths, for example.

According to Flathead Electric, the average cost for a participating member is “about $8 a year, yet makes a huge impact on our community,” with more than $3.5 million going to projects since 1997.

For co-op members looking to save energy, Flathead Electric is offering free kits containing energy-efficient items. The Super Saver Energy Kits contain items such as LED light bulbs, power strips and showerheads. The deadline to request a free kit is Aug. 31, or while supplies last. Request a kit at https://www.flatheadelectric.com/supersaverkits. The program also helps the cooperative meet federal efficiency requirements.

To sign up for any of the programs mentioned, or for more information, visit https://www.flatheadelectric.com or call 751-4483.