|
Dear Member,
| Scholarship Applications Under Review |
 |
|
If your company submitted a scholarship for 2009,
please note that the deadline has passed and the
applications are being processed. The committee
begins the review process this week and the
recipients will be announced in early May.
|
| New FRED Board |
|
|
In January, FRED welcomed Rhonda Armstrong from
Sebastian Corp., David Mould from Nortel, and Robert
Wrighter, Sr. from Hancock Telephone Company to its
Board of Directors. The photo seen here was taken in
Hawaii at the OPASTCO Winter convention.
|
| Don't Forget to Pay Your FRED Taxes |
|
|
It's tax time! FRED's latest fundraising campaign
pokes a little fun at Uncle Sam and aims to generate
much needed funding for FRED programs.
Your 501(c)(3) form has been mailed to you
with a return envelope for your convenience.
Donations are tax-deductible and help FRED to
continue funding its programs that benefit OPASTCO
members, as well as their communities. FRED would
like to thank you in advance for doing your part to help
rural schools and communities, despite the current
state of the economy.
FRED Tax forms for Telco Members
Tax Forms for Telco Members
|
| FRED's Traditional Hawaiian Luau is a Success! |
|
|
FRED hosted a luau as a fundraising event at the
OPASTCO convention in Hawaii this past January.
Surrounded by the sounds of crashing surf, 560
people enjoyed an evening of Polynesian cuisine and
exciting Hawaiian entertainment. After dinner, the
lights went down and guests were treated to the
Tahiti's Polynesian Spectacular with a Fire Knife
Performance. Thank you goes out to everyone who
attended and to the many generous sponsors. Their
support raised $45,000 for FRED programs!
|
| "Spring Spruce Up" Needed in Your Town? |
|
|
Spring is right around the corner. Now is the perfect
time to start thinking about your community's projects
and to identify those areas of your town that can use a
face lift. The Ethyl Grant program provides matching
grants to OPASTCO member telephone companies
that are involved with projects aimed at bettering their
communities.
Projects that will be considered include sprucing up
downtown, eliminating an eyesore, constructing a
playground, updating a community center and more.
The grants range from $500 - $2,500. An estimated
$10,000 in funding is available in 2009. Applications
are being accepted year-round and reviewed every few
months. Don't miss this opportunity to make a
difference in your town!
Thank you, Nortel Networks and Bennet & Bennet,
PLLC for sponsoring this program.
|
| Dates to Remember |
|
|
April 19 - 24, 2009 - LTL Program in
Washington, DC
July 27, 2009 - FRED's 20th Birthday
Celebration
|
The FRED 411 newsletter, a
monthly publication generated by the Foundation for
Rural Education and Development (FRED). As a
member of OPASTCO, you are receiving this
information to keep you up-to-date on programs and
services offered by FRED. All OPASTCO members
are
eligible to participate in FRED programs as part of
their membership dues. If you prefer not to receive
this information in the future, you may remove your
address at any time. If you have any questions
about the information listed in the FRED 411,
please click on the links or contact the
FRED Program Coordinator, at fred@opastco.org.
|
|
|
FRED Focus Newsletter in Mailboxes Now! |
|
|
|
The Winter/Spring issue of the FRED Focus
newsletter was mailed to all OPASTCO members last
week. Look for it in your mailbox or download an e-
copy of the newsletter by
clicking here. The file is 2.53
MB and may take a few moments to download.
Winter/Spring FRED Focus
|
|
