New Faces at GBT

A Monthly Newsletter
for the GBT Communities
and Patrons
September 2016
Vol. 21, No. 9
Rush Center Office
P.O. Box 229 • 103 Lincoln
Rush Center, KS 67575
800.432.7965 • 785.372.4236
Hours:
7:30 am - 5:00 pm
Monday through Friday
Ness City Office
114 W. Main
Ness City, KS 67560
800.966.5186 • 785.798.3100
Hours:
8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Monday through Friday
Ellis Office
101 W. 9th
Ellis, KS 67637
800.966.5183 • 785.726.3200
Hours:
Noon - 6:00 pm
Monday through Thursday
Noon - 5:00 pm
Friday
Larned Office
122 W. 5th
Larned, KS 67550
800.432.7965 • 620.910.7676
Hours:
9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Mon., Tues., Thurs., & Fri.
Noon - 6:00 pm
Wednesday
www.gbta.net
Help Desk: 800.432.7965
Follow Us on Social Media
Connection
Fall is in the air, which means school starting for the kiddos and football
season for the sports fans. In this issue of the Connection, we introduce you
to the new faces on our GBT team, and for you football fans, make sure and
check out the special promotion on page 2 so you can watch all the games
in HD this season! The area communities have lots of events this month
along with High School Homecoming dates. Check out all the drawing
winners from the county fairs last month along with our team volunteering
area events. If you are looking for a grant for your community project, then
make sure and read the article on page 5. Last but not least, if you are one
of thousands of people that have questions on how to use the storage on
your mobile phone, then read our tips on page 6.
GBT O
wil b ffices
eC
Labo losed
r Day
New Faces
at GBT
GBT has recently welcomed a new addition to our fulltime staff, along with a part-time intern for the remainder of the
year. Patrick Selfridge has joined the GBT team as our newest Outside
Plant Technician. Patrick and his wife Anne have two boys
that keep them extremely busy; Bodie is 9 and Merrick is 4.
Patrick graduated from NWKTC with an Associate’s Degree
in Electronics, and is no stranger to the Telecommunications
Industry as he comes to us from Fairpoint
Communications in Western Kansas.
We are also very excited to welcome
Scarlett Olsen to the Marketing team through
the end of the year as a part-time intern. Scarlett
is from the Burdett area and is a Senior at Fort Hays State
University majoring in Public Relations. Scarlett will be working
alongside the Marketing team out of the Rush Center office.
We are excited to welcome these new faces to the GBT team!
September Special
It is TV-watching season with lots of sports.
To make sure you don’t miss out, we are offering the following:
3 months free HD
or HD/DVR or DVR*
Call for more information about this incredible deal!
1.800.432.7965
*Offer valid for New
Customers subscribing to
this service. Offer expires
September 30, 2016.
September
Directory Updates
BAZINE
Alma Solis
Nathan Felder
Angela Pride
Resource Management
Dispatch
Anna Rivera
Patrick Selfridge
BISON
Bison Rush Genetics, LLC
398-2127
398-2142
398-2157
398-2241
398-2562
398-2227
356-2015
ELLIS
Debbie Garrison
Gary Reppart
LACROSSE
Gerald Bittel
Stan & Lucile Shabowich
LEWIS
Floyd Tiemann
NESS CITY
Savannah & Jerry Lira
Tanner Rohr
2
726-2421
726-2478
222-3716
514-5037
324-5404
798-2817
798-2167
OTIS
Dustin & Lynee Alloway
Sam Higgason
Connie McKinzie
ROZEL
Lisa Hoffman
Antoinette Root
TIMKEN
Mid State Farmers Coop
Thomas J Raup
UTICA
Austin Walker
387-2212
387-2342
387-2539
527-4277
527-4269
355-2323
355-2405
391-2201
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
September
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Ness City Fun Run
1
2
3
4Brownell Labor Day 5
6 Representative 7
GBT Offices Closed
*Veteran service
Celebration
8
9 Memorial Ride 10
Nichols/Lutters
*Vintage on the Bricks
Ness Co. Hospital Golf
Tournament
Labor Day
*Food Pantry
*Walnut Valley
Potato Bar
11
12
13
14
15 Donut Hour
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26 *KSRE Lane Co. 27
28
*KSRE Rush Co.
*KSRE Ness Co.
*Blood Drive
*Coffee and
Ellis Homecoming
*Otis-Bison
Homecoming
Macksville
Homecoming
Western
29Larned,
Plains, Stafford, 30
*His & Hers Golf
Tournament
*Harvest Dinner
*Rush Co. Chamber Party
Ransom Oktoberfest
*See details below
& Ness City
Homecoming
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
*Upcoming Community Events
*Veteran service Representative
September 7th / 11am-Noon / Ness City - Veteran's Building / On site for questions
1pm-2:30pm / LaCrosse - Courthouse / On site for questions
*Vintage on the Bricks
We are pleased to serve our local
communities and would like to
include your community
event in our newsletter. Submission
for this section is due by the 10th
of the previous month. Please mail
items to: GBT-Attn: Marketing
PO Box 229
Rush Center, KS 67575
Call 800.432.7965 or Email:
[email protected]
September 10th / 8am-2pm / Washington Street downtown Ellis
September 13th, 20th, & 27th / Medicare Basics: Are you turning 65 in the coming months? Did
you just turn 65? Are you older than 65, but have not taken Medicare, but need to do so now?
When it comes to Medicare there are many questions. As our situations change, it can bring even
more questions. I will be doing a Medicare Basics Program to help answer questions. We will be
going over the parts to Medicare, how to use it, how it works, and how to sign up. This program
will provide you with a good foundation for understanding Medicare. Each program will start at
6:30 p.m. and last about 2 hours. Cost will be $5 and cover the cost of supper. Please RSVP by
noon the day of.
September 14th / Noon-6pm / Knights of Columbus Hall - Ellis
September 16th / 9:30am to 11am / Burdett Seniors / sponsored by Raymond Bauer Insurance
September 16th / Rush County Chamber 50/50 Drawing at game
September 18th / 2-4pm - Burdett / 1-2pm - Rozel
September 18th / serving from 11am-1pm / Walnut Valley Senior Center - Rush Center / Everyone of all ages welcome
September 24th / LaCrosse City Park
September 24th / 8:30am Registration - 9:00am Tee Off / $50.00 per couple-includes hole prizes / Hog Roast after
tournament for a free will donation and the meal is open to the public / All proceeds going to the Country Club to help
purchase trees / Contact Kim for more info 785.222.6412
September 24th / 5:30pm-? / Sponsored by Burdett Seniors / Take Out available
*Walnut Creek Extension Districts (Contact your local extension office for more information or to register.)
*Blood Drive
*Coffee & Donut Hour
*Otis-Bison Homecoming
*Food Pantry
*Walnut Valley Potato Bar
*Rush County Chamber Party in the Park
*His & Hers Golf Tournament
*Harvest Dinner
3
July Photo Contest
Pictures must be taken in the GBT service area. All
photographs will be returned if name and address are included.
Our July Photo Contest winner was Nancy
Witthuhn of Bazine who captured this beautiful
photo on Memorial Day at the cemetary.
Black Football Hunting
It’s time to count... throughout
this issue of the Connection
there
are
many
Black
Count this Footballs. Can you count
one too!
them? When you find them all,
e-mail us by the 10th of the month at
[email protected] with the total
number of Black Footballs and you will
be entered into a drawing to win a $10
bill credit on your next GBT bill!
Black Apple Hunting Winner
Darla Schaffer – Larned
August’s Newsletter had a total
of 12 black Apples! Darla won a $10 bill
credit from GBT just for playing!
By all these
lovely TOKENS
SEPTEMBER
DAYS ARE HERE,
with Summer's best of
weather
AUTUMN'S
best of
cheer.
AND
- HELEN HUNT JACKSON
Lifeline Recertification
Coming
Soon!
DO YOU RECEIVE A DISCOUNT ON YOUR PHONE BILL
FROM THE LIFELINE PROGRAM?
Recertify to keep your discount!
Each year, you must complete a certification to show that you are eligible to keep your
discount. This year we have partnered with the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to help you with your certification. If you do not complete this certification, you will lose your discount.
TIMELINE
 In September USAC will send you a letter with instructions.
 You must complete your certification within 30 days of the letter date.
 If you don't complete certification within 30 days of the letter date, you will lose your discount.
PROCESS
There are three ways to complete your certification:
1. Call the phone number on the letter to tell USAC that you are eligible for your discount.
2. Go to the website listed on the letter to fill out a form with information showing you are still
eligible for your discount.
3. Complete the paper form that is sent with the letter and mail it to USAC to show that you
are still eligible for your discount.
Contact us if you have questions about this requirement.
4
Community Grant
Program Available
As part of its ongoing commitment to
rural communities across the country,
the Foundation for Rural Service
provides annual grants for communities
served by NTCA members. The goal of
this program is to support local efforts
to build and sustain a high quality of
life in rural America. Grants will be
concentrated in four major areas:
County Fair Recap
As always we had a great time at the local county fairs &
picnics this summer, and would like to thank everyone for
coming out to say hello, register for our giveaways, or grab
a free hot dog or watermelon slice. We enjoy supporting our
local communities and appreciate our customers letting GBT
be your communications provider of choice! Congratulations
to all of our drawing winners.
Rush County Fair
Sue Woods – Bluetooth Speaker/Gift Card
Alan Maier – Car Charger/Cord
Alex Herrman – Rush County Fair T-Shirt
Heather Ross – Rush County Fair T-Shirt
Gillian Minge – Jar of Candy
Cristen Trapp – Charging Backpack
• Business Development
• Community Development
• Education
• Telecommunications
Ness County Fair
Sabryn Copeland – Candy Jar Guess
Kevin Stocklein – NTW Speaker and Gift Card
John Moore – Charging Backpack
Grants can range from $250 to $5000
that go back in to rural communities,
every year.
FRS grants will allow rural communities
to take that first step towards a project
or plan that can help better the lives
of those around them – whether it is
smart boards in schools, a Main Street
beautification project, better agricultural
equipment for farms, start-up money for
young entrepreneurs, or basic computer
classes. These funds help rural
Americans invest in their communities
in meaningful ways.
The Foundation will give priority to
proposals that foster collaboration
among different community agencies
and local government, reflect a
comprehensive approach to community
development,
promote
community
participation and engagement, and
make rural communities a better place
to live and work.
Applications must be received to GBT
by September 15th, 2016. Please send
to the following address:
GBT
Attention: Kara Jecha
PO Box 229
Rush Center, KS 67575
http://www.frs.org/rural-community-outreach/grant-program
5
Cellular Storage and Backup
For customers that stop in our Ellis, Larned, Ness City, or
Rush Center office shopping for a new Nex-Tech Wireless
cell phone, the choices and options and can be overwhelming. Many people have migrated to the Smartphone option
and choose between the Android or iPhone device. With that
decision arises the need to choose how much internal memory you would like your phone to have. Options typically range
from 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB respectively. Similar
to a computer, the larger the number, the more data or storage your
phone can save internally. Though it
might be more expensive up front for
a phone with more storage, it might
save you headaches and money in
the long run. If you are one that plans
on using your phone like a mini computer, storing lots of photos, using
multiple apps, or downloading music
and movies you will want to purchase
the larger phone option.



As always, if anyone has questions or
needs assistance, please stop in one
of our offices so we can help you manage your storage and backup on cellular devices. We want
to ensure your data is saved in case a phone gets lost or
destroyed, but we cannot retrieve data if it’s not backed up
properly.
If you didn’t plan properly like myself, and purchased a 16GB
phone or maybe a larger one but are still running out of storage, it is important to put into place steps to ensure you won’t
lose any data, including pictures and videos, should anything
ever happen to your phone.



verify your data is being stored.
If not using cloud storage, periodically transfer photos,
videos, and other important data to a computer that can
be retrieved when needed.
Delete Unneeded Apps. Apps can use up large amounts
of data storage.
Check how much storage each App uses. If a particular
App is using a large amount of storage, you can delete
unneeded files in these Apps.
 Delete unneeded text message con versations. Saving these messages
can use lots of storage.
 Clear recently deleted photos. Lots
of platforms keep deleted photos for
30 days.
Ensure your cell phone is being backed up daily.
Check to make sure you have enough cloud storage or
purchase more for minimal costs per month for peace of
mind that your data can be retrieved if needed.
Log into your iCloud, Box, or Dropbox accounts and
If you have a
favorite
recipe
y o u
w o u l d
like to share to be
featured i n
a n upcoming newsletter,
send it to [email protected].
Green Tomato Jam
Submitted by Evelyn Beltz - Bazine
Ingredients
2 Cups (ground up fine) Green Tomatoes-Juice & all
1 Box (3oz) Raspberry Jello
2 Cups Sugar
Directions
Cook Tomatoes and Sugar 8-12 minutes, add 1 box Raspberry Jello. Seal in sterilized jars and keep on
shelf in cool place.
If you have questions or comments about
this newsletter or any of our services,
please email us at [email protected]
Kelly Baalmann, Editor
Kyle Bahr, Editor
6