CASSOPOLIS — Gathered on a chilly day inside Midwest Energy and Communications’ new state of the art building on Decatur Road in Cassopolis, employees waited, check in hand, to pass off a sizeable donation to an organization they deemed worthy in the community. 

“We are really excited about this,” said MEC communications specialist Amy Pales. “We don’t often have the opportunity to give donations like this.”

MEC recently donated $760 to the Cassopolis Veterans of Foreign Wars, in partnership with Touchstone Energy. After MEC hired the Touchstone Energy hot air balloon for MEC’s customer appreciation event in September, Touchstone Energy gave MEC $510 to donate to a community organization of their choosing. MEC chose the VFW.

In addition to the $510 donated by Touchstone Energy, MEC donated $250 to help with more supplies.

According to Pales and community relations specialist Lori Ruff, the idea to give the donation to the VFW came after MEC employees helped the VFW host a free Thanksgiving lunch, something which both feel was a positive, rewarding experience for MEC.

“We immediately knew that the VFW would be a great candidate for the donation,” Ruff said. “Our soldiers give so much for this nation and the volunteers and staff at the Cassopolis VFW work hard to help our local veterans with meals, supplies and more. We are happy to work with Touchstone to provide assistance to such a valuable organization.”

Pales added that because MEC is a smaller company, they do not have the budget to give away large community donations the way that some bigger companies do. Because of this, VFW Commander Tom Green said the donation was a complete surprise, as the VFW does not tend to receive unsolicited donations. 

“We are very, very appreciative,” Green said of the donation. “It’s just wonderful.”

The donation from MEC and Touchstone Energy will go toward the VFW’s general fund, Green said. Some of the things the general fund helps pay for are the burial services for veterans, meals for veterans and the VFW’s Memorial Day parade.

“We do quite a bit to help out veterans. We are a small organization, but we do everything we can,” Green said of the VFW. “Our job is to be an advocate for veterans. … We want to be a presence in the community and let people know that veterans are here.”

Green added that the organization was especially grateful for the donation not only because it will allow the VFW to continue to operate in the community, but because it came from a local business, which he said shows the unity of Cassopolis.

“[I hope this] can show other organizations and businesses what can happen if we work together and band together,” Green said. “I think if we all get together, we can do good things.”

Pales and Ruff said that MEC is always working to make this a reality, as the business integrates themselves often in community projects and often gives back to the community through service.

“We try to very hard to make our donation dollars go as far as they can and we spread the love,” Ruff said. “This is a member-owned cooperative, and we want people to feel like we are in the community.”

After Ruff and Pales handed Green the donation check for the VFW, all three shook hands before parting ways.

“We are so glad we were able to do this,” Ruff said of the donation to the VFW. “We are so happy to give back.”