J A N U A R Y 2023 BECOME A BOARD MEMBER Learn more about what it takes to become a cooperative board member PAGE 2 B E K C O M M U N I C A T I O N S BEK WATCH SURVEILLANCE C O O P E R A T I V E Offering peace of mind PAGE 6 DAKOTA TABLE PEAR PIE If you love pie you re going to need to try this recipe PAGE 5 888 475 2361 BEK TV Credits Cooperative Member Support for Recent Milestone bek coop Broadcasts Bring in Record Viewership BEK TV is excited to announce that more than 215 000 people tuned in for BEK s coverage of the North Dakota High School Athletic Association NDHSAA State Class A Class B Volleyball Tournament This 24 game tournament broadcast represents one of the most extensive household viewerships since BEK TV began broadcasting local high school sporting events 16 years ago and streaming live on multiple social media platforms Broadcasting to viewers in North Dakota eastern Montana and western Minnesota BEK TV reaches more than 430 000 households via over the air cable TV and satellite KNDB KNDM KRDK BEK TV also brings viewers from all across the nation via over the top BEK Play App webcast www bek tv To find the BEK TV broadcast schedule or to watch BEK Sports Live log onto bek tv For more information on BEK Play visit bek news bek play BEK TV is in its 16th year of providing high school collegiate and professional sports broadcasts having covered more than 5 000 live events in that time Last year BEK TV completed a banner year by televising 407 live games throughout the United States WATCH LIVE LOCAL SPORTING EVENTS BEK NEWS LOCAL WEATHER AND MORE CANCEL ANYTIME NO C ONTRACTS month CANCEL ANYTIME Sign up today at bek news bek play B E K C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B E K C O O P 1
FROM THE CEO Member Engagement Keeps Cooperative Strong What it takes to be a Director of the Board DERRICK BULAWA Chief Executive Officer Thanks to our members BEK Communications Cooperative has been connecting and serving North Dakota communities for 70 years Members aren t just customers of our service they re owners of the Cooperative Members also serve as Board of Directors giving their time and talents to guide the Cooperative s steady growth and progress The members of the BEK Board of Directors serve a very important role they establish accountability for the Cooperative Board members provide a strategic vision and influence national policy to ensure that rural North Dakota always has affordable access to the newest telecom services The Board keeps the Cooperative strong by ensuring the continuity of services economic responsibility and strategic guidance So what makes a good Board Member BEK would greatly benefit from the leadership of someone who has served on other boards is involved in the community manages a business has technical skills and has experience providing customer service There are two ways a member can become a Director on the Board They can be nominated by a committee or they can be nominated by petition The Board is comprised of eight directors They serve four districts and meet monthly As we approach our Annual Meeting I encourage you to consider if you have the skills and experiences to be a great leader of BEK Communications Cooperative Visit bek coop coop board to learn more JANUARY 2023 The BEK Beacon is a bimonthly newsletter published by BEK Communications 2022 It is distributed without charge to all customers BEK COMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE was founded in 1952 as a local telecommunications cooperative serving Burleigh Emmons and Kidder Counties Since then we ve invested in state of theart infrastructure developed new products and services and expanded to also serve Morton Oliver McLean Logan McIntosh Barnes Griggs Cass and Steele counties BEK has changed quite a bit in 70 years but we re still a small town cooperative at heart BEK COMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE 888 475 2361 P O Box 230 200 East Broadway Steele ND 58482 220 4th Street Northeast Valley City ND 58072 923 East Interstate Avenue Bismarck ND 58503 BOARD OF DIRECTORS DISTRICT I Shane Morris Regan Sanford Williams Wing DISTRICT II Bob Subart Robinson President Brett Stroh Tappen DISTRICT III Secretary Treasurer Kevin Bernhardt Linton Holly Will Hazelton DISTRICT IV Vice President William Bill Becker Wishek Gerald Burlack Wishek 2 If you re a BEK Fiber customer with WholeHome B E K C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B E K C O O P Wi Fi download the BEK Freedom app today bek coop 701 475 2361
Nominations Committee Chosen The BEK Board of Directors has chosen six cooperative members to serve on the 2023 Nominating Committee Incumbent Directors for Districts I II and III are DISTRICT I Sanford Williams Wing DISTRICT II Robert Subart Robinson BEK Cooperative members will cast their district vote during BEK s annual meeting on June 8 2023 If you are interested in serving on the BEK Communications Cooperative Board of Directors please contact your Nominating Committee representative prior to February 28 2023 DISTRICT III Kevin Bernhardt Linton DISTRICT IV No Election Members of the 2023 Nominating Committee are DISTRICT I Burnell Paul Wing 943 2475 Luanne Schonert Wilton 286 6214 DISTRICT II Randy Kapp Medina 327 4403 Tim DeKrey Steele 475 2349 DISTRICT III Sandy Baumgartner Hazelton 782 4358 Elaine Mittleider Hazelton 320 2164 CHURCH SERVICES ON BEK At BEK we believe in the American flag freedom and faith That s why we bring you daily and uncensored news content that promotes freedom of speech It s also why we broadcast a full lineup of Christian services each Sunday You can watch these services statewide on BEK TV or anywhere as a subscriber of BEK Play on the EPIC IPTV streaming app For more information on BEK Play visit bek news bek play SUNDAY SERVICES BROADCAST SCHEDULE 8 00 AM CATHEDRAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT BISMARCK ND BEK TV 9 00 AM SUNNE LUTHERAN CHURCH WILTON ND BEK eXtra 10 00 AM ST ANTHONY CATHOLIC CHURCH LINTON ND BEK eXtra2 10 45 AM EVANGEL BISMARCK ND BEK TV 1 00 PM GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH BISMARCK ND BEK TV 6 00 PM TAPPEN LUTHERAN CHURCH TAPPEN ND BEK eXtra 11 00 PM JOURNEY CHURCH MINOT ND BEK TV BEK eXtra available to EPIC IPTV customers or BEK Play Subscribers KNDB CH 26 BISMARCK MANDAN DICKINSON KNDMBCH 24 KRDK CH EK COM M U N I C AT I O NS BEK C O O P 43 MINOT WILLISTON FARGO GRAND FORKS
Skitter TV to Become Known as Absolute Cable TV The company that provides the content on EPIC IPTV will be changing its name What do I need to know Skitter Cable TV Inc has renamed their company to Absolute Cable TV Absolute Cable TV provides television content services across the country primarily serving customers in rural areas and smaller towns and communities If you are a BEK Fiber customer Absolute Cable TV delivers their television content over BEK Fiber through the EPIC IPTV application will continue to deliver this content through EPIC IPTV Also as part of this rebranding phase Skitter TV will rename the Restart TV feature to TimeWarp a feature that allows you to watch any program in the guide up to 72 hours after its original air time You re no longer at the mercy of the channel guide These changes are expected to be implemented by the end of January You will be receiving more information on the changes How will this affect me The only change you may encounter in the future will be if you re asked on your device to select your content provider ie when using Watch TV Everywhere The new content provider name will be Absolute Cable TV instead of Skitter TV BEK Fiber Scholarship Opportunities BEK acknowledges that students are a big part of the communities we serve That s why we ve been providing scholarships for college bound students for more than 25 years Foundation of Rural Service FRS 1 500 7 000 Deadline February 08 2023 For rural students entering their first year of college or vocational technical school If you are a BEK customer receiving BEK Fiber based services or if you are a dependent of a BEK customer receiving BEK Fiber based services you may apply for one of the following scholarships BEK Scholarship 500 Deadline March 10 2023 For 2023 graduating seniors entering their first year of college or vocational technical school University of Mary 1 250 Deadline March 1 2023 Current or new students pursuing a Mass Communications Computer Information Systems or Cyber Security or similar degree Valley City State University 1 250 2 500 Deadline February 14 2023 Current or new student pursuing a Communications Digital Media Management Concentration Computer Information Systems Cyber Security or Software Engineering or Technology Education or similar degree To learn more or to apply visit bek coop coop resources 4 B E K C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B E K C O O P
In almost every culture in the world food is the communal and binding factor when friends and family come together We launch this new segment of our Beacon publication to help inspire the cooks in all of us Pear Pie SUBMITTED BY DENISE BROWN FROM BALDWIN ND INGREDIENTS 3 4 c sugar 1 egg 1 4 c butter 1 tsp vanilla 5 c fresh sliced pears 1 4 c flour 1 tsp lemon juice 1 single or double pie crust DIRECTIONS 1 Preheat oven to 425 degrees Slice fresh pears Lay bottom layer of crust in a pie pan 2 In a sauce pan brown butter over medium high heat Once browned leave to cool 3 Once butter is cooled add the flour sugar vanilla lemon juice and beaten egg to butter 4 Pour mixture over sliced pears and coat thoroughly Then pour everything into the crust 5 If you re doing a double crust lay top layer of the crust over the filling and pinch the crust edges 6 Bake for 10 minutes on 425 degrees and then 35 minutes on 350 degrees Submit your favorite recipe to Dakota Table by mailing it to PO Box 230 Steele ND 58482 or email bekcomm bektel com Recipes will be randomly drawn for a chance to be published in the Beacon Submit a recipe to Dakota Table and if we publish your recipe we will mail you some kitchen goodies B E K C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B E K C O O P 5
AFFORDABLE SECURE 360 VIEW OF YOUR PROPERTY WATCH E Rate Discount Program HOME AND BUSINESS SURVEILLANCE The E Rate Program helps ensure affordable high speed internet access for schools and libraries To get started first find out if you qualify for discounted internet service Go to www usac org e rate get started and see if you qualify for the program definition of a school or library If you are unsure of your status you may need to contact a local administrative agency such as the State Department of Education Additionally the USAC website leads you through the process of selecting service providers applying for discounts and starting services For support log into your account on the website and use the Contact Us link to create a Customer Service Case Our Axis P3717 PLE Network Camera gives you 24 7 surveillance of your building or yard View live video and surveillance history from anywhere using a secure mobile app 888 475 2361 bek coop BEK Watch Surveillance Offers Peace of Mind This time of year in North Dakota many people flee to warmer weather Whether on vacation or gone for an extended period of time BEK Watch offers 24 7 surveillance of your property NEW PHONE LISTINGS NAME PHONE 6 CITY Dagley Jaidra Jonathan 516 6693 New Salem Enyart David 734 2127 Wilton Grenz Rodney 254 5144 Linton Lettenmaier David 646 6562 Sanborn Mad Moves Rink 475 2111 Steele Mendoza Santiago 490 3328 Valley City Miller Tom 475 4909 Steele Town Caf 867 2500 Tuttle Wagner Sheila 336 7500 Strasburg B E K C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B E K C O O P BEK Watch cameras are an excellent tool for home protection working both as a deterrent and a recovery tool Just having BEK Watch on your property tells a potential trespasser to go away However if someone still decides to wander too close to home BEK Watch cameras can be used to trace their steps BEK Watch is a customized security system for residential farm and shop properties businesses or anywhere else you want to protect Check and operate your cameras over the internet through a secure connection anytime anywhere To learn more about BEK Watch visit bek coop residential surveillance
KEEPING PHONE SERVICE DURING A POWER OUTAGE If your home or business loses power you may also be without phone service You cannot connect to family and friends during poor weather You may not be able to call 911 for an emergency Backup power for your corded phones gives you peace of mind that your family and emergency help are always available BEK Communications can install and maintain a voice service battery backup for your home The standard battery offered by BEK lasts up to eight hours on standby power You may also choose a longer lasting option that gives up to 24 hours of standby power What a Battery Backup Can and Can t Do for You The battery backup is for corded voice services only Security systems medical monitoring devices internet services wireless access points cordless phones and other equipment and services will not run on this home battery backup Please note that the 8 hour and 24 hour standby times describe the length of time your phone line is available for use Making a phone call during a power outage depletes the battery faster and may shorten the standby time follow the instructions included with your battery backup equipment and pay special attention to the temperature requirements We recommend you store your battery above 41 degrees and below 104 degrees Failure to follow the instructions may shorten the useful life of your battery These batteries are rechargeable but do not last forever You should periodically test your battery as described in the instructions included with the battery backup equipment to verify both the operation of the battery backup and its condition Service Costs and Details Our eight hour battery backup service is available for only 2 99 per month and our 24 hour solution for only 4 99 per month The monthly subscription includes installation and testing warranty coverage and battery replacement every four years If you have any questions or wish to purchase the service please call 1 888 475 2361 at any time Battery Care and Testing To maximize the function and lifespan of your battery please Game Fish Watch Sundays at 6 30pm OTA Channels 4 or 26 EPIC Channel 64 Attention outdoor enthusiasts BEK TV is proud to present North Dakota Game and Fish Weekly The half hour program is hosted by Mike Anderson of the ND Game and Fish Department and features people who have dedicated their lives to the outdoors North Dakota Game and Fish Weekly discusses topics from fishing and hunting to boating and conservation Watch the program on BEK TV EPIC Channel 64 or over the air on Channels 4 or 26 B E K C O M M U N I C AT I O N S B E K C O O P 7
BEK COMMUNICATIONS COOPERATIVE 200 East Broadway PO Box 230 Steele ND 58482 ECRWSS LOCAL POSTAL CUSTOMER BEACON TRIVIA many sports productions has BEK Sports broadcast since 1 How it began 2 Who can benefit from the E Rate Discount Program 3 What is the name of the BEK service that provides 24 7 surveillance of your property TRIVIA ENTRY ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY FEBRUARY 9 2023 Name ______________________________________________________________________ Phone Number ___________________________________________________________ Town _______________________________________________________________________ Clip and send to BEK at PO Box 230 Steele ND 58482 You can also email answers to bekcomm bektel com We will be drawing for twenty 5 00 credits to be applied to the winners bill CONGRATS TO OUR BEACON NOV DEC WINNERS Diane Boyle Alice Danika Owen Baldwin Brad Sether Bismarck Joyce Pfeifer Hague Connie Eslinger Hannaford Holly Bender Hazelton Nancy Kainz Hope Cecelia Baumstarck Linton Rita Mosset Linton Jim Fleck Mandan Carlene Bahm Mandan Eunice Nelson Napoleon Tami Albert Page Eric Wilson Sterling Leona Huber Strasburg Michael Krous Tappen Evalynne Hall Valley City Lewis Legge Valley City Jesse Cheryl McCormack Wilton Bill Adeline Lea Wishek