Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association (WCCTA) Receives Ripple Effect Grant
Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association (WCCTA) recently received a $5,000 Ripple Effect Grant to assist with the re-opening of the newly named Market on Market grocery store in Gowrie, IA
GOWRIE, Iowa, May 28, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The residents and businesses of Gowrie, a community of 1,037 in Webster County, has rallied together to save their local grocery store after the former owner began closing stores in other nearby rural communities. Within just 10 days, the community was able to raise $250,000 in donations and resulted in creating the Gowrie Grocery LLC which will manage Market on Market.
Volunteers have been working hard behind the scenes and within new limitations imposed by social distancing, to transform the look of the store into a small independent grocery that will focus on fresh food. The next step will be to expand the store size, and return the deli to operation. But the emphasis today is on customer service and the revitalization of the 3,000 square feet of grocery space.
Former area native Larry Roper is the new manager and is excited to hit the ground running where an entire community stood up to rescue their only grocery store. Larry will be able to put his expertise of working with a variety of grocery businesses at the new Market on Market.
The Ripple Effect grant application was made to Aureon on behalf of Gowrie Grocery LLC by Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association, the local provider of internet, TV and phone service. In addition to the $5,000 Ripple Effect grant from the Iowa Area Development Group and Aureon, WCCTA will provide a matching grant of $5,000 for a total of $10,000 in grant funding to the community project.
"While WCCTA serves 16 small rural communities, Gowrie is the largest and is also the only community with a grocery store, which is located just blocks from our headquarters. The ability to keep a grocery store in the community is vital as it serves as a cornerstone to the downtown and attracts people from surrounding rural communities," says Marcie Boerner, Office Manager of Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association. "It's a great thing when a community comes together around a project – and that's just what happened in Gowrie. WCCTA is honored to give this Ripple Effect grant award to a project that will have a positive effect on the residents, businesses and surrounding rural communities for years to come."
Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association is the leading provider of voice, video and data services in North Central Iowa. With headquarters in Gowrie, IA, WCCTA provides 16 communities with local and long-distance voice services, high-speed Internet and cable television programming. As a certified Gig Capable provider from the NTCA, The Rural Broadband Association, WCCTA provides services on a Fiber to the Home network. WCCTA is increasing broadband in rural Iowa and is staying in touch with the needs of the residents and businesses in their sixteen community area that includes Gowrie, Farnhamville, Churdan, Paton, Lanyon, Boxholm, Pilot Mound, Somers, Knierim, Moorland, Barnum, Clare, Thor, Badger, Vincent and Duncombe. For additional information call 515-352-3151 and visit them at http://www.wccta.com, on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube.
SOURCE Webster-Calhoun Cooperative Telephone Association
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