RTC Networks Communicator, Spring 2022

PAGE 3

RTC NETWORKS SPOTLIGHT

MCKENZIE COUNTY HERITAGE PARK PAGE 6

TEACHING INTERNET SAFETY A TECH TIP FROM YOUR FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD TECH EXPERT PAGE 8

MYRTCNET WIFI APP THE SIX-STEP SET UP GUIDE

SPRING 2022

A MESSAGE FROM OUR

GENERAL MANAGER in the fall of 2022. Individual awards range from $1,000 to $2,500. To meet this year’s scholarship recipients, see page 11.

RTC NETWORKS COMMUNICATOR

Also in this issue, you can learn about the FCC’s Affordable Connectivity Program, which helps connect families

24 Main Street North, PO Box 68,

and households struggling to afford

Parshall, ND 58770

internet service (page 12) along with

www.myRTCNetworks.com,

upgrades that will allow the McKenzie

info@myRTCNetworks.com Customer Service: 0811 (within RTC exchanges) or 701.862.3115 Repair Service: 0611 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.822.3311 24/7 Help Desk: 0211 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.497.2151 Headquarters: 24 Main St N Parshall, ND 58770 New Town Office: 202 College Drive New Town, ND 58763 Stanley Office: 215 Main St S,

As of January 1, we have officially welcomed the communities of Stanley, Portal, Medora, Beach, and Golva into our ever-growing network!

Stanley, ND 58784 Watford City Office: 701 14th St SW Watford City, ND 58854

Business Office: 0811 (Toll-free within RTC Exchanges) 701.862.3115 Fax: 701.862.3008 Email: info@myRTCNetworks.com

Publication Contact: Shannon Stafslien, Marketing Manager

CEO/General Manager: Shane D. Hart

Directors & Officers: Jeanette Hoff, President Wayne Skarda, Vice President Jennifer Sorenson, Secretary/Treasurer Jared Eagle, Director Terry Wilber, Director Amy Ones, Director Barbara Steinmetz, Director John McElwain, Director Alicia Brenna, Attorney RTC Networks is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Copyright© 2022 by RTC Networks (Reservation Telephone Cooperative Networks) and Tellwell.

To all of our new customers, thank you

region’s history into the digital age (page 3).

RTC Networks is awarding $39,500 in college scholarships.

for your trust and patience throughout the transition from Midstate to RTC

Finally, have you downloaded the

Networks. We promise to continue

myRTCnet app yet? The app puts

providing the highest quality of

you in charge of your internet

technology and service, and look

experience, allowing you to view all the

forward to making a positive impact on

connected devices on your network,

your communities.

set up parental controls, change your

I am especially excited to welcome several former Midstate employees to the RTC Networks team. You can get to know them on page 10 of The Communicator.

password, and more! Please visit our website to learn about all of these features, or use the QR code below to instantly download the app.

APPLE APP STORE

GOOGLE PLAY STORE

It’s hard to believe that the 2021-2022 school year is already coming to a close. Some of this year’s high school seniors will have an extra reason to

From all of us at RTC Networks, have

celebrate as RTC Networks is awarding

a healthy and happy spring!

more scholarships than ever before!

Shane Hart

This year, we are awarding $39,500 in college scholarships to students entering their freshman year of college

2

County Heritage Park to bring our

Shane Hart, CEO/GM

RTC NETWORKS

SPOTLIGHT

MCKENZIE COUNTY HERITAGE PARK

McKenzie County Heritage Park is sharing the history of McKenzie County with another generation.

Like many, Sandy Rieker came to McKenzie County on the heels of the oil boom. Her family took up residence in a fifth wheel trailer on the outskirts of Watford City, and when Rieker began to feel caged in by the confines of her temporary home, she would bring her young granddaughter across town to the McKenzie County Heritage Park.

have felt as they put down roots in the prairie that would

Together, they’d roam the drafty halls of the park’s historic

Heritage Park, Rieker is part of a passionate group

buildings, imagining the way those early settlers must

one day become North Dakota.

“As I’d pull my frozen pillow off the wall in my fifth wheel, I felt a kind of understanding of what that pioneer woman may have felt like. I thought about how, for her, there was nothing but a piece of wood separating her pillow from the cold,” Rieker said. “It spoke to me. So I wanted to tell that story.”

Now, as Director of Operations at the McKenzie County working to keep the pioneer story alive.

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A Step Back in Time

displayed and stored in the antique buildings, where they

The McKenzie County Heritage Park is a collection of

the museum, safe from wind, snow, and rain.

buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s which have been recovered from around McKenzie County and restored to their original state. Since 1992, generations of park visitors have ventured back in time to explore a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, fire station, and many other relics of North Dakota’s heritage.

With the construction of a new museum equipped with high-speed internet from RTC Networks, McKenzie

risked exposure to the elements. Now they will be kept in

The construction project has been spearheaded by LeRoy Lillibridge, President of the McKenzie County Heritage Park Board of Directors.

“We’ve been working on the building for three years, but really, we’ve been saving towards this for 16 years,” Lillibridge said. “It’s been a lot of hours and I’ve had some good hands to help.”

County Heritage Park is ready to share the history of McKenzie County with another generation.

We may be teaching about the past, but we are always ready to embrace the future.

During his tenure on the Board, Vice President Tex Stevenson has played integral roles in both restoring the old buildings and building this new one. Like many of his colleagues, Stevenson has deep roots in McKenzie County.

“My great-great-grandfather came to this state in 1863,” Stevenson said. “I like the history of North Dakota. I’d like to keep it going so people know who we are.”

Teaching the Next Generation “Our mission is to tell the story of how the pioneering men and women came here and left behind the legacy that they did,” Rieker said. “We may be teaching about the past, but we are always ready to embrace the future as well.”

While Rieker and her team have always taken great care to preserve the integrity of McKenzie County’s history, they’ve faced limitations. Artifacts had previously been

4

This museum has been nearly two decades in the making, and the work won’t end once construction is complete. Rieker, Lillibridge, Stevenson, and their team have big dreams for the future of the McKenzie County Heritage Park–and internet from RTC Networks will help make their dreams a reality.

The museum also houses a media room, which is currently used primarily for meetings. In the future, the Park plans

Pictured left to right: LeRoy Defoe, Sandy Rieker, LeRoy Lillidge, Tex Stevenson, Ron Weber.

Not Pictured: JJack Construction, Praire Homes, Velasquez Construction.

to host movie nights here to further

that,” Rieker said. “We are so thankful

engage the community in the history

that RTC Networks is just around the

of the Great Plains.

corner. ​​The guys are fabulous, they’re

“Everything is high-speed,” Rieker said. “That will be so important for

patient, and they’ve just been great every step of the way. ”

Dakotans for generations to come.

“Never in my life did I imagine that when I brought my little granddaughter here that this is what we’d be doing 11 years later,” Rieker

streaming the movies that we want to

When Rieker came to McKenzie

said. “I love North Dakota, I love the

have out here.”

County in 2011, she felt a kinship to

people of McKenzie County, and I

those early settlers who’d given up

love telling their story.”

Rieker also hopes to make wireless internet available to all guests, to make their experience more immersive.

everything they’d known to build a life on the Great Plains. Now, she’s preserving their legacy in the hopes that it will continue to inspire North

“My goal is to have a lot of educational information available for everyone from little kids to college students,” she said. “I want to create a place where people can gather, have a cup of coffee, and use our Wifi to learn more about McKenzie County.”

And if they run into issues or have any questions about their technology, Rieker and her team will know just who to call.

“Technology is something that is new to all of us. We’re trying to grow with

5

TECH TIPS

TEACHING INTERNET SAFETY Kids these days are spending more time than ever on the Internet. It can be a wonderful resource, opening them up to an entire world of knowledge and allowing them to communicate with teachers and other kids. But it also comes with risks.

2.) Emphasize Online Privacy

4.) Say “No” to Cyberbullying

Teach your kids the importance

Unfortunately, we can’t talk

of keeping personal information

about kids’ online safety without

private. It is never, ever okay to give

mentioning cyberbullying. Sit down

out personal information such as

with your child and work together to

phone numbers, addresses, and

come up with a plan of how to deal

credit card numbers online—no

with cyberbullies. This can include

matter how trustworthy a person or

blocking their bully on social media

website may seem.

apps, turning off their device, or

3.) Practice Smart Posting

tempting it may be, retaliating or

Today, we are going to share a few

While we all wish we could keep

5.)Talk It Out

tips for teaching kids about online safety. If you are more of a visual learner, watch our latest Tech Tip video to follow along with tech expert Katie.

coming straight to you or another adult they trust. No matter how

kids off of social media entirely, that’s just not realistic in this day and age—so it’s important to teach kids to use sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok safely.

Help your kids understand that

1.) Educate Yourself Being familiar with the Internet will not only help you understand the risks for yourself, but it will also help you talk to your kids about safety.

Learn everything you can about the Internet. If you’re reading this blog, congratulations—you’re off to a great start!!

6

the Internet is permanent. Even if they delete a post or message, that data continues to exist on the Internet. They never know who may have taken a screenshot! As a general rule, they should only post something online if they’re

responding to the bully usually just makes the situation worse.

Finally, when it comes to online safety, communication is key. Talk to your kids regularly about how they use the Internet. If they get in the habit of talking to you, chances are they’ll be more comfortable coming to you if there’s a problem.

That’s it for this edition of Tech Tips!

Check back soon for another tip to make your technology work for you.

comfortable with everyone in the world seeing it.

Watch Here

7

Up Guide:

oad and set up your myRTCnet Wi-Fi App

SetUP UpGUIDE Guide: SET

MYRTCNET WIFI APP STEP 2

Download and set upLet’s yourGet myRTCnet Wi-Fi App d the App Started

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Apple App mobile store or Google Play Store for:

Click on the “Let’s Get Started” button to get started on STEP your 2 way to managing your network Let’s Get Started and devices.

Click on the STEP 2“Let’s Get Started” LET’S GET button to STARTED get started on your wayontothemanaging yourbutton network Click “Let’s Get Started” to and devices. get started on your way to managing your

myRTCnet, then install it on your mobile device.

APPLE APP STORE

network and devices.

GOOGLE PLAY STORE

STEP 4

have an account, ail and password STEP 3 for this app.

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Tap “Sign Up”

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9

NEW RTC NETWORKS PHONE LISTINGS Alexander - 828 Bednank, Andy.......................................(701) 828-3185 Lassey, David & Sonja...........................(701) 828-3749 Lassey, Steve.........................................(701) 828-3396 Walker, George.....................................(701) 828-3946 Douglas - 529 Wilcox, Adam H......................................(701) 529-4371 Emmet - 337 Garrison Manufacture..........................(701) 337-2527 Moen, James Jr......................................(701) 337-5105 Garrison - 463 Chifu, Christina M.................................(701) 463-2097 Freborg, Myrna......................................(701) 463-2663 Lakeview Chiropractic.........................(701) 463-7808 Narum, Neil E.........................................(701) 463-2495 Otter Tail Power Co..............................(701) 463-2823 Mandaree - 759 Jump House............................................(701) 759-3140 New Town - 627 Driver, Stacey & Gerald........................(701) 627-4144 Lindley, J.................................................(701) 627-4893 Little Wind, Luana M............................(701) 627-3998 MHA-Tribal Health InsuranceCustomer Service.....................................(701) 627-3121 Parshall - 862 Catches, Diandra..................................(701) 862-4808 Heritage Place Parshall Lucky Mound..........................................(701) 862-2779 Jericho Excavation & Hauling LLC - Shurtliff Jason.............................(701) 862-2757 Lucky Mounder Restaurant................(701) 862-3823 Roseglen - 743 Azure, Joseph L....................................(701) 743-4032 Ralph Wells Community Center.........(701) 743-4798 White Shield Public Safety.................(701) 743-4000

RTC NETWORKS

HAPPENINGS NEW EMPLOYEES

We are excited to announce five new hires: Derek, Melissa, Holly, Jared, & Ryan! To see our current opportunities, visit myrtcnetworks.com/category/job-opportunities

Derek Binstock Combination Tech

CALENDAR April 15

Good Friday, Office Closed May 30 Memorial Day, Office Closed

Melissa Bristol

Customer Service Rep II

May 31 Summer Hours Start 7:30a.m. - 4:00p.m.

June 9 Annual Meeting

Holly Kaiser

Customer Service Rep II

Ross - 755 Carstensen Contracting......................(701) 755-3626 Ryder - 758 TriGen Ag Partners LLC.......................(701) 758-2935 TriGen Ag Partners LLC - Fax.............(701) 758-2556 Squaw Gap - 565 Shae, Jerry.............................................(701) 565-2358 Shae, Jerry - Cabin..............................(701) 565-2626 Simons, Abe & Sierra..........................(701) 565-2093 Watford City - 444 Bakken Oil Rush Ministry Thirft Store..............................................(701) 444-2288 Fogle Invest LLC....................................(701) 444-3130 Luce, Daniel...........................................(701) 444-2045 Slezak Bakken BBQ & Bakery........................................(701) 580-7342 WBI...........................................................(701) 444-4644 Weichert Realtors Providence Properties.........................(701) 444-3070

2023 PHOTO CONTEST

Deadline to submit photos:

September 1, 2022 Submit your name, RTC Networks account number, and up to 10 high-def pictures to rtcteam@rtc.email.

Jared Kohanes Combination Tech

Winners receive a feature in our 2023 Calendar and a $20 bill credit.

Must be a current RTC Networks customer.

Watford City - 842 Glacier Oilfield Services Inc...............(701) 842-2478 Kostad, E.................................................(701) 842-2566

10

Ryan Thompson

Combination Tech Lead

$2,500 $1,750

Arand Bartlett

Riley Bushnell

Kaisa Mortensen

North Dakota State University

Black Hills State University

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Danielle Berry

Mackenzie Fuller

Amber Houck

Clay Kolden

Gallatin College/ MSU Bozeman

University of North Dakota

Valley City State University

Bismarck State College

Winter Old Rock

Cole Quillin

Ben Scheresky

Kayle Uran

Valley City State University

Bismarck State College

North Dakota State University

WyoTech Laramie, Wy

Izaak Boekelman

Rebecca Bohrer

Gideon Campbell

Taylor Cattin

Mandie Davison

Dickinson State University

Valley City State University

University of Mary

South Dakota State University

Minot State University

Tevin Dietz

Carson Enger

Alaina Ferry

Edmond Fixico

Parshall High School

Messina Garmann

Bismarck State Collegea

Bismarck State College

University of North Dakota

North Dakota State University

North Dakota State University

Madelin Hurt

Dylan Locken

Keyton Meiers

Jonas Oech

Grace Olson

Bismarck State College

Williston State College

Valley City State University

Lynnes Welding Training

Williston State College

Autumn Rogers

Kanyon Tschetter

Jocelyn Vachal

Minot State University

Mayville State University

North Dakota State University

Kenmare High School

Fairview High School

Parshall High School

$1,000

RTC NETWORKS AWARDED $39,500 IN COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS TO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.

Watford City High School

Beach High School

Garrison High School

North Shore/Plaza High School

Statement of Non-Discrimination

Fairview High School

Garrison High School

North Shore/Plaza High School

Stanley High School

Stanley High School

Parshall High School

Watford City High School

Stanley High School

Kenmare High School

Max High School

Campbell Homeschool/Watford City

Watford City High School

Stanley High School

Garrison High School

Stanley High School

Kenmare High School

Beach High School

North Shore/Plaza High School

Watford City High School

Abundant Life Prep School

Stanley High School

This institution is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda. gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office ofAdjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

11

24 Main Street North, PO Box 68, Parshall, ND 58770 myRTCNetworks.com info@myRTCNetworks.com facebook.com/RTC.coop Customer Service: 0811 (within RTC exchanges) or 701.862.3115 Repair Service: 0611 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.822.3311 24/7 Help Desk: 0211 (within RTC exchanges) or 800.497.2151 Headquarters: 24 Main St N • Parshall, ND 58770 New Town Office: 202 College Drive • New Town, ND 58763 Stanley Office: 215 S Main St • Stanley, ND 58784 Watford City Office: 701 14th St SW • Watford City, ND 58854

READERS

Leah Ann Charnetzki

Stephen Narum

Congratulations to these Winter 2021 Communicator Readers’ Contest winners. They will receive a $20 credit on their RTC Networks bill.

Janet Johnston

Jerry Overton

Contest

Kenmare Exchange

Watford City Exchange

Douglas Exchange Norma Exchange

Sheryl Krueger Garrison Exchange

NAME

For your chance to be entered in the drawing to win a $20 credit on your bill, correctly answer the questions at the right and include with your RTC Networks bill. You can also submit your answers on our website at myRTCNetworks.com/ readerscontest or email your answers to RTCteam@restel.com.

PHONE

1. What year was the McKenzie County Heritage Park founded?

2. What are two pieces of information kids should never share online?

3. What is one benefit or feature of the myRTCnet app?