• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Southern Public Power District

PO Box 1687 / 4550 West Husker Hwy
Grand Island, NE 68802-1687
308-384-2350 / 800-579-3019

  • About Us
    • Vision, Mission & Values
    • History
    • Service Area
    • Board Agendas & Minutes
    • Board Members
    • Staff
    • Careers
      • Job Openings
      • Scholarships
    • Contact Us
  • Customer Service
    • Payment & Account Portal
    • Electric Service Application
    • Rates
    • Disconnection Of Service
    • Incentive Programs
    • Distributed Generation
    • Surge Protection System
    • Generlink
  • News
    • Customer News Magazine
    • Annual Reports
  • Community & Development
    • Operation Round Up
    • Energy Park
    • Our Communities
  • Safety & Efficiency
    • Apogee Energy Resource Center
    • Incentive Programs
    • Hotline Trailer Demonstrations
    • Notification of Oversized Load
    • Safety Tips
      • Indoor Safety Tips
      • Outdoor Safety Tips
      • Storm Safety Tips
  • Irrigation
    • Load Control Status
    • Rates
    • Irrigation Rate Calculator
    • Construction Policy
    • Load Management Newsletter
    • Power Factor

May 28, 2021 By Jack Welch

A Place To Gather

The Gathering Place in Cairo, Nebraska.

We have all seen special stories of community service and dedication to mankind throughout the pandemic. One shining example of thes qualities has occurred in the community of Cairo.

The Gathering Place in Cairo, once known as the Cairo Senior Citizens’ Center, serves the community’s population of age 60 and above. For more than ten years, The Gathering Place has provided hot meals Monday through Friday. The facility has been a place to gather for meals, activities, and to access life-enhancing services.

When the pandemic took hold in 2020, The Gathering Place adapted their procedures to shift from on-site dining to home-delivered meals. Mandy Sweitzer, Site Council Member noted that the pandemic shed light on the need for hot, healthy meals for folks in the community, as well as other personal needs. “When the pandemic caused closures and isolation, it became obvious that people not only needed help with acquiring meals, but they also needed the opportunity to say “hello” to their friends and neighbors.” The need for meals and friendly faces shows in the number of people that are served daily. Prior to the pandemic, The Gathering Place kitchen was utilized to serve 12-15 meals each day. More recently, that number has grown to 35-40 meals daily, more than double their previous level.
The Gathering Place recently submitted an application for an Operation ROUND UP grant, which is made possible by participating customers of Southern Public Power District. Their application was successful, and a $2,500 grant was awarded for expansion to their kitchen, which will include additional space and larger refrigeration and freezer units. The Gathering Place also actively sought assistance from local foundations and fundraising efforts such as Go Big Give.

LeAnne Doose, Public Relations Manager notes, “This project is one that truly exemplifies service at its best. Clearly a significant need has been discovered by The Gathering Place, and they have risen to the occasion to serve members of their community.” Sweitzer noted that the Site Director Tracy Bowers has done an incredible job overseeing the efforts to shift to home deliveries, and local volunteers Marv Roth, Carla Blake and Dee Reinhart have been dedicated figures in delivering meals to people, even in extreme cold temperatures.

We applaud the efforts made by The Gathering Place, its volunteers, and the entire community for having a vision to meet individual needs. Your example of community service and teamwork are worthy of acknowledgment.
The recipients for grants during the First Quarter of 2021 are listed on the next page. We thank SPPD customers for making grants like this possible!

Filed Under: Operation ROUND UP

Footer

Links

Nebraska Power Association
Nebraska Energy Office
Diggers Hotline
Safe Electricity

Search

Current News

      

SouthernPPDFollow

Southern Public Power District. To report an outage call 800-579-3019.

SouthernPPD
southernppdSouthernPPD@southernppd·
14h

Reply on Twitter 1543958897198878720Retweet on Twitter 1543958897198878720Like on Twitter 15439588971988787201Twitter 1543958897198878720
southernppdSouthernPPD@southernppd·
17h

This Independence Day, as we celebrate our nation’s freedom, SPPD thanks the courageous men and women who are dedicated to preserving it. Happy Fourth, everyone!

Reply on Twitter 1543912584360988672Retweet on Twitter 1543912584360988672Like on Twitter 15439125843609886722Twitter 1543912584360988672
Load More...

Copyright © 2022 Nebraska Public Power District