By Shelby Lindrud Staff Writer (Originally published by the Olivia Times Journal)

Annie Tepfer, the county’s “Get Broadband” Consultant, paid a visit to the Renville County Kiwanis meeting and the county HRA/EDA meeting April 19 to discuss broadband in the county and what it can do for the communities. I’m really pushing increased awareness and education,” said Tepfer.

“We have some really neat opportunities to bring education to our rural communities.”

“Get Broadband” is sponsored by the Bladin Foundation, which is running a matching funds drive. The foundation will match the funds raised by the county up to $15,000.

At the Kiwanis meeting, Tepfer and Mark Glesener demonstrated what a broadband connection could bring to Renville County.

Podcasts, which are like radio broadcasts for the web, allow people from all over the world to hear the message. “Get Broadband” is specifically aiming toward the agriculture business. Seed companies, FFA and farmers could educate interested listeners about what is happening on the farm, possibly bringing more attention and interest to Renville County.

There are also webcasts, which are video clips created and produced by individuals. Webcasts have really taken off with the help of web video sharing sites like You Tube.

All someone needs to create a webcast is a camera, a computer and a high-speed internet connection.

Like podcasts, webcasts can be about anything, from farming to schools to advertising clips. The RCW FFA is planning on taking a camera to its convention this spring and posting the clips online. Technology like webcasts would enable the school to reach out to parents and actually show them what their children are doing in school.

The “Get Broadband” program has four goals that it hopes to achieve by Dec. of 2007. The first is to increase the awareness and education about broadband and what it can do in the general community. This could include computer classes at libraries.

The second is to expand e-commerce for local businesses. An example of expanding e-commerce would be each local business having its own website connected to the city website, allowing potential visitors to see what the community has to offer. Bird Island, which has been growing its broadband presence for the past three years, is now starting to get the local businesses online.

Goal three is to get the youth of Renville County involved in developing the pod and webcasts.

“The youth can teach us about technology,” said Tepfer. The broadband program would give students a chance to become leaders in the community through podcasts.

The final goal is have wireless broadband internet access at internet cafés in each town, or at least have an access point in a public place.

This will allow everyone the chance to connect to the internet.

Broadband access is becoming easier to achieve in rural areas thanks to satellites and a growing coverage area.

With broadband access in the county, Tepfer and the rest of the “Get Broadband” task force hope to bring a better quality of life to the communities and the county’s economy.