NC Minnesota News

The region's largest fiber-optic network company announced they will be donating $100,000 to local food shelves following the cancelation of their community celebration due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Paul Bunyan Communication covers 5,500 square miles of fiber-optic network, providing broadband internet and high definition TV to Beltrami, Hubbard, Cass, Itasca, St. Louis and Koochiching Counties. 

“While it is unfortunate to cancel our community celebration, like so many others we recognize the importance of putting the health and safety of our friends, neighbors, cooperative members and employees first. At the same time, we see unprecedented demands right now on the critically important work of area food shelves. To do our part to help, we’re making a special contribution of $100,000 to our area food shelves," Paul Bunyan Communications CEO & General manager Gary Johnson said, according to the Harold Review. 

There are 12 Local food shelves that are a part of the cooperative: The Food Shelf of Second Harvest in Grand Rapids, Bemidji Area Food Shelf, Hubbard County Food Shelf-Park Rapids, Deer River Area Food Shelf, Walker Food Shelf, Red Lake Nation, Trinity Lutheran Food Shelf of Laporte, Cass Lake Food Shelf, Falls Hunger Coalition of International Falls, Northome Area Food Shelf, Northern Itasca Food Shelf of Bigfork and Neighbors Helping Neighbors of Nashwauk.

“We’re very proud of the Cooperative Celebration and grateful to everyone that helps us put on or attends the event. It started as our 50th Anniversary Celebration in 2002 so this would have been the 19th annual event. We look forward to when we can get together again,” Brian Bissonette, Paul Bunyan Communications Marketing Supervisor, said, according to the Harold Review.