Don't forget to tell your local schools about FRED's Technology Grant Program, sponsored by RTFC. The grants are available for schools interested in updating their technology and introducing new teaching methods to enhance the learning process.

The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000 and a total of $50,000 is available in 2009. Help your community by letting local schools know about the program. Send them this FRED Technology Grant link to view the brochure. The 2009 application deadline is September 14, 2009.

Harry Baker, Sierra Telephone's President, was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the OPASTCO convention. He was unable to attend but his family was at the convention to accept the award. To commemorate the achievement, Sierra Telephone video taped convention goers' well-wishes to Harry. Viodi captured the messages, including one from Harry's grandson, Matthew, which will be entered into SanDisk 60-Second Summer Mobile Phone Video Contest. Viodi wants your thoughts on which of the five videos is best. If the video wins, Viodi and Sierra plan to give the $5,000 in prize money to FRED.

Order your copy of FRED's 2009 Small Telecommunications Compensation & Benefits Survey. The CD version is ready for immediate delivery; however, the paper version is on back order and will be available for mailing next week, on or before August 10, 2009. The publication contains information on over 65 jobs and benefit areas. The cost of the survey varies by company membership in OPASTCO and participation in the survey. To order your copy, visit the link below.

Is there a project your school or community needs help with? Apply for a FRED Ethyl Grant and you could receive up to $2,500 in funding! The Ethyl Grant program was created seven years ago to help improve OPASTCO member communities. The grants range from $250 to $2,500 and are sponsored by Nortel Networks and Bennet & Bennet, PLLC. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis year-round. Send in your application today for consideration in the next round of the review process in late summer.

In 2010, FRED is providing an opportunity for students from rural communities to travel to Washington D.C. For a week, the students will learn more about the government, civic affairs and telecommunications regulations. Students will have the chance to tour historic landmarks, attend seminars, and meet their members of Congress, staffers, journalists and other capitol hill professionals. The program is open to high school juniors and seniors who live, or attend a high school, in an area that is served by an OPASTCO telephone company member. The 2010 program will take place in April and brochures with the applications and additional information will be available online next month.

FRED is looking for companies who would like to support this program in 2010. If you are an Associate Member and are interested in being a co-sponsor for this program, please contact Melissa Korzuch.

If your company nominated a student who received a scholarship in 2009, please note that the checks will be mailed directly to the schools starting August 14, 2009. FRED has mailed postcards to the students confirming the school they noted as their choice back in June. All changes to those initial selections need to be sent to FRED by August 10th to ensure proper processing of the funds into the students' accounts.

CoBank and FRED are pleased to offer the 2009 TELERGEE Benchmark Survey, which includes 2008 year-end financial data from over 200 rural Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) nationwide. All participants in the study are clients of TELERGEE member CPA firms. Each TELERGEE firm supplies the financial statements that go into producing the benchmarks presented in the study. The study presents four classifications of ILECs:
- Cooperatives on cost study
- Cooperatives on average schedule
- Corporations on cost study
- Corporations on average schedule
The study is available only in PDF format this year.

Technology Grants for Rural Schools Deadline:
September 14, 2009
OPASTCO Winter Convention in San Diego:
January 24 - 28, 2010
Next FRED Fundraising Event:
January 25, 2010