Special to the Leader & Times
The Southern Pioneer Electric Helping Us Give To Society (H.U.G.S.) team awarded the Seward County Sheriff’s Office with a $4,000 grant courtesy of the program and an additional $4,000 matching grant from CoBank’s Sharing Success program Wednesday. The grants will help the Sheriff’s office continue its K-9 Program after the retirement of its previous K-9 at the end of 2025.
“The K-9 program is incredibly beneficial to our department and community,” Sgt. Bo Jacobs, K-9 Supervisor for the Seward County Sheriff’s Office, said. “This program provides a professional and lawful approach to criminal enforcement and deterrence.”
H.U.G.S grants are considered for projects that benefit residents and communities within Southern Pioneer Electric’s service territory. Projects must fall within one or more focus categories outlined in the program’s guidelines. Those include human needs, education, culture and arts, civic and environment.
“The H.U.G.S. team felt the K-9 program is a huge asset to the Liberal community and others in the surrounding area,” Ruby Terrazas, H.U.G.S. spokesperson, said. “We look forward to seeing how this program can grow and continue keeping residents safe.”
A reception for K9 Britt will take place from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Seward County Commission Chambers.
CoBank is one of the largest private providers of credit to the U.S. rural economy. The bank delivers loans, leases and other financial services to agribusiness, rural infrastructure and Farm Credit customers in all 50 states and as a mission-based cooperative lender, CoBank is committed to serving as a good corporate citizen.
Southern Pioneer Electric Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pioneer Electric Cooperative, is headquartered out of Ulysses, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company has local offices in Liberal and Medicine Lodge. Southern Pioneer Electric Company serves approximately 17,200 customers and operates in 10 counties and 34 communities. Southern Pioneer Electric Company's service territory stretches east from Liberal to Medicine Lodge and north to Kingman and back west to Greensburg, Kansas. Southern Pioneer Electric Company is dedicated to providing customers with safe and reliable electric service.
For more information about the HUGS program, please visit www.southernpioneer.net.
