Fulton offers utility customers chance to help others stay warm

As cold weather settles in and thermostats go up, officials with the City of Fulton are hoping local utility customers will find it in themselves to donate a dollar or two so that others can turn their heat up as well.

Director of Administration Bill Johnson said he is hoping to see a bump in contributions to the city's Energy Assistance Fund. Noting that there has not been a large number of donations, he said he thinks part of the problem is lack of awareness.

"I think people just don't know about it," Johnson said, noting that customers can donate a set amount on their monthly utility bills, "whatever people volunteer to give."

Kathy Holschlag, Fulton's chief financial officer, said the city has a separate checking account set up for the Energy Assistance Fund, and there are a number of ways residents can contribute.

"They can opt for us to bill them an amount of their choosing each month - we separate that amount and send it to that account - or they can come in to city hall and say, "I would like to make a one-time contribution to energy assistance,'" Holschlag said, adding that City of Fulton employees also have the option to do a payroll deduction.

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.