In April 2010, FRED will provide an opportunity for students from rural communities to travel to Washington, DC. For a week, the students will learn about the government, civic affairs and telecommunications regulations. Students will have the chance to tour historic landmarks, attend seminars, and meet 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 from April 11 - 16. Applications can now be completed online, or by downloading a 2010 Leadership Through Learning brochure.

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

Help your local school or community receive an Ethyl Grant with funding up to $2,500. 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 this fall.

After December 31, 2009, the FRED and OPASTCO offices will have a new address. Please be sure to mail all program applications, donations and correspondences to the new address starting January 1, 2010.

FRED's new address will be:
2020 K Street, NW
7th Floor
Washington, DC 20006

If your company plans to submit any applications for a FRED program in early 2010, please remember that while mail will be forwarded, sending applications to our old address could delay arrival dates. Additionally, companies who plan to send applications overnight should be advised that packages will only be accepted at our new address after December 31, 2009. This information will be included in all of the new applications.

Neil Turner, nominated by Park Region Mutual Telephone Company, received this year's Everette Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship for $5,000. Ranked first in his class of 14 students with a 3.8 GPA, Neil was named valedictorian of his graduating class. Neil's academic activities included membership in the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta math Honor Society and the High Potential Program. He was also a President's List Honoree as well as a Community Honoree for academic achievement at a young age. Outside of school, Neil is a member of the Boy Scouts and has participated in peer tutoring, bowling, and math contests. Neil has started his first semester at the University of Minnesota-Morris and plans to study history and chemistry.

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.

Don't forget to order your copy of FRED's 2009 Small Telecommunications Compensation & Benefits Survey. 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.

OPASTCO Winter Convention in San Diego:
January 23 - 27, 2010
Next FRED Fundraising Event:
January 25, 2010