More than 250 public school students in the Wanatah area are carrying new backpacks filled with supplies thanks to Kankakee Valley REMC members and local residents.
For the third year in a row, the REMC sponsored its Pack a Backpack program. Members and other residents donated school supplies at collection boxes located at the REMC’s office and five local libraries. Kankakee Valley REMC packed the donated items into the backpacks, which were then delivered to eight local schools. School personnel then distributed the backpacks to students who could use a little extra help at the start of the school year.
“As a membership cooperative, we’re committed to serving the needs of the community, and that goes beyond providing a safe and reliable source for electric power,” said Kankakee Valley REMC CEO Dennis Weiss. “We know that back-to-school time creates financial struggles for many area families, who have to think about new school clothes, book rental fees, and all those other needs. The Pack a Backpack program gives us a way to help them out.”
Weiss noted that the REMC is always impressed with the fact that its members look out for their neighbors. “When we introduce programs such as Operation RoundUp, our members embrace those efforts enthusiastically,” he said. “Their participation allows us all to give back to the communities we call home. It’s good to live and work in a place where people take care of each other.”
— Community contribution
