The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), and the Rural Broadband Association, today announced the recipients of 20 grants totaling over $89,000 to support projects in rural communities. One was Walterboro.
PRTC announced that Walterboro was one of the grant recipients on December 7. The City of Walterboro received $5,000 to purchase, network, and program two digital touchscreen kiosks to launch an interactive education platform in the Walterboro Wildlife Center.
“We are extremely thankful for PRTC’s continued support of local initiatives. We are excited to grow our educational and interactive offerings for the entertainment of tourists and guests and education of our local youth. The sanctuary is a rich, unique environment and the more ways that we can allow people to experience it and appreciate it the better our park and community will be,” said Assistant City Manager Hank Amundson.
“PRTC is delighted to assist in the development of the Walterboro Wildlife Center, such a truly innovative addition to our community,” said PRTC Chief Executive Office Jason Dandridge. “To have a project chosen from the PRTC service area reinforces our mission, providing access to the absolute best fiber network, fostering growth and development in the region.”
“FRS is proud to support these projects throughout the country to promote health, safety, education and growth in rural communities,” said FRS Executive Director Pam Becker. “The pandemic has shown us how important access to these vital services is, and these organizations have done tremendous work in their communities. Thank you to the NTCA members who partnered with FRS to fund these projects. I also want to thank former FRS Board Chair Carri Bennet for her generosity and vision to create the Carri Bennet Rural Economic Development Grant Fund to support rural economic development as part of the FRS Community Grant Program.”
“We plan to have the kiosks up and running by April of 2022,” said Madison Terry, director of tourism. “As of now we do not wish to disclose what they look like as they are still in the design process.”
The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through scholarships, grants, and a variety of educational programs, FRS focuses on educating rural youth, encouraging community development and introducing policymakers to challenges unique to rural communities.
