(JACKSON) —Federated Rural Electric in Jackson, your local Touchstone Energy Cooperative, will sponsor a Covid-safe clean-up day at Kilen Wood State Park, north of Lakefield. 

A tentative spring clean-up day is set for Saturday, May 1, when electric cooperative employees, customers and the general public will set aside a work day in various parks throughout the state.  Volunteers will clean picnic shelters, fix existing structures, pick up branches and litter on the trails.

Locally, Federated Rural Electric employees, customers and the general public are invited to Kilen Woods State Park, northeast of Lakefield from 9 a.m. to noon. Plenty of room exists to socially distance; families will work in pods together. A Subway $10 gift card will be given to each volunteer at noon, instead of a group lunch.

Volunteers will:  

• Paint amphitheater seats & sign posts

• Pick up litter on hiking trails and trim branches

• Clean picnic shelter and office building

• Scoop out campfire pits

• Pick up fallen branches  

• Rake tent sites and campground area

• Scrape and paint picnic tables                    

GreenTouch Day, and the sponsorship of Minnesota State Parks and Trails, fit well with the Touchstone Energy commitment. During the past 20 years, Minnesota’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives have organized 10,000 volunteers to donate more than 37,000 hours and provided funds to help publish the Guide to Minnesota State Parks and Trails.

“Kilen Woods staff always looks forward to GreenTouch day,” stated Phil Nasby, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “We appreciate the many volunteers that help get the park spruced up for the summer camping and hiking season.” 

You do not need to be a Federated member to volunteer.  Volunteers need to RSVP by noon April 30 so enough Subway cards are ordered. Call or e-mail Federated at 847-3520, 1-800-321-3520 (press extension 2224 for Andrea) or info@federatedrea.coop. GreenTouch volunteers receive free access to the park on this day.

“GreenTouch is one way Touchstone Energy Cooperatives demonstrate their commitment to the community,” stated Scott Reimer, Federated’s general manager. “We’re proud of the way our members and employees have shown their cooperative spirit by volunteering to spruce up our state parks, but we’re not surprised by their generosity. It comes naturally to them.”

Minnesota’s Touchstone Energy Cooperatives participate in this project. Touchstone Energy is the co-brand used all over the nation to market what local electric cooperatives stand for: Integrity, Accountability, Community Involvement and Innovation. The state park sponsorship fits well with the Touchstone Energy commitment.

Federated is a rural electric cooperative serving 6,800 members in Jackson and Martin Counties.

Contact:         Andrea Christoffer, Marketing & Communications Manager

                        507-847-3520 or christoffer@federatedrea.coop

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