Sharing Success Charity Challenge Winners Receive $4,500

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SCOTT CITY–We are excited to announce that the winner of this year’s Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc.’s Sharing Success Charity Challenge is Family Crisis Center, Inc.

The non-profit organization based in Great Bend serves individuals in 10 central Kansas counties (Barton, Barber, Comanche, Edwards, Kiowa, Ness, Pawnee, Pratt, Rush and Stafford) through their Domestic and Sexual Violence Center and five counties (Barton, Pawnee, Ellsworth, Pratt, and Stafford) through their Child Advocacy Center.

Family Crisis Center, Inc. is the recipient of a $2,500 Sharing Success grant through the Sharing Success Charity Challenge. The organization was championed by Wheatland Electric’s cooperative membership and Facebook fans and followers (through multiple rounds of online voting during the contest held entirely on social media from Oct. 21 through Nov. 12, 2024).

In addition, three other finalists in our online contest also received Sharing Success grants.

They include Scott City Feathers and Lead (Scott County), which received a $1,000 grant for placing second; The Arts Center in Anthony (Harper County), which received a $500 grant; and Santas for Seniors, a project based in Finney County, which also received $500.

To engage our membership and promote two of our seven cooperative principles, we turned the decision-making power over to our membership for the fifth year in a row during this grant selection process.

Throughout the online contest, our co-op members and other Facebook followers were encouraged to nominate and vote for a deserving non-profit or other charitable community-based organizations within our service territory and rally friends and family to do the same.

Now, more than ever during this holiday season, we recognize the importance of helping one another, giving thanks, and paying it forward.

That’s because cooperatives like us are governed by core principles, including democratic member control and concern for community. The first endorses active member participation in the future and direction of our cooperative. And the second promotes our work for the sustainable development of our communities through policies supported by our membership.

We want to thank all our members who helped select these four deserving Sharing Success grant recipients.

Family Crisis Center, Inc. 2024
Family Crisis Center, Inc., based in Great Bend, was championed by fans and followers on Wheatland Electric’s Facebook page to win a $2,500 Sharing Success grant during our Sharing Success Charity Challenge.
Scott City Feathers and Lead 2024
Members of Scott City Feathers and Lead accept a $1,000 Sharing Success grant. The organization that promotes hunting for youth placed as runner-up in our Sharing Success Charity Challenge on Facebook.
Santas for Seniors Finney County RSVP
Mary Dinkel, director of Finney County R.S.V.P (second from right), and Annette Elliot, assistant (far left), accept a $500 check from Samantha Garcia, manager of member services and key accounts at Wheatland Electric (center), for placing third in the Sharing Success Charity Challenge on our Facebook page. Also pictured: Susan Escareno (second from left) and Diane Hunsberger, who serve as volunteers for the Santas for Seniors program.
Arts Center in Harper County 2024
Members of the Arts Center in Anthony receive a $500 Sharing Success grant from Wheatland Electric for placing fourth in our Sharing Success Charity Challenge, a Facebook contest. Pictured in the front row (left to right): Mary Hoisington, member services and key accounts manager at Wheatland Electric, Juliana Whisman, director, and Kasey Waldschmidt, board member; back row (left to right): Kaleb Waller, Braden Sweet, Joshua Kelley, and Caitlyn Gehrke with the Wichita Children's Theatre touring company, who visited Harper County for a performing arts project at Chaparral Junior/Senior High School.