MINOT, N.D. – SRT met with members of Granville’s American Legion Post 155 this week to commemorate the newly installed Veterans Memorial Monument in Granville Cemetery. The Rural Development Finance Corporation (RDFC) awarded a $750 grant, which SRT matched with an additional $750, toward purchasing the monument that now stands atop a hill in the cemetery.
Jeff Smette, the Post’s adjutant, said the project was “Legion member Karl Wittstruck’s baby, which got us going. Then it became a matter of keeping after it, and the community got behind us once we got started.”
Contributions from local businesses, organizations, and individuals helped bring total donations to nearly $14,000. The result, Smette said, is a “nice, lasting monument for the community and all veterans, where we can gather and honor those who served.”
The monument was installed on a cement pad where four crosses have marked this ground for years, honoring two World War I veterans and two World War II veterans.
Kristi Miller, SRT Board President, said of SRT’s matching grant, “This monument marks the indelible gratitude we all have for those who have made such profound sacrifice to defend our nation and way of life. SRT is humbled to support our military and is proud to be part of this community coming together for veterans.”
SRT is among the North Dakota rural telecommunication and electric cooperatives that are members of RDFC, a nonprofit finance and development corporation that provides funding for economic development and diversification projects in rural North Dakota. Applications are submitted to RDFC and, if approved for funding, are matched 100% by SRT.
SRT Communications, headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, is the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative. Established in 1951, SRT employs roughly 180 people and serves more than 24,000 customers across north central North Dakota. SRT earned the distinction as a Certified Gig-Capable Provider in 2017. Services include high-speed internet, phone, and security/surveillance systems for home and business. Learn more at www.srt.com.
