SMECO Employees Raise $55,000 for the Center for Children

SMECO) employees held a fund-raising event and donated $55,000 to the Center for Children. “Children are a vulnerable population and helping families establish safe and healthy homes is crucial to the well-being of the community and society as a whole. We selected the Center for Children as this year’s fundraising recipient because it provides a wide range of resources to support and nurture the protection of children locally,” said Natalie Cotton, SMECO’s government affairs and community relations director.

“Our employees and vendors go the extra mile to support local organizations, and we’re proud to be able to make such a significant contribution to the Center for Children. Protecting the youngest members of our community and ensuring that parents and guardians have the resources they need to raise healthy, happy children is a fundamental need,” said Sonja M. Cox, SMECO’s president and CEO.

“Thanks to this contribution, there will be children whose families no longer have to worry about the cost of treatment after already experiencing a traumatic incident. SMECO has, in so many ways, been a partner to the center since we opened thirty-four years ago,” said Catherine L. Meyers, LCPC, executive director for the Center for Children, Inc. “Thank you to SMECO and their vendors for helping our children and families continue to get the treatment services they need. SMECO not only lights up our homes and businesses, but this donation will light up the lives of children and families in Southern Maryland.”

SMECO employees raised the money through the Annual Charity Golf Outing in September. The event is supported by SMECO vendors, the cooperative’s board and executive team, and employees who volunteer.

The cooperative selects different organizations each year to benefit from its fundraising events. Contributions, which may be tax deductible, can be made to the SMECO Charitable Foundation.

According to Cotton, “SMECO employee fundraisers have contributed more than $484,000 to local organizations in the last 10 years. We are especially grateful to our business partners who generously contribute by providing donations and participating in the event. Diamond Sponsors include AUI Power, SMC Infrastructure Solutions, and Utility Lines Construction Services. Platinum Sponsors include Altec, AV3 Inc., Booth and Associates, Brandywine Power Facilities, CMI General Contractors, ICF International, New River Electrical Corporation, One Call Concepts Locating Services, Penn Line Service Inc, Sargent & Lundy LLC, Scheibel Construction, Schneider Electric, Sumter Utilities, Super Salvage Inc, The Okonite Company, TRC Solutions, and Wesco. Gold Sponsors include A&G Electric, ConvergeOne, Eaton, G&S Technologies, GridLiance, M.J. Friedl & Associates Inc, Maryland Broadband Cooperative, Mitsubishi Electric Power Products Inc, PowerTech LLC, and Wills Group/Southern Maryland Oil. We rely on Golf Outing sponsors for their donations and appreciate their assistance.”

Information about the Center for Children:

The Center for Children is a private non-profit dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child abuse in Southern Maryland and the promotion of positive mental health. The center serves more than 4,500 individuals each year in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Howard, Prince George’s, and St. Mary’s counties. Learn more about the Center for Children at center-for-children.org/home.

SMECO’s employees raised $55,000 for the Center for Children by hosting a golf outing in September. Pictured are, from left, Sonja M. Cox, SMECO president and CEO; Catherine L. Meyers, LCPC, Center for Children executive director; and Natalie Cotton, SMECO’s government affairs and community relations director.