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National Co-op Month

TrioTel has joined 30,000 other cooperatives nationwide this October to honor National Cooperative Month, which recognizes the many ways cooperatives help to build stronger communities and a stronger economy. “Cooperatives Build” is the theme for this year’s celebration, spotlighting the many advantages cooperatives offer to their members and the communities in which they live and work. At TrioTel, we like to talk about “the cooperative difference”, because co-ops offer so many advantages to their members. TrioTel is owned by the people we serve so all of our efforts are aimed at delivering improved services locally, which is why we have strengthened our network with a dedicated fiber infrastructure.

About 1.2 million rural Americans are served by the 260 telephone cooperatives in the United States. Co-ops seem to have an advantage, which is often not reflected in revenue or jobs created, but by their set of shared values that drives how they operate within their communities. While focusing on member needs, cooperatives work for the sustainable development of communities through policies and programs. Here are just a few examples of how TrioTel gives back to the communities we serve:

• Each year, TrioTel allocates a percentage of the previous year’s margins back to members. The margins, or profits, are allocated to members in proportion to the amount of dollars that each member individually spends on applicable telecommunication services. Coincidently, every October, the allocations are paid out in the form of a check, also known as a capital credit check. By the way, if you have received a capital credit check from TrioTel, please cash it.
• In 2015 alone, TrioTel donated over $17,000 to our local communities and organizations.
• Local school sponsorships and youth recreation program contributions total on average $2,000 annually.
• “Blue Jeans on Fridays” is a special TrioTel employee-created fund, in which employees donate to local families and communities year round, as well as give special gifts during the holiday season.

As a local cooperative, TrioTel is actively involved in the communities we serve and continues to participate in economic development efforts, school functions, and community fundraisers. We know that building a better world starts locally. This is a critical part of what drives our actions; in the end, making us a more integral part of our members and communities.