Shelby County Junior 4-H Association Receives $20,000

(FROM LEFT: SHELBY ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER JIM MATLOCK; S-E-C PRESIDENT/CEO JOSH SHALLENBERGER; VICE PRESIDENT OF CoBANK AARON JOHNSON; SHELBY COUNTY 4-H AND JUNIOR FAIR CO-TREASURER STACY BURGENER; SHELBY COUNTY 4-H AND JUNIOR FAIR PRESIDENT DON TELGMANN; AND FAIR BOARD MEMBERS YOLANDA NATION, JIM HAMPTON, AND DAVID SMITH)

The Shelby County Jr. 4-H Association received an early Halloween treat, courtesy of Shelby Electric Cooperative (SEC) and its participation in CoBank’s Sharing Success program. Fair Board officials Thursday received a ceremonial check for $20,000 from representatives of SEC and CoBank.

“The Shelby County 4-H and Junior Fair Board was in desperate need to upgrade its restroom facilities in the 4-H Center. The new restroom facilities will be air-conditioned, have better handicap accessibility, and be more accommodating for young families. The cooperative also addressed some power line issues by re-routing some of the power lines that went over the building. This was a perfect fit for SEC and the CoBank Sharing Success program,” noted SEC President/CEO Josh Shallenberger.

“This project was long overdue. We will be excited and happy once this project is completed. The 4-H center is not only used by 4-H clubs, various other groups, organizations, and families use it as well. The community as a whole can rent this building out and that section of the 4-H Center was inadequate and really unsafe,” noted Shelby County 4-H board president Don Telgmann

SEC’s $10,000 donation was matched by CoBank through its Sharing Success program. Sharing Success was established in 2012 to celebrate the International Year of the Cooperative. Since the program’s inception, CoBank and its customers have together provided more than $56 million in support to charitable organizations across the nation.

Aaron Johnson, Vice President of CoBank, said “We have been doing this program since 2012. We set aside $3 million every year and receive applications from April 1 to Oct. 1, and match dollar for dollar for our members up to $10,000 each. It all goes to improving rural America. We are proud to be part of this.”

Since the inception of CoBank’s Sharing Success program, the cooperative has received matching dollars for donations to the Shelbyville Fire Department, Roxy Theatre, Shelby County Veterans Fund, Shelby County CEO program, Taylorville Development Association, Shelby County Dive Team, Meridian Ag Foundation, Pana Sacred Heart School, and the Village of Strasburg Park, to name a few.