Minot, N.D. – SRT and NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA) presented $5,000 to Local Motives at Citizens Alley in downtown Minot Tuesday.
The community grant – comprising $4,500 from the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) and $500 from SRT – funded three checker/chess board picnic tables and game pieces for Citizens Alley to enhance passive recreation, foster community engagement, and enrich the public plaza experience.
Citizens Alley opened this summer as a community hub and year-round gathering space offering a variety of summer and winter activities. The public plaza is operated by Local Motives, a local non-profit dedicated to enhancing the vitality and vibrancy of downtown Minot through creative placemaking, public art, and community-driven events. Since July 10, Citizens Alley has hosted more than 30 event days, including the Silobration attended by roughly 700 people in August.
“SRT has been supportive of making this dream a reality for several years,” said Jessica Ackerman, Executive Director of Local Motives. “Minot needed a place to connect with each other and instill pride in our community. We are in the business of connections – a purpose we share with SRT. Thank you to SRT for being a part of this dream and thank you to FRS for having the vision for communities like ours.”
FRS, the philanthropic arm of NTCA, works to sustain and enhance quality of life in America through an understanding of rural issues. The Community Grant Program is offered annually through NTCA members to support local efforts in building sustainable rural communities for residents. Because SRT is a member of NTCA, communities within SRT’s service area can apply for the FRS Community Grant Program.
“I have seen first-hand how NTCA members like SRT partner with their communities to advance economic vitality and quality of their public spaces,” said Shirley Bloomfield, CEO of NTCA. “Citizens Alley is a shining example of how these collaborations build lasting benefit for local residents and visitors alike – and what a treat it was for me to see this partnership in action while in Minot this week. I’m proud of the work FRS does to help our community-based providers spread philanthropy throughout their service areas.”
SRT Communications, headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, is the state’s largest telecommunications cooperative and a multi-gig internet provider. Established in 1951, SRT employs roughly 180 people and serves more than 25,000 customers across north-central North Dakota. SRT built a 100% fiber optic broadband network. Services include high-speed internet, phone, and security and surveillance systems for home and business. Learn more at www.srt.com.
NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing over 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovative change in smart rural communities across America. In an era of transformative technological developments, regulatory challenges and marketplace competition, NTCA members are advancing efforts to close the digital divide by delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks. Their commitment to building sustainable networks makes rural communities fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Visit www.ntca.org.
