Representatives from Wounded Warrior Project (WWP) accept a contribution of $36,470 from Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO). SMECO raised the funds through the SMECO 75 Bike Ride and the SMECO Annual Charity Golf Outing. Pictured from left are John Molino, WWP Chief of Staff -Programs; Austin J. Slater, Jr., SMECO President and CEO; Charlie Abell, WWP, Executive Vice President of Policy and Government Affairs; Natalie Cotton, SMECO Community Relations Specialist; Jonathan Marlowe, SMECO Transmission System Operator and veteran; and Ulysses Bowman, SMECO Lead Groundman and veteran.
HUGHESVILLE, Md.—Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative (SMECO) employees held two fund raising events and recently donated $36,470 to the Wounded Warrior Project. SMECO employees raised the money through the SMECO 75 Bike Ride held in June and SMECO Annual Charity Golf Outing in October. The events are supported by a group of volunteers, vendors, and the SMECO executive team. The Co-op selects a different organization each year to benefit from the fundraising events.
According to Richard Jarboe, SMECO supply chain director, "We enjoy working together with SMECO's supply chain partners to host the charity golf tournament. The event allows us to provide much-needed funds to worthwhile organizations. We have held the charity golf event for 11 years and have given more than $110,000 to local groups."
"We greatly appreciate the contribution SMECO has made to help us serve injured veterans through our 20 life-saving programs," said Dana Dreckman, director of donor services for Wounded Warrior Project. "It is only through the support of the American public and our corporate sponsors that we are able to work toward our vision of fostering the most successful, well-adjusted generation of injured service members in our nation's history."
Natalie Cotton, SMECO's community relations specialist, added, "Our annual bike ride receives great support from the Oxon Hill Bike Club and local bicycle enthusiasts, and we are especially grateful to business partners who donated thousands of dollars to help make the SMECO 75 Bike Ride a successful fundraiser." SMECO held its third annual bike ride on June 7, 2014, and more than 470 bicyclists registered for the event. Participants can choose among three bike routes of 29, 47, and 75 miles that start at the co-op's headquarters in Hughesville and go as far as Colton's Point in St. Mary's County. "Major donors to SMECO's bike ride include CGI, Comverge, ICF International, Infor, IP Data Systems, and NextEra Energy, and we thank them for their contributions," Cotton added. She concluded, "SMECO will host its fourth annual bike ride on Saturday, June 6, 2015, and we've already begun planning for the event."
Source: SMECO