It won't be a coincidence when Trinity Valley Electric Cooperative customer members start noticing all of their bills come out in even dollars with no cents soon. The cooperative is launching "Operation Round-Up," a program where all electricity bills will be rounded-up to the next dollar, and the additional change will be deposited into a special account for charitable purposes managed by the TVEC Charitable Foundation. The new billing practice is scheduled to begin in April, and the cooperative will begin accepting applications from 501C3 charitable groups such as volunteer fire departments, food pantries, battered women's shelters and others in May. Distribution of funds will being in July. The average cost to the cooperative's 48,000 members will be about $6 per year, and that will translate into much-needed funding for struggling charities, said Bobbi Byford, manager of public relations for TVEC. Byford made the announcement at the Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce's regular monthly meeting Feb. 14. "That can make a huge difference in our communities," Byford said. "It's an opportunity to show we care." Byford said the cooperative has been advising its members of the program's start for about five months now. Everyone has the option to not paraticipate in the program by calling the cooperative and asking to opt-out, she said. Byford said members who want to contribute more can make cash donations to the program. The program will be administered by a special board of directors for the charitable foundation, which will include Chamber of Commerce President Jo Ann Hanstrom. "It's going to be great for everyone," Hanstrom said. The program was first started in South Carolina by a rural electric cooperative there in 1990, and it has spread across the country because of its success, Byford said. The cooperative also announced recently that it would begin installing "Smart Meters" at members' residences and businesses to replace the current outdated technology. The new technology allows meters to be read without monthly visits to read meters. There will be no charge for the new meters.