Red River Communications - Winter 2023 Newsletter

NOTE FROM CEO

COMPANY

NEWS

Fiber is the foundation of a strong community PAGE 3

Welcome to Red River Communications

A SMARTER WORKOUT

2023’s Top Smart Home Gym Equipment

PAGES 4

15 years of supporting our community

PAGE 6

ANNUAL MEETING

Learn what is on the agenda for the Annual Meeting

PAGES 8 - 9

A LETTER FROM THE GENERAL MANAGER

It’s not easy for me to admit, but from time-to-time, Red River Digital TV Channel 82 (Magnolia Network) is on my television at home. After bingeing a couple of episodes of renovation shows, it never fails that I hear the phrase ‘good bones’ at least a couple of times about the solid foundation of a home.

FIBER IS GOOD BONES

That got me thinking. A fiber broadband network, like Red River’s, provides the foundation or ‘good bones’ a city or community can build on. Expanding fiber networks transforms rural areas by strengthening businesses, advancing education, enabling smart agriculture, and improving healthcare.

CLOSING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE

As unfortunate as it was, the pandemic in 2020 did expose the lack of broadband in many rural areas. This realization by the government increased federal grants and state funding sources, allowing local broadband providers to plan to expand fiber networks in hard-to-serve rural communities.

Last year, the Red River team spent time planning and applying for several grant funding programs. One result of our efforts is the MN Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant awarded to Red River to build fiber in the rural community southeast of Breckenridge, MN. We hope to have good news on other grant applications later this spring.

YOU’RE INVITED TO OUR 71ST ANNUAL MEETING ON MARCH 23, 2023

We all lead active lives, and I know that invitations to attend in-person meetings are weighed carefully. If you have never attended our annual meeting, or it’s been a while, please stop by on March 23.

At the annual meeting we will discuss our successes, challenges, finances, and plans for the future. In addition, you can register for cash door prizes, check out product demonstrations, and enjoy a hearty mealwith cake! Flip to page 8 to learn more.

I look forward to visiting on March 23! Until then, stay warm and safe,

- Tom Steinolfson, CEO/GM

Celebrate with two worthy causes

PAGE 11

TOM STEINOLFSON CEO/ GENERAL MANAGER

“

FRS GRANT WINNERS COMMON CENTS

Expanding fiber networks transforms rural areas by strengthening businesses, advancing education, enabling smart agriculture, and improving healthcare

UPSTREAM @ RED RIVER COMPANY NEWS WELCOME TO RED RIVER

Red River Communications is excited to announce the addition of four new employees.

Kylie Besette joined Red River in October as our Service Provisioning Specialist.

Kylie grew up on a farm outside Christine, ND, where she developed a love for horses. Kylie attended NDSCS and transferred to NDSU, where she graduated with two degrees - one in Animal Science and one in Equine Science. After graduation, Kylie worked as a Parts Manager at RDO Truck Center in Williston, ND, and four years later, at Peterbilt as their Assistant Parts Manager.

Today, Kylie lives in rural Abercrombie, ND, with her husband, John, and two little boys. Kylie says it was the ability to be closer to home, more family time, flexible hours, and the community-based environment that drew her back to Richland County. “After being away from home for almost nine years,” said Besette, “I really learned the value of my community and what it had to offer.”

At the end of November, Linda Jones started her new role as Accounts Receivable Accounting Clerk.

Linda brings a wealth of accounting experience to her position. She owned her own floral business in the ‘90s, managed the office for All Seasons Mechanical, and most recently worked in the Corwin Automotive accounting department.

When asked what drew her to Red River Communications, Linda said, “I thought a change would be interesting, plus I am now closer to home and get to work with a smaller, close-knit group of employees.”

Linda lives in rural Wyndmere with her husband Tom and has two children adopted from Columbia, Ingrid and Jhony.

This last fall, we added two part-time employees, Larry Score and Craig Myhre, to our staff.

Larry and Craig are working hard to keep our grounds, sidewalks, office buildings, shops and more in tip-top condition.

Welcome to the team, Kylie, Linda, Larry and Craig. You are all fantastic additions to Red River Communications!

Kylie Besette Service Provisioning Specialist

Linda Jones Accounts Receivable Clerk

Work out Smarter

ROWING MACHINES Low-Impact Workouts

With a computer-controlled resistance mechanism that mimics the sensation of rowing on water, the Hydrow has a 22inch touchscreen for viewing 3,000+ pre-recorded workouts.

www.hydrow.com

SMART HOME GYMS

ARE YOU EMBARKING ON A NEW HEALTH AND FITNESS JOURNEY IN 2023? SKIP THE GYM AND WORK OUT IN THE COMFORT OF YOUR HOME.

Home gyms are changing. Now you can have a piece of equipment that helps you reach your fitness goals and looks good in your home too. Each piece of unique Wi-Fi-connected home gym equipment will never skip a beat when powered by your FiberFASTTM internet connection.

SMART GYMS Overall Workouts

SMART BIKES Home Spin Class

Ergatta

The Ergatta uses actual water for its resistance and is made of handsome cherrywood. Instead of instructor-led classes, it uses “game-based” workouts. www.ergatta.com

Access live and on-demand workouts including cardio, kettlebell and resistance-band training, yoga, boxing, and pilates. Includes wall mount & stand, resistance bands & heartrate monitor. www.mirror.co

It has a 22” touchscreen display, plus 22 levels of resistance & incline/decline options, making it one of the more advanced bikes on the market.

www.nordictrack.com

TONAL

Tonal is a digital screen that attaches to your wall and has a pulley system that offers up to 200 lbs of resistance.

www.tonal.com

Peloton is the king of home fitness. And the Peloton Bike+ lives up to the hype. Its sturdy construction & variety of inspiring instructors make this a great buy. www.onepeloton.com

Hydrow

Rower

Mirror

NordicTrack Commercial S22i

Peloton BIKE+

SHOW ME THE Wi-FI

A fast, reliable Wi-Fi connection is no longer a luxury in today’s increasingly connected homes. We depend on Wi-Fi to communicate with friends and family, share photos and videos, stream movies and music, and interact on social media. We also rely on Wi-Fi to connect a whole array of smart devices to manage mission-critical systems in our homes—such as smart locks, smart thermostats and smart security systems.

When it works the way it’s supposed to, Wi-Fi is an incredible technology. However, when it doesn’t, it significantly impacts our daily lives.

As a result, many people are rethinking the logic of owning consumer-grade Wi-Fi systems - like what you buy at Best Buy - and instead are opting for a robust managed Wi-Fi experience from their service provider that improves their online lives.

HEAT MAPS

Wi-Fi heat maps are an excellent tool to visualize wireless signal coverage and strength. RED equals a strong signal, and BLUE represents a weak signal.

Check out these two maps to see how consumer-grade versus managed Wi-Fi stacks up.

TO UPGRADE?

If you’re ready to leave poor Wi-Fi performance and technical hassles behind and start enjoying a superior online experience, give us a call to order our fullymanaged FiberFASTTM Wi-Fi service today!

CaLL: 701-553-8309

Consumer-grade WiFi systems

Consumer-grade Wi-Fi systems, like what you buy at your local consumer electronics store, provide a strong signal near the location of the router, but may experience dropped connections & dead spots areas farther away.

Fiber FAST TM Managed Wi-Fi

Managed, carrier-grade Wi-Fi, such as Red River’s FiberFASTTM Wi-Fi, gives you superior performance, everywhere in your home. If you ever have an issue with your home network, our customer experience team can access your Wi-Fi router remotely over the Internet and get you back up and running quickly.

Round UP for Change

IT’S COMMON CENTS!

At Red River Communications, we believe in the power of working together to improve our communities. In pursuit of our mission to enhance the quality of life in the communities we serve, we created the Common Cents Program fifteen years ago. Common Cents provides grants to non-profits that, like us, believe everyone deserves a healthy, fulfilling life.

Since its founding in 2008, Common Cents, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization operated separately from Red River Communications, has donated $216,246.50 through 410 grant awards to local non-profits throughout our service area. Common Cents is overseen by a volunteer Board of Directors who meet quarterly to review applications and give out grant awards.

Common Cents is funded by the wonderful customers of Red River Communications when they choose to round up their bills to the next dollar. These tax-deductible contributions average about $0.40 per month per customer. So for less than $5 a year, hundreds of Red River Communications customers come together and make an enormous difference in our communities. In fact, 63% of our customers contribute to Common Cents. Our current goal is to see that number climb to 75%!

CONTRIBUTE OR DONATE:

Are you interested in contributing to Common Cents? Just give our office a call, and we would be happy to enroll you in the Round Up program or assist you in making a onetime or on-going donation to Common Cents above your current round-up amount.

SERVE ON THE BOARD:

If you want to get more involved in the disbursement of grant awards, please get in touch with Donna Thiel at 701-553-8243. When a seat in your exchange opens up, she will contact you about applying for the board of directors.

APPLY FOR A GRANT:

Grants focus on 7 Key Areas of Giving: Youth/Senior Programs & Services, Public Service & Safety Programs, Public Buildings, Historical Sites, Parks and Recreation Departments, Education, and Emergency & Medical Assistance for Local Individuals.

If you are interested in applying for a Common Cents grant, download, complete the application and return the form to Red River Communications. The Common Cents Board will review your application at their next quarterly meeting! redrivercomm.com/about/common-cents

Quarterly Applications Due: March 1, June 1, Sept. 1 and Dec. 1

COMMON CENTS

BOARD OF DIRECTORS:

Terri Tschakert Chairperson Kent Exchange

Elizabeth Thiele Vice-Chairperson

Great Bend Exchange

Andrea Haugen Secretary Lidgerwood/Wyndmere Exchanges

Lou Ann Lee Abercrombie Exchange

Amy Bredman Barnesville Exchange

Donna Berg

Fairmount/Hankinson Exchanges

Pam Krump Colfax Exchange

Shelly Wolf Mooreton Exchange

Julie Hansen

Rollag Exchange

If you have any questions regarding grant eligibility, please contact Donna Thiel or any of the Common Cents Board Members.

Q4 Common Cents Grant Awards

Congratulations to these deserving organizations who were awarded Common Cents grant funds for programs and projects that significantly improve the lives of those in our communities.

Milton C. Stevenson VFW Post 106 - $1,000

Abercrombie Park Museum - $750

BIO Girls (Abercrombie/Colfax) - $500

Friends of the Leach Public Library - $1,000

BW Bolts Swim Team/Wahpeton Park Board - $1,000

Lou Ann Lee (ABER Exchange) presents a $750 grant to the Aber Park Museum for Park Bench Repairs

Pam Krump (Colfax Exchange) presents a $500 grant to Bio Girls Aber/Colfax.

Shelly Wolf (Mooreton exchange) Presents a Grant $1,000 to the Friends of the Leach Public Library to digitize microfilm of local newspapers.

Shelly Wolf (Mooreton exchange) awards The BW Bolts Swim Team a $1,000 grant For practice equipment

Milton C. Stevenson - VFW Post 106 - Fairmount was awarded $1,000 for color guard clothing

Red River Rural Telephone Association - Red River Communications

ANNUAL MEETING

WHERE:

Richland #44 Elementary School Gym

106 Broadway, Abercrombie, ND, 58001

WHEN:

March 23, 2023

Doors Open at 5:00 PM

WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA:

5:00 PM

• REGISTRATION OPENS

• DINNER: Ham & Scalloped Potatoes

• DESSERT: Cake

• PRODUCT & SERVICE DEMONSTRATIONS:

• NEW! ARLO Home Security Cameras & Doorbells

• FiberFASTTM Managed Wi-Fi

• Red River Connect App

• Cell Phones

• Streaming Red River Digital TV

6:45 PM

BOARD OF DIRECTOR ELECTIONS

Anyone interested in being nominated for the Red River Rural Telephone Association (dba Red River Communications) Board of Directors can collect signatures on a petition & submit their completed form by Feb. 21, 2023

Three districts are up for election, with the following incumbent directors seeking re-election:

District 9 - Lidgerwood/Wyndmere - Jan Schmit

District 5 - Kent - Gary Boutiette

District 2 - Barnesville - Wayne Schindler

Criteria for nominees:

• Be a member of the exchange they would represent

• Lives in exchange they would represent & have lived there for at least 90 days in the last 12 months

• Not a current or past employee

• No financial conflict of interest in other ventures

• Not convicted of a federal or state crime

• Not closely related to a board member or current employee

• BUSINESS MEETING

IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING BUSINESS MEETING

• KIDS DOOR PRIZE DRAWING - NINTENDO SWITCH LITE

• MEMBERS DOOR PRIZE DRAWINGS: $100, $250 & $500 CASH

• PICK UP YOUR EXCLUSIVE ANNUAL MEETING GIFT

• Be willing to attend monthly, state, and national meetings as required Contact our business office at 701-553-8309 to obtain a petition or for additional information. reasons to attend the annual meeting 5 #1VOTE

Annual meetings are where the Board of Directors are elected. Your board makes decisions that significantly impact the cooperative.

#2LEARN Hear brief reports on current projects, finances and the vision for the future. Plus, see demos of the newest products and services.

RED RIVER COMMUNICATIONS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

At Red River Communications, we are honored to recognize students seeking higher education in vocational fields and general studies.

The Red River Communications College Scholarship Program recognizes and encourages the student’s academic achievements within our service territory by helping defray the costs of furthering their education. From now until March 15, students can apply for one of twelve $1,000 scholarships.

Take some time to help your 2023 high school graduate fill out a Red River scholarship application. It’s a gift that will last them a lifetime.

Learn more and Apply ONLINE: redrivercomm.com/scholarships

Application Deadline: March 15, 2023

#3MEET

The annual meeting is a community event. You can catch up with friends, meet the current Red River employees, CEO and board of directors.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE:

General Membership Scholarships

Eight $1,000 scholarships will be awarded to students within our service territory of the cooperative. Parent/legal guardian of the applicant must be a member of the cooperative.

General Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship will be awarded to a student within our service territory. Does NOT need to be a member of the cooperative.

Vocational Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship awarded to one student pursuing an associate degree, credit-bearing certificate, or an industry-recognized credential at a vocational-technical school, trade school, two-year community college or state college.

Technical Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship awarded to a student interested in the fields of telecommunications and technology.

Agricultural Scholarship

One $1,000 scholarship awarded to a student who plans to study for a career in some way connected to the agricultural industry.

#4EAT

This year’s meal is catered by The Black Pelican. They are serving ham & scalloped potatoes, green beans. Plus cake for dessert.

#5WIN!

Register when you arrive for a chance to win CASH PRIZES

- $100, $250 & $500. Plus kids 18 & under can register to win a Nintendo Switch Lite!

MINNESOTA RELAY SERVICE

MINNESOTA RELAY is a free telephone service that uses specially trained communications assistants to facilitate telephone calls between people with hearing and speech disabilities and other individuals, available 24 hours a day.

To make a Minnesota Relay call, dial 7-1-1. Tell the communications assistant the type of relay call you wish to make. Or dial the specific toll-free number below for that type of relay service. More information is at www.mnrelay.org or 1-800-6573775.

TYPES OF RELAY SERVICES

Captioned Telephone Service (CTS) Uses a special telephone with a text display screen to allow the hard of hearing party to listen to and read captions of what the other person says. Speak directly to the other person on the call and a relay assistant transcribes everything the other person says into captions, which appear on the display screen of a CTS phone.

Internet Protocol Captioned Telephone Service (IP CTS) for computers, tablets or smartphones: Go to: fcc.gov/ipcts

Computer (ASCII): 1-800-627-3529

Access Minnesota Relay via computer by using the following software protocols: speeds ranging from 300 to 2400; 8 Bits; No Parity; 1 Stop Bit; Full Duplex. When calling at a rate of 300 or below, follow the above using Half Duplex.

Hearing Carry Over (HCO): 1-800-627-3529

A person who can hear clearly but who has very limited or no speech capability can make and receive phone calls. Use a special text telephone to type your conversation for the relay assistant to read to the other person and listen directly to the other person’s response.

Hearing User: 1-800-627-3529

Hearing persons use a standard telephone or mobile phone to place a relay call and speak with a person who is deaf, hard of hearing, or speech disabled.

Internet Protocol (IP) Relay:

Combines text-based relay service with the ease of the internet, no TTY needed.

Spanish Relay: 1-877-627-5448

Allows Spanish speaking persons with a hearing or speech disability to make relay calls. This is not a translation service – both parties must speak Spanish, and at least one party must have a hearing or speech disability.

Speech-to-Speech (STS): 1-877-627-3848

A person who has difficulty speaking or being understood on the phone can communicate using their own voice or voice synthesizer. The relay assistant revoices the words so that the other person on the call can understand them, and the other person speaks directly to the caller.

Text-Telephone (TTY): 1-800-627-3529 A person who is deaf, deafblind, or speech disabled uses a TTY to communicate with the other person on the call.

Video Relay Service (VRS) A person uses American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate over the phone by connecting to the relay assistant via an internet-enabled device with a video camera. The communications assistant relays the conversation back and forth between the parties –in ASL with the VRS user and by voice with the called party. Go to: https://www.fcc.gov/vrs.

Voice Carry Over (VCO): 1-877-627-3024 Allows a person with a hearing disability, but who wants to use his or her own voice, to speak directly to the other party. The relay assistant then types the other party’s response, which is displayed on the VCO user’s text telephone.

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE

TTY callers should dial 9-1-1 directly in an emergency. All 9-1-1 centers are equipped to handle TTY calls. Minnesota Relay can process emergency calls, but this may delay the response to your call.

TO FILE A COMPLAINT REGARDING MINNESOTA RELAY

Email complaints to mn.relay@state.mn.us or call 1-800657-3775. When filing your complaint, provide date & time of the relay call, calling from and to phone numbers, CA’s identification number and nature of the complaint.

Complaints may be filed with the Federal Communications Commission at: consumercomplaints.fcc.gov or Voice: 1-888-225-5322

TTY: 1-888-835-5322 ASL via VP: 1-844-432-2275

TELEPHONE EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTION (TED) PROGRAM

The TED Program provides free specialized telecommunications equipment to income eligible Minnesotans who are having trouble using the telephone due to a hearing, speech, or physical disability. For more information on the TED Program:

• Website: mn.gov/deaf-hard-of-hearing

• Voice: 1-800-657-3663

• ASL via VP: 651-964-1514

FRS Grant Awards

Winter 2023

Volume 8, Issue 1

The Red River Communications CONNECT newsletter is published quarterly for our members. It is distributed freeof-charge to our members in North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Valley Lake Boys Home was awarded $1,322 to purchase 2 new ipads

Two organizations in our communities, Hankinson Public Library and The Valley Lake Boys Home, received a 2022 Community Grant Foundation for Rural Service - Sponsored by Red River.

The Hankinson Public Library was awarded $4,100 to purchase new computers. The Valley Lake Boy’s Home was awarded $1,322 to purchase two iPads for residents to use with video conferencing platforms for care and treatment. Find out more about each project, check out the extended stories on our website: redrivercomm.com/about/press

NEED HELP PAYING YOUR BILL?

AFFORDABLE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAM

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) assists low-income households by issuing credits on their broadband internet bill. To learn if you qualify for the $30.00/mth credit, go to: affordableconnectivity.gov

Directory Updates

NAME NUMBER RESID/BUS CITY

City Of Breckenridge (218) 643-4100 Business Breckenridge

Dj Diesel (701) 672-1130 Business Wahpeton

Erbes, Dale & Mary (701) 439-2074 Residence Barney

Larson, Ruth (701) 642-1337 Residence Wahpeton

Sittarich, Steven (701) 474-5754 Residence Fairmount

Steenbock Jason (218) 630-5335 Residence Campbell

Follow us On Social Media

facebook.com/redrivercommunications

@redrivercommunications instagram.com/redrivercommunications

2023 DIRECTORY

Need an extra?

Stop by one of our offices.

Harlan Deike President District 4 - Great Bend

Rhonda Erbes Vice-President District 3 - Colfax

Gary Boutiette Secretary/Treasurer

District 5 - Kent

Tim Viland

District 1 - Abercrombie

Wayne Schindler District 2 - Barnesville

Joe Pikarski

District 6 - Mooreton

Jerry Janssen District 7 - Rollag

Ron German

District 8 - Fairmount/Hankinson

Jan Schmit

District 9 - Lidgerwood/ Wyndmere

Red River Communications 510 Broadway | PO Box 136 Abercrombie, ND 58001

522 Dakota Ave

Wahpeton, ND 58075

Questions? Service issues? Call 866-553-8309

RED RIVER CONNECT is produced by the Red River Communications team.

Contributing writers: Kari Kleingartner, Jenna Lovgren, and Donna Thiel. This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

RED RIVER COMMUNICATIONS | WINTER 2023

Harlan Dieke (Board President) Presents The Hankinson Public Library with a $4,100 FRS Grant to purchase new computers.