Marion Economic Development Efforts Receive Support from GW

By: jody Bielmaier, Member Services Manager

Wall, SD—Marion Development Foundation started off the year on a positive note with a $5,000 economic development donation from Golden West Telecommunications.

The funding was made available as part of Golden West’s annual economic development program created to target funds toward projects and programs within its service areas that help create or enhance local employment opportunities. The 2007 contribution brings the total amount received over the past decade by Marion Development Foundation to $50,000.

“Our future as a company continues to rest upon the success of rural areas like Marion and that’s why we’re excited to be part of a project that strives to improve the lives of residents in the community,” said Golden West Area Manager Roger Aman.

The project submitted by Marion Development Foundation will put the funds toward recruiting new businesses for the Industrial Park.

Golden West began in 1916 as a stock company providing telephone service between the communities of Quinn and Interior, SD. The Company has grown over the years to become the largest independent telephone company in South Dakota and the 35th largest telecommunications company in the nation. The Company now employs nearly 350 people statewide offering services ranging from local and long distance telephone service, high-speed and wireless Internet, cable television, 24-hour answering service, Internet help desk, networking services, wholesale Internet services, paging and business phone systems to digital video recorders and security monitoring.