Green Mountain Access
Green Mountain Access
November 2014
Telephone Internet Cable TV
Monthly News

Watch Our New Video - Connecting Family, Friends, And Neighbors

Thank You For Buying Local

Win A Mad River Glen Mad Card

WCVT In The Community

And The Winner Of One Free Month Of High-Speed Internet Service Is...

Two To View — A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss

Go Pinterest-ing! - Cool Stuff To Pin On Your Pinterest Boards

Tutorials

Scam Alert - Watch Out For Fake Charities During The Holiday Season

This Month's FAQ - Which Security Question Should I Pick For A "Forgot Password" Feature?

Short Tutorial - How To Save Interesting Items On Facebook

Community Events

Waitsfield Ski And Skate Sale - Saturday / Sunday, November 15 and 16 - Waitsfield

Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt – Friday, December 5 - Bristol Town Green

Richmond Holiday Market - Saturday, December 6 - Richmond

Country Christmas Open House – Saturday / Sunday, December 6 - 7 - Mad River Valley

Sites of the Month

Try New Side Dishes For Thanksgiving

See The World Through Your Dog's Eyes
Make The Most Of Your Money

What's Trending In Holiday Decorating?

Technical Support
Do you need Tech Support?

Call:
1-888-321-0815
or 496-8598 7 Days a week, 24 hours a day

Complete online technical support form.

FAQs

I'm very happy with the service and even happier that you are local.

Your service is excellent.

I appreciate both the quick response and the expertise and effort of your technician.

Your service is excellent!

Thank you for great service!

You guys are great in every way!!!

Always have had great service whenever we have called.

November is the month when temperatures cool down and holiday preparations heat up. We've gathered seasonal content here to help you enjoy what makes November special (as well as avoid one of the month's potential threats). We start with a warning about the fake charity scams that turn up every fall, and we offer tips on how to avoid them. Need recipe ideas for entertaining family and friends? Check out the hot cider and pumpkin doughnut recipes in the Pinterest section. Want to better understand your furry companions? Head for the fascinating dog site in Sites of the Month. Need inspiration for a building project? Watch a barn go up in minutes in Two to View. This November issue also includes advice on how to pick a good security question as well as how to save interesting items on Facebook for reading later.

We think you'll find the information contained in this newsletter to be a valuable tool for enhancing your Internet experience. As always, we appreciate your feedback and suggestions. Please send your thoughts, comments or questions to newsletter@gmavt.net.

- The Green Mountain Access Team
Aaron, Adam, Amanda, Eric, Kris, Phil, Richard, Seth, and Scott

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Monthly News

Watch Our New Video - Connecting Family, Friends, And Neighbors

It’s been ten years since we’ve produced a company video and a lot of great things can happen in ten years. This year we partnered with Mt. Mansfield Media to tell the “WCVT story.” Our goal was simple: Capture what makes us unique and get at the essence of what makes us different from the large conglomerates. Thank you for being a part of our Vermont story. We hope you enjoy our video (click image below to view).

WCVT Video


Thank You For Buying Local

At Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, we have a dedicated team of telecommunications experts working on your behalf every day. As your truly local provider, we live and work alongside you in this community and that local service is something our competitors can't offer.

Employee Photo

With us at your side, you can enjoy advantages such as:

Local, Personal Attention
Just stop in our office or give us a call when you have questions. You're not limited to 800 numbers answered by customer service representatives across the country or on the other side of the world. We bring a unique blend of local knowledge, expertise and support to everything we do.

Faster Response Times
We're nearby and ready to serve you, and we also value your time. So our team works hard to ensure that your needs are taken care of quickly. We understand how important your services are to you and work diligently to keep you connected to the world.

Commitment to Improved Services
Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom strives to provide you with the best telecommunications solutions available for a fair rate. After all, we're invested in the local communities we serve.

All of us at Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom want to thank you for choosing us as your provider and we look forward to continuing to serve you. Please don't hesitate to contact us at 800-496-3391 or support@gmavt.net if you have any questions.  


Win A Mad River Glen Mad Card
Each month, we raffle off a prize from a local business, so be sure to enter your name every month for your chance to win. Congratulations to Joanne Stewart who won a $75 gift certificate to Misty Knoll Farms in New Haven. This month, we have another great prize courtesy of Mad River Glen. The Mad Card is the best deal for Mad River Glen lift tickets and they are only available until December 15th. With a Mad Card you get 3 transferable day tickets good any time plus $5 off any additional full day lift ticket purchased throughout the season. They also make a great gift idea! To be entered into the raffle, simply click the link below and leave your name and contact information. For more information on the Mad Card, visit www.madriverglen.com or call them at 496-3551. The drawing will take place on November 25.

Click here to enter for your chance to win.

Mad River Glen


WCVT In The Community

WCVT Hosts Successful Blood Drive
Blood DriveThanks to everyone who visited our Blood Drive on September 17 in Waitsfield. Our goal was to collect 55 pints and we are happy to report that we exceeded our goal and collected a grand total of 69 pints! Thanks to everyone for helping make this event successful!

We Hope You Enjoyed the Children's Halloween Party  
Halloween PartyThanks to everyone that came to our annual children's Halloween Party in Bristol! We had a great turnout again this year, and our staff always looks forward to this event. Once again this year, a special thanks to the Bristol Recreation Department for all of their help making it another fun event. We hope to see you again next year!

WCVT Receives National Recognition For Its Investments In The Local Communities
Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom (WCVT) is one of 13 rural communications firms in North America to be honored with the Smart Rural Community Showcase Award by NTCA - The Rural Broadband Association. At a recent gathering of more than 1,000 leaders of rural telecommunications providers hosted by NTCA, WCVT was honored with an award for deploying advanced technologies and leveraging those technologies to enable innovation in the areas of economic development and commerce, education, and enhanced health care. WCVT’s efforts were judged against those of dozens of other communities nationwide by a panel of experts from the fields of telecommunications, software and technology services, education, health care and economic development.

The NTCA Smart Rural Community initiative recognizes and celebrates the efforts of rural telecommunications providers and their communities to deliver technologies that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. The goal of the initiative is to foster the development of Smart Rural Communities throughout rural America by recognizing trailblazers and providing resources to assist broadband providers and connected industries.

Smart Rural Community

WCVT's Roger Nishi, V.P of Industry Relations and Kurt Gruendling, V.P. of Marketing accepting the award from Shirley Bloomfield, President of NTCA

Being a local business means that our customers are also our neighbors and friends. At Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom, we feel strongly that community involvement is not just a nice thing to do; it is the right thing to do. If you have a community service project in the making and are looking for help, contact Alan Jones at 496-8328 or via email ajones@wcvt.com to see if we can lend a hand.


And The Winner Of One Free Month Of High-Speed Internet Service Is...

Congratulations ML McLaughlin for being this month’s winner of one free month of high-speed Internet service. ML's name was chosen at random from customers who completed our monthly Green Mountain Access technical support surveys.

Each month, one name is selected at random from customers who complete our online technical support or new user surveys. Survey requests are sent out via e-mail to customers after calling technical support or establishing new service. So be sure to fill out those surveys!


Two to View — A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss

See Why Not To Text And Drive
click here for video

This video catches moviegoers off guard as it dramatically shows what can happen when you quit watching the road to reach for your phone.


Amazing Amish Barn Raising

click here for video
See more than 10 hours of barn building in just 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Clearly, many hands do make light work!




Go Pinterest-ing! - Cool Stuff To Pin On Your Pinterest Boards

Pinterest is a pinboard-style photo-sharing website that allows users to create and manage theme-based image collections such as events, interests, and hobbies. Users can browse other pinboards for images, 're-pin' images to their own pinboards, or 'like' photos. Here are some links to some:

Retro Calculator Adds Up To Cool Memories
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775852262622/

You'll Fall For These Festive Fall Centerpieces
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775852262680/

Coconut Hot Chocolate & Whipped Coconut Cream
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775852262723/

You haven't started pinning on Pinterest yet and you want to get started? To learn more visit http://about.pinterest.com/en or to sign up, go here https://pinterest.com/join/signup/.

Tutorials

Scam Alert - Watch Out For Fake Charities During The Holiday Season

People tend to feel especially kindhearted and generous during the holiday season, which is why scammers take full advantage of this time of year. In order to not fall victim to a fake charity email or website, take these precautions:

  • Stay suspicious. Look for telltale signs that an email or website may not be legitimate, such as low-resolution images, misspellings, poor grammar, or odd links. Also be aware that some fake charities may look real at first glance, taking on a name similar to a legitimate charity.
  • Think before you click. Don't click on any links in emails or text messages from people you don't know, and if you come across a shortened URL, use a URL expander, such as LongURL.org, to see where the link is directed to before you click.
  • Do a background check on charities. Before donating, research a charity thoroughly. You can enter the name of the charity at www.give.org to get information from the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
  • Beware of charity requests by email. Most legitimate charities don't use email for their solicitations so there's a higher likelihood that an emailed request for donations is a scam. (Some legitimate charities, however, will email people who have donated to their organization before.)
  • Take control of your giving. The best way to avoid charity scams is to decide in advance of the holiday season which charities you'll support and contact them yourself.

Visit this link for additional tips... http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0011-charity-scams


This Month's FAQ - Which Security Question Should I Pick For A "Forgot Password" Feature?

Question: Sometimes a website will ask me to choose a security question from a list or write my own. What makes a good security question for a "Forgot Password" feature?

Answer:The security question (and answer) that's associated with an online account enables you to be sent your password in case you forget it. In order to prevent someone not authorized to access your account from getting your password, it's important to use a security question with an answer that has these characteristics:

  • It should be difficult to discover through research. The answer to your security question should not be something that could be easily looked up online, such as, "What is my high school's mascot?"
  • It should be hard to guess. This means any question with a limited list of answers is not a secure one. For example, don't use any security question where the answer is a month, a color, or a day of the week. An intruder could probably guess with just a few tries the answer to a bad question such as "What color is my bedroom?"
  • It shouldn't change over time. The problem with a question such as, "What is your favorite book?" is that the answer may not be the same five years from now.

It's well worth your time to make sure your security questions and answers (along with your passwords) create a strong defense against hackers.


Short Tutorial - How To Save Interesting Items On Facebook

Tired of scrolling through a friend's Facebook news feed to find the link to that cool story you didn't have time to read when it was originally posted? Thanks to a new feature in Facebook, you can save interesting items to check out later. To save something you see on Facebook:

  • From your News Feed: Click the down arrow icon and then select Save
  • From a Page: Click the three dots icon and then select Save
  • From an event: Click the bookmark icon Save Note: You can't save photos or posts without links.

When you save things on Facebook, they'll appear in your Saved Items that only you can see. To view the things you've saved:

1. Go to http://Facebook.com/saved or click Saved in the left column of your homepage after you've saved something.

2. Click a saved category at the top or click a saved item to view it.

For more details, visit this link http://facebook.com/help/1471345899777163.

Community Events

Waitsfield Ski And Skate Sale - Saturday / Sunday, November 15 and 16 - Waitsfield

New and used equipment and clothing for skiers, riders, skaters, and winter lovers of all ages. All proceeds benefit the Waitsfield Elementary School PTA. Hours are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm both days. For more information, call 496-3643 or visit http://www.waitsfieldschool.org/ski-and-skate-sale.php


Flashlight Candy Cane Hunt – Friday, December 5 - Bristol Town Green

Santa has hidden candy canes all around the park on the Green in Bristol. Bring your flashlight to help find them and be sure to stay for the hot cocoa. The event starts at 6:30 pm. For more information, visit www.bristolrec.org.


Richmond Holiday Market - Saturday, December 6 - Richmond

The Western Slopes Business Association and the Town of Richmond will be hosting the 11th annual Richmond Holiday Market on Saturday, December 6, from 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. This annual event has grown over the years and is offered in four locations, including the Richmond Free Library; the Richmond Congregational Church, the Richmond Town Hall, and at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Santa arrives by horse and wagon at 10:00 a.m. and visits with families in the library until noon.  During that time wagon rides are offered, plus, all day there is great homemade food served at the Congregational Church, live music by local musicians in the Town Hall, and Western Slopes Business Association Silent Auction to benefit the Association’s Scholarship Fund in the Town Hall.  There’s something for everyone.  For more information, visit http://www.westernslopesvt.org/arts/richmond-holiday-market/.


Country Christmas Open House – Saturday / Sunday, December 6 - 7 - Mad River Valley

This year Valley businesses are going all out to create a festive holiday environment. There will be Christmas trees, luminaries along the river, a fire pit for roasting marshmallows, a hot cider donation station to benefit the local Food Bank plus Santa Clause will be "coming to town". Shop locally for your holiday gift giving. This is a two day shopping event where shoppers can receive prizes, treats, and great discounts. Avoid the big box shopping melee by supporting those shops that are locally owned and operated. Get a punch card at a merchant displaying the "Participating Merchant" door sign and visit 5 participating stores. Leave your card with the 5th merchant and be entered into a prize drawing! While shopping in the Mad River Valley, take some time to watch artists at work in various shops. On Saturday, easels will be set up and artists will capture the day's hustle and bustle. Following the event, many of the works will be available for purchase. For more information, visit www.madrivervalley.com.

Sites of the Month

Try New Side Dishes For Thanksgiving

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/thanksgiving-dinner-side-dishes

The main dish of turkey may be non-negotiable, but we bet there's room on your Thanksgiving table for a new side dish or two. Check out this mouthwatering collection of recipes from Southern Living including Bacon & Brown Sugar Brussels Sprouts and Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cumin.


See The World Through Your Dog's Eyes

http://www.dognition.com

This fascinating site helps you learn how your dog's mind works. The Dognition Assessment uses science-based games to look at empathy, communication, cunning, memory, and reasoning. The results will give you a richer understanding of your dog's behavior.


Make The Most Of Your Money

http://www.clarkhoward.com

Clark Howard is a nationally syndicated consumer expert who shares ways for people to "save more, spend less, and avoid getting ripped off." You can watch recent video tips, listen to his radio show, and browse through information on everything from buying a car to negotiating a raise.


What's Trending In Holiday Decorating?

http://www.christmas.com/blog/christmas-style-holiday-decorating-trends-2014

Using the same holiday decorations year after year can get boring. So before you deck the halls, pick up fresh ideas such as re-purposing vintage items and adding texture through burlap. You can also create a family page to share holiday photos, save recipes, and more.

Bigger Isn't Always Better

We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the happenings at our shop.

Thanks for your business! Best regards,
GMA Tech Support Team
Green Mountain Access
Mechanicsville Rd Hinesburg, VT 05461
802-496-8598(local)

Green Mountain Access | Tech Support | Newsletter Archive

Green Mountain Access Waitsfield Telecom

(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all liability for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)

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