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Foundation for Rural Service Now Accepting Community Grant Applications

Foundation for Rural Service Now Accepting Community Grant Applications

The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) is currently accepting applications for their Community Grant Program.  FRS is a nonprofit organization that works in cooperation with NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association to sustain and enhance the quality of life in America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. As a member of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, rural communities within SRT’s area can apply for the Community Grant Program offered by FRS. This grant program looks for current projects that will improve quality of life and create sustainable rural communities for its residents. The FRS Community Grant Program is a great way for projects in rural communities to receive potential financial assistance. If accepted, the grants awarded range from $250 to $5,000.
 
Interested? Download the application guide and submit your application to email@srt.com or by mail:
SRT Communications
Attn: Corp Comm
PO Box 2027
Minot, ND 58702
 
The deadline to submit your application proposal to SRT is August 15, 2022.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION GUIDE

SRT Donates $500,000 to Trinity Capital Campaign

SRT Donates $500,000 to Trinity Capital Campaign

SRT Check - June 30, 2022- 19202 Print

SRT Communications has donated $500,000 to Trinity Health Foundation’s Capital Campaign in support of Trinity’s new regional healthcare campus and medical district.

The morning of June 30, SRT officials joined Trinity Health on the new campus grounds and presented a ceremonial check for the construction project, currently underway. The hospital and adjoining medical office building stood tall in the background.

“Access to quality health services is crucial to any thriving community, and we are fortunate to have this new regional healthcare campus and medical district in our area,” said Cassidy Hjelmstad, CEO and General Manager of SRT. “Like Trinity Health, SRT is committed to building out state-of-the-art services for communities throughout north central North Dakota. We are proud to support this capital campaign and, more importantly, to partner with Trinity for the future of healthcare in the region.”

SRT’s fiber network forms the foundation of complex critical infrastructure, not only for Trinity’s impressive new regional healthcare campus, but also for government, financial institutions, and two legs of the US Military’s defense triad.

Kristi Miller, SRT Board President, added the perspective of a telecommunications cooperative: “One of the core principles of cooperatives is Concern for Community. We live by this principle every day as we serve the people of North Dakota, and we see this principle in Trinity Health. This significant construction project truly demonstrates Trinity’s drive and commitment to our communities.”

Trinity Health Foundation has committed to raising $15 million through corporate and private donations toward the total estimated construction cost of $500 million. The regional healthcare campus and medical district is projected to open Spring 2023.

SRT Technicians Receive Minot Chamber EDC Eagle Award

SRT Technicians Receive Minot Chamber EDC Eagle Award

News_CSMSeagleaward
SRT Combination Technicians Cameron Schilken and Matt Sund received Minot Chamber EDC‘s Eagle Awards earlier this month. The Eagle Award recognizes excellence in customer service, and the recipients must be nominated to receive this award.
 
Matt and Cameron were nominated by an SRT customer who said, “Matt and Cameron hooked up our fiber optic cable. We have two big dogs and they had to be in their business while they were working and being a nuisance. Matt and Cameron took the time to acknowledge them. They were so professional and kind. They quickly hooked up our fiber optic and I had a question on my SRT email app. They not only took the time to help me but also took the time to look into the problem and not once made me feel like I was losing my mind. I hope SRT realizes what a gem they have. Thank you VERY much for your time and patience. We as a customer are very lucky to have you.”
 
Congratulations Matt and Cameron, and thank you for taking great care of our customers!

June Tech Tip: Managing Your Online Reputation

June Tech Tip: Managing Your Online Reputation

Techtip_ManagingYourOnlineReputation

Your online reputation matters as much as your offline reputation. Information can spread quickly and can have devastating consequences for your image and safety. Simply Google your name and you might be surprised by what information you find that is publicly available. Take these steps to manage that information:

1. One of the easiest ways to protect yourself online is to not overshare. The less information you share, the lower the risk of it being stolen, manipulated, or shared.

2. It may seem obvious, but do not add strangers on your social media. Hackers will often pose as friendly individuals looking to befriend you online to steal information through your social media accounts.

3. A less obvious way people might be finding information about you online is through location services. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram offer location tagging services when you share a post on their platforms. This may seem like a minor detail if sharing a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower, but a selfie in your home with the location settings turned on now provides your home location to all your social media contacts.

4. Delete your old accounts. No longer using the Twitter account you made in high school? Try to regain access to it and deactivate it. The less information available, the less risk of information being found or shared.

Podcasts Explained

Podcasts Explained

News_PodcastsExplained(1)

WHY YOU SHOULD ADD PODCAST LISTENING TO YOUR ROUTINE

If you have ever used a music streaming service, chances are you have seen or heard the word “podcast.” What is a podcast, exactly? A podcast is an audio recording on a specific topic or range of topics. It is a similar format to talk radio, but podcasts are pre-recorded and available on-demand, so you can listen to them anytime.

Podcasting as we know it today began in 2004, when the Apple iPod and other portable audio listening devices became popular in households. They have undoubtedly grown in popularity in the past few years. According to Statista.com, 57% of the United States population over the age of 12 listened to at least one podcast in 2021. This is a significant increase from the 11% of Americans who were familiar with podcasts in 2006.

If you are interested in giving podcast listening a try, there are many ways to listen, most of which are available free-of-charge. You can listen through podcast websites on your computer, laptop, or mobile device. However, the more common method is listening to podcasts through an app. For example, if you own an iPhone, it automatically comes with an app called “Podcasts.” Other popular podcast listening apps for iPhone and Android users include Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartRadio.

As you get accustomed to listening to podcasts, there are even more robust apps available, such as Pocket Casts. This powerful app has features you can tailor for an even more customized podcast listening experience. Pocket Casts takes podcast listening a step further by syncing podcast playback with all your devices so you can listen where you left off, which is especially helpful if you use different devices throughout the day. It can also help you save storage space on your device by automatically deleting old podcasts. No matter which app you use, you can subscribe to your favorite podcasts and even download episodes directly to your device to save on cell phone data.

EMPLOYEE PODCAST PICKS

People create podcasts on many topics, ranging from current events to various hobbies like movies, TV shows, and sports. See what our employees have to say about their favorite podcasts:

asknoah_podcast
bibleinayear_podcast
securitynow_podcast
midwestfinal
atp podcast

Ask Noah – “Old school approach…People call his 1-800 number and ask tech/IT related questions. Also cool that it’s Grand Forks based.” -Justin, Central Office Technician

The Bible in a Year – “Midwest based…Really interesting and keeps my reading on track.” -Tom, Product Manager

Security Now – “Up-to-date cybersecurity news…Great job explaining security vulnerabilities.” -Nathan, IT Security Engineer

Midwest Murder – “Locally recorded…Good production value…Really interesting stories.”
-Chris, Account Executive

Accidental Tech Podcast – “Mainly Apple programming focused…Great ‘nerd talk’…Interesting tangents that make it fun to listen.” -Dan, Combination Technician

LOCAL PODCASTER EXPANDS NETWORK TO LIVE SHOWS

An intriguing element about podcasting is they can easily be recorded anywhere. Some of our employees suggested podcasts recorded in the Midwest, even right in Minot! One Minot-based podcast in particular, The Good Talk, began in 2016 in the basement of its founder, Jonah Lantto. This podcast has since grown and branched off into related projects, including short films, over 15 sold-out, late-night comedy shows known as Good Night Live, and another new and successful podcast called Midwest Murder. “This just started as a hobby at first, then actually turned into my full-time job,” said Lantto.

When Lantto started podcasting in 2016, Spotify didn’t offer podcasts; now it is one of the most popular podcast listening apps. He credits the increasing popularity of podcasts with their accessibility. You can stream or download them anytime once they are published, since they do not air live, like talk radio or TV shows.

With their growing popularity, it looks like podcasts are here to stay. Maybe you have a road trip coming up, or just want something new to listen to during your daily work commute. Download a podcast app, search for your favorite topics, hit play, and you’ll be a podcast expert in no time!