Summer 2024 Griswold Connections

GRISWOLD Connections Cornerstone Group © 2024 SUMMER 2 0 2 4 142nd Annual Griswold Old Soldiers Reunion Plans are underway for the Griswold Old Soldiers Reunion, with activities to be held July 12-14, 2024. Watch for details from the Griswold American Legion & Auxiliary, Griswold American, City of Griswold, and various other community businesses and organizations involved in this event. Save the dates for some summertime fun! Contact Griswold Communications 607 Main Street / PO Box 640 Griswold, IA 51535 Phone: 712-778-2121 Office Hours Monday – Friday 7:30 am to 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm Email us at gctc@netins.net Visit us online at griswoldcommunications.com Griswold Communications is in the process of replacing the GigaCenter routers that customers rent from us with GigaSpire routers, due to support of GigaCenter routers coming to an end. If you have a GigaCenter and want to exchange it for a new GigaSpire, call us at 778-2121 or email gctc@netins.net. When you bring your GigaCenter to our business office, we’ll have a GigaSpire ready for you to pick up. In addition to a new router, you’ll receive: • A $15 credit on your bill • The latest Wi-Fi security and support • Access to CommandIQ, ExperienceIQ, and ProtectIQ apps Turn to page 3 for more details about these apps, which enhance your Wi-Fi experience. I T ’ S T I M E T O U P G R A D E Y O U R W I R E L E S S R O U T E R F R OM U S

GRISWOLD COMMUNICATIONS • 712-778-2121 • gr i swoldcommun i cat ions . com Aureon Charity Grants Help Make Our Communities Stronger Aureon is a business solutions provider with a national presence who partners with Griswold Communications. Aureon makes it a priority to give back and support initiatives that make communities stronger, and the Aureon Charity Grant Program has been giving back to rural communities since 1994. Are you involved with a local nonprofit? Aureon invites public and private nonprofit agencies to submit proposals for grant consideration to assist with your charity drives and/or funding of a specific project for your respective communities. Only those communities served by Aureon-participating telecommunications companies, like Griswold Communications, are eligible to submit proposals. Applications may be submitted anytime during the year. At the end of each quarter, the Aureon Charity Grant Program committee will review the applications received during that quarter. All applicants will be notified of the funding decisions. Most awards range in amounts from $250 to $1500. Apply at surveymonkey.com/r/ aureongrants. The Olympic Trials began in April, setting the stage for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will be held July 26 – August 11. It will be followed by the Paralympics, August 28 – September 8. Paris will be a spectacular backdrop for spectators and at-home viewers alike. The Opening Ceremony will be on the Seine River, creating an extraordinary floating parade of nations for four miles. For the first time ever, the Opening Ceremony will be open to the public, and NBC will provide unique access as they will float with Team USA. Iconic landmarks will be transformed into sporting arenas: • Eiffel Tower Stadium for Beach Volleyball • Pont d’lena Bridge for Triathlon, Cycling • Roland-Garros, Home of the French Open, for Tennis and Boxing • Chateau de Versailles Palace Grounds for Equestrian and Modern Pentathlon • Nice Stadium for Soccer • Invalides Complex for Archery and Road Cycling • Paris La Defense Arena for Swimming andWater Polo • Teahupo’o (Tahiti) for Surfing You can look forward to 10,000 athletes, 206 nations, 39 sports, and 329 medal events at the 2024 Paris Olympics. To capture all the action, there will be 240+ hours of original coverage on NBC, 1400+ hours of coverage across various network channels, 24/7 coverage on USA, and daytime programming will air events as they happen live. If you’re a blueSURGE television customer, you’ll see coverage on NBC, USA, CNBC, and Golf Channel. Be sure to check out nbcolympics.com for schedules and more details. Don’t Miss the Excitement of the 2024 Paris Olympics

Cornerstone Group © 2024 Manage, Automate, and Secure Your Home’s Wi-Fi Network Are you a blueSURGE internet subscriber? You can rent a GigaSpire wireless router from Griswold Communications for a low monthly fee that gives you the power to manage, automate, and secure your network—all from your mobile device. Features of the GigaSpire include: • CommandIQ - Monitor and manage your network performance, control network access and performance, define user profiles. • ExperienceIQ - Enjoy advanced control of your online experience, including the ability to set online time limits; block or time access to specific content, applications, and websites; and view device usage information. • ProtectIQ - Gain an extra layer of protection with tools that keep your network safer by blocking viruses, malware, andmalicious websites from all connected devices in your home. Call Griswold Communications at 712-778-2121 for details on renting a GigaSpire router. We handle the setup, security updates, and maintenance —you can simply enjoy your Wi-Fi network. If you already rent a router from us, call about getting access to the CommandIQ, ExperienceIQ, and ProtectIQ apps. Feature capability is dependent on wireless router version. Foundation for Rural Service Community Grant Program Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) offers aid to communities served by NTCA member companies, like Griswold Communications, through its annual Community Grant Program. These grants are designed to provide support to a variety of local efforts to build and sustain a high quality of life in rural America. Applications for these grants are accepted each spring, ranging from $250 to $5000. The grants awarded each November support a variety of projects concentrated in four major categories. • Business and economic development • Community development • Education • Telecommunications applications The 2024 FRS Community Grant Program is open now through August 30, 2024. Nonprofit organizations, schools, community groups, municipalities and other organizations doing good work in our community are encouraged to apply. FRS provides priority to projects that could be fully funded by the grant maximum of $5,000 or have at least 75% of the project currently funded, technology and broadband enabled focused projects, have a long-term impact for the community and its residents, promote community participation and engagement, and/or create a more sustainable rural community. Call Griswold Communications at 712-778-2121 for more details and a community grant application guide.

Cornerstone Group © 2024 GRISWOLD COMMUNICATIONS • 712-778-2121 • gr i swoldcommun i cat ions . com Take Care of Your Devices on Hot Days Don’t leave your phone or tablet in your vehicle on a hot day. A car interior can reach over 120 degrees after an hour—enough to temporarily or permanently damage the display of a touchscreen device. If you must leave a device in your vehicle, put it in the trunk, which stays a bit cooler. Also turn it off to keep the electronics at a lower temperature. YOU COULD WIN A $20 BILL CREDIT Griswold Communications is starting something new with this Summer 2024 Connections issue! We’re going to hold a drawing for a chance to win a $20 credit to your Griswold Communications account. One winner per issue will be selected. To qualify for the drawing, all you have to do is call us at 712-778-2121 by June 28, 2024 and tell us the correct answer to this question, which can be found in this issue: What are the names of the three GigaSpire router apps? Preview Your Incoming Mail Before It’s Delivered Did you know you can see what’s coming to your mailbox before it arrives? USPS offers a free service called Informed Delivery®, which sends you Daily Digest emails with images of your incoming lettersize mail and status updates on incoming packages. How does Informed Delivery work? Before your mail is delivered, USPS will scan the front of letter-sized mail that runs through the automated mail sorting machine. These grayscale images will then be sent to you in the email notifications. This information can come in handy in many situations. For example, with Informed Delivery, you can get advance notice that an important piece of mail—such as a letter containing a check—will soon be delivered, allowing you to plan your day accordingly. Other benefits of Informed Delivery include: • Security: It provides an added layer of security by allowing you to verify the mail and packages you should expect to receive. This can help you identify any potential issues, such as missing or stolen mail. • Convenient Access: In addition to getting information from your Daily Digest emails, you can access your Informed Delivery dashboard online or through the USPS mobile app, allowing you to check your mail and packages from virtually anywhere. USPS first released Informed Delivery as a pilot program in 2014 in selected zip codes, then expanded it to include most zip codes in 2017. About 30% of eligible users have signed up so far, and 90% of them would recommend Informed Delivery to their family and friends. If you’d like to join the club, follow these steps: • Go to usps.com/portal/register. You’ll be asked to enter your address to confirm that it’s eligible for Informed Delivery. • Create an account with a username and password. • Verify your identity to protect your privacy and personal information. • Watch for updates via email, the online dashboard, or the USPS Mobile® app. If you’d like to get less mail in your mailbox, you can always sign up for eBill from Griswold Communications and receive your monthly bill electronically instead. Visit griswoldcommunications.com for details.

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