Two nonprofit organizations within the Bandera Electric Cooperative service territory recently received more than $4,600 in BEC Foundation grants, the cooperative said in a news release last week. It said the foundation has awarded more than $48,000 so far this year based on charitable giving guidelines and other predetermined criteria. The Bandera Fire and Rescue received a $1,120 grant to purchase four backpack blowers to replace outdated equipment. The new equipment increases the department’s wildland capabilities, decreases response time and increases efficiency by helping keep brush fires from racing out of control. “We are primarily dependent upon fundraisers and grants like this one to ...