VILLE PLATTE ROTARY CLUB MEETING
JANUARY 7, 2014
Centurytel Regional General Manager John Dreher from Arkansas was the featured guest speaker at today’s (Tuesday) meeting of the Ville Platte Rotary Club. He shared a short history of the telecommunications company that had its humble beginnings as a phone company near Monroe in 1930. Centurylink, through its acquisitions, has become the third largest telecommunications company in the United States behind AT&T and Verizon. Centurylink operates a 230,000 mile fiber network in the USA. The company offers a full range of services to the consumer, business, other communications companies and Data Hosting.
On a local level, the company employs 15 employees in the Ville Platte office and 100 employees in Louisiana. Last year, the company donated to local festivals and events such as the Smoked Meat Festival. Also speaking were Andrew Dugas and Benny Fontenot with the local Centurylink Office.
Rotarian Mark Sullentrop reported on the progress of the “Choices” program being offered for 8th grade students in local schools. He announced so far 362 students have participated in the program sponsored by local Rotary club. The program will be expanded to Mamou, Evangeline Central and other parish schools.
Rotarian Ronnie Landreneau gave an update report on the new Ville Platte Library project. He announced the police jury has terminated the contract with the general contractor for not completing the project on time. The surety company has contacted the sub contractors to complete the work which are to begin next week and all work should be completed within the next 30 days.