On Saturday, April 25th, more than 4,000 local Comcast

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "On Saturday, April 25th, more than 4,000 local Comcast"

Erika Watkins
5 years ago
Views:

california c o n n e c t i n g p e o p l e Comcast Cares for California Schools Mobilizes Over 4,000 Volunteers in a Single Day On Saturday, April 25th, more than 4,000 local

corporate volunteer efforts in the country.

0 making the leap from broadband to wideband in San Francisco and the Peninsula.

In THe MAY 2009 issue: Comcast Cares Day 2009... 1 DOCSIS 3.0.......................1 Comcast Donates to Chowchilla.

1 california c o n n e c t i n g p e o p l e Comcast Cares for California Schools Mobilizes Over 4,000 Volunteers in a Single Day On Saturday, April 25th, more than 4,000 local Comcast employees, their families and friends volunteered to improve 25 schools throughout California that have been affected by budget cuts, as part of Comcast s eighth annual Comcast Cares Day. At the same time across the country, a total of approximately 50,000 Comcast volunteers participated on this annual day of service, which is one of the largest single days of corporate volunteer efforts in the country. continued on page 2 So many of our students were impacted by funding cuts and the state budget impasse, that our Comcast Cares Day efforts this year at 25 California schools will be all the more meaningful. Steve White Regional Senior Vice President, Comcast Delivers Extreme 50 Mbps High-Speed Internet Service Comcast delivers the nextgeneration DOCSIS 3.0 making the leap from broadband to wideband in San Francisco and the Peninsula. In March, the company deployed wideband in the San Jose-Silicon Valley area, portions of the East Bay and the Monterey-Salinas area. In THe MAY 2009 issue: Comcast Cares Day DOCSIS Comcast Donates to Chowchilla... 3 With wideband, Comcast introduces a new echelon of Internet speed tiers that redefine the customer experience online, and create a platform for Internet innovation in the years ahead. Comcast offers the fastest speeds available, including the Extreme 50 tier with download speeds of up to 50 Mbps. Wideband enables Latino Caucus 2009 Speakers Series... 3 Senator Steinberg Latinas Comcast to double speeds for the majority of existing high-speed Internet customers at no additional cost. Customer interest has surpassed our expectations since we launched wideband driven by its fast speeds, our reliable network infrastructure, and the fact that tech-savvy Bay Area residents want continued on page 8 Dreamers Challenge Scholarship... 6 Lincoln Exhibit... 7 DOCSIS 3.0 (continued)... 8

Comcast Cares Day 2009 California Schools Benefit from Comcast Cares Day Alameda Byron Chico Chowchilla Concord Daly City Elk Grove Folsom Lodi Martinez Morgan Hill Novato Napa Placerville San

Terrace Elementary School Panorama Elementary School Elitha Donner Elementary School Sutter Middle School George Washington Elementary School Las Juntas Elementary School Barrett Elementary School

School Monterey Bay Christian School Jefferson Middle School Emanuele Elementary School Padan Elementary School Washington Elementary School Lincrest Elementary School Comcast Cares for California

Throughout California, local elected officials were on hand at the schools as Comcast employees spent the day working on projects that included creating a quiet reading area in Vacaville, restoring a

Many of the sites also encouraged the younger volunteers to write letters of thanks and support to our troops.

live and work. The Comcast Foundation will also donate more than $1.

2 Comcast Cares Day 2009 California Schools Benefit from Comcast Cares Day Alameda Byron Chico Chowchilla Concord Daly City Elk Grove Folsom Lodi Martinez Morgan Hill Novato Napa Placerville San Francisco San Jose San Pablo Santa Cruz Santa Maria Seaside Tracy Union City Vacaville Visalia Yuba City Encinal High School Excelsior Middle School Chapman Elementary School Wilson Middle School Sun Terrace Elementary School Panorama Elementary School Elitha Donner Elementary School Sutter Middle School George Washington Elementary School Las Juntas Elementary School Barrett Elementary School San Jose Middle School Phillips Charter School Charter Home Academy Glen Park Elementary School Hubbard Elementary School Highland Elementary School Brook Knoll Elementary School Bonita Elementary School Monterey Bay Christian School Jefferson Middle School Emanuele Elementary School Padan Elementary School Washington Elementary School Lincrest Elementary School Comcast Cares for California Schools continued from page 1 Comcast Cares Day is one way that Comcast helps to power dreams and demonstrate a year-round commitment to making a difference in the communities it serves. Throughout California, local elected officials were on hand at the schools as Comcast employees spent the day working on projects that included creating a quiet reading area in Vacaville, restoring a mural in San Jose, donating a playground steam roller for special needs classes in Chico, building and planting a learning garden in Elk Grove and painting a world map on the playground in Daly City. Many of the sites also encouraged the younger volunteers to write letters of thanks and support to our troops. So many of our students were impacted by funding cuts and the state budget impasse, that our Comcast Cares Day efforts this year at 25 California schools will be all the more meaningful, said Steve White, Regional Senior Vice President,. Comcast is proud to be an active corporate citizen in California, and Comcast Cares Day is part of our ongoing commitment to education and to improving the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. The Comcast Foundation will also donate more than $1.5 million in grants to local community partner organizations across the country on behalf of each employee and family member who volunteered on Comcast Cares Day. The grants will help Comcast s community partners continue their mission of serving the community throughout the year. In addition to the thousands of hours of service for schools on April 25th, Comcast employees in California volunteer their time year-round to a variety of projects and organizations through the company s Comcast Cares program. For more information on Comcast s volunteer and community investment initiatives, visit Comcast Donates $80,000 to Bring Technology to Chowchilla Students Comcast provided something extra special on Comcast Cares Day for the students of Wilson Middle School in Chowchilla 16 interactive whiteboards, or Promethean Boards. Chowchilla is fairly isolated within the Central Valley and the purchase of these interactive whiteboards will enable global and regional collaboration far beyond the boundaries of this small farming community. Promethean technology helps build flexible learning environments which help students with auditory, kinesthetic and visuals learning styles have success in reading and writing. It s more important than ever to give students the tools they need to compete in today s technologically focused world, stated Steve White, Regional Senior Vice President,. Comcast is proud to enhance the learning experience for the students of Wilson Middle School and help them to be more successful. After a demonstration of the Promethean Boards, Chowchilla Mayor, Justin White, commented, I definitely would be in class Monday morning if I were a student at Wilson. I wish Comcast had been around when I was here. 2 3

California Latino Caucus & Comcast Launch 2009 Speakers Series Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberta Menchú-Tum Senator Steinberg Visits Comcast California Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg visited

Senator Steinberg spoke to more than 120 Comcast employees about the May 19th Special Election, and how Ballot Propositions 1A through 1F may impact the California economy.

of Jesse Unruh and Ronald Reagan. Employees were thrilled to have the unique opportunity to meet one of California s top government officials and hear first-hand from their own representative.

3 California Latino Caucus & Comcast Launch 2009 Speakers Series Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Rigoberta Menchú-Tum Senator Steinberg Visits Comcast California Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg visited Comcast s Sacramento Metro office on May 13th. Senator Steinberg spoke to more than 120 Comcast employees about the May 19th Special Election, and how Ballot Propositions 1A through 1F may impact the California economy. In introducing Steinberg, Sam Rodriguez, Comcast s California State Director of Government Relations, noted that the Senator is quickly becoming one of California s political icons joining the ranks of Jesse Unruh and Ronald Reagan. Employees were thrilled to have the unique opportunity to meet one of California s top government officials and hear first-hand from their own representative. Senator Steinberg is greeted by several members of Comcast s Sacramento and California leadership teams. Latinas Take Action in Sacramento Marking its 20th Anniversary, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) signature Latina Action Day, gathered close to 600 Latinas from across the state in Sacramento. The focus this year was on the budget crisis facing our state and the call to HOPE. ACT. VOTE. Latina Action Day convened a stellar line-up of influential keynote addresses, including California State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, who in her address encouraged Latinas to become civically engaged by voting. Sam Rodriguez, State Director of Goverment Relations, Comcast; Latino Caucus Vice-Chair, Assemblymember Tony Mendoza; Rigoberta Menchú-Tum; Assemblymember Lori Saldaña; and, Lorena Hernandez, California Director of Communications, Comcast. The Latino Caucus Vice-Chair, Assemblymember Tony Mendoza, welcomed noted Indian rights advocate, and the 1992 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Rigoberta Menchú-Tum, as the first guest for the 2009 Speakers Series. Ms. Menchú-Tum shared her inspirational and heartfelt story Being A Woman in Guatemala on May 5th. As a member of the Quiche branch of the Mayan culture, Menchú-Tum has been the voice of social reform for native cultures throughout the Americas. Her life-struggles to enhance women s rights and advocate for ethno-cultural reconciliation in her homeland of Guatemala, has been documented in her book I, Rigoberta Menchú and in the film When the Mountains Tremble. Having Rigoberta Menchú-Tum launch the Speakers Series really sets the tone for the season, and highlights the areas of concern and the issues that members of the Latino Legislative Caucus want to bring attention to, said Assemblymember Mendoza. Rigoberta is a powerful force in the movement for positive change and her story, the hurdles she has faced, is something everyone should hear about. Since the inception of this partnership with the California Latino Legislative Caucus, Comcast has been able to capture the notable speakers addressing key issues facing Californians and make them available to our viewers on Comcast On Demand, stated Johnnie Giles, Senior Vice President, Government Affairs, Comcast California. We are honored to partner with the Latino Caucus to bring these incredible and insightful speakers to our State Capitol and to all Californians. The Speakers Series is made possible by the collaboration between the Latino Caucus, Comcast, and the California Latino Capitol Association. For more information about the Speakers Series visit Throughout the day, Latinas heard from key leaders including Tony Mendoza, Vice Chair, California Legislative Latino Caucus, Assemblywoman Anna Caballero, and Senator Gloria Romero, to name a few. The day culminated with a special event to honor Latina Legislators for their leadership, service, and dedication to California. A tribute video, produced by Comcast, was unveiled promoting the importance of mentoring, especially through Entre Hermanas the firstever multi-generational mentoring program created in partnership by Comcast, HOPE and the Chicana Latina Foundation. For more information visit CA State Assembly Speaker Karen Bass with HOPE board members including Lorena Hernandez, Comcast California Director of Communications (2nd from left). 4 5

Comcast Exclusive Multi-Media Partner of the California Museum Dreamers Challenge Scholarship Two $5,000 Scholarships Supported by Comcast for California High School Seniors The California Museum and

This is the time for thinking outside the box and enduring obstacles. This is a time for Dreamers. And all Dreamers need a little help to get started.

4 Comcast Exclusive Multi-Media Partner of the California Museum Dreamers Challenge Scholarship Two $5,000 Scholarships Supported by Comcast for California High School Seniors The California Museum and its Honorary Chair, California s First Lady, Maria Shriver, are asking high school seniors, What would you do to change the world? This is the time for innovation and creativity. This is the time for thinking outside the box and enduring obstacles. This is a time for Dreamers. And all Dreamers need a little help to get started. Mexico by Haley Robertson (2008 submission) The Dreamers Challenge Scholarship was created by The California Museum, supported by Comcast, in partnership with the California Department of Education and the California State Fair and Exposition. Inspired by The California Museum s California Hall of Fame, $5,000 will be awarded to a 2010 graduating high school senior, from both Northern and Southern California, who best illustrates how their dream will leave a lasting mark on the state, nation and the world. Like California Hall of Fame inductees whose accomplishments are as diverse as the Golden State, this is an inclusive Challenge where So think for a moment what you would have to do to stand out in a state of 37 million people. You d have to go out and do what your heart and mind ordered you to do. Maria Shriver CA First Lady students can utilize their particular talent. They can submit artwork, a composition of music, a poem, a digital presentation, an essay... the possibilities are endless scholarship winner Elena Muruato, a high school senior from Los Angeles, dreamt of one day providing services to children who lost parents in the military. To find out the rules and guidelines for the California Hall of Fame Dreamers Challenge, go to Comcast Supports the California Museum s Historic Exhibit With Malice Toward None: Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibit June 24-August 22 California is the first stop for this exhibit from the Library of Congress, that will commemorate the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of the nation s revered sixteenth president. Charting Lincoln s growth from prairie politician to preeminent statesman, it will address the controversies that marked the road to his presidency, including challenges to civil liberties and the Constitution, slavery and race, and the dissolution of the Union and the Civil War. More than a chronological account of his life, the exhibit will reveal Lincoln the man, whose thoughts, words, and actions were deeply affected by personal experiences and pivotal historic events. By placing Lincoln s words in a historical context, the exhibition will give visitors a deeper understanding of how remarkable his decisions were for their time, and why his words continue to resonate today. The exhibit will feature nearly 200 artifacts, including bedrock documents of U.S. history, and will draw upon the Library of Congress s unparalleled collection of materials dealing with Lincoln s life and legacy. Extensive holdings documenting the Civil War, as well as contemporary political cartoons, and iconic material donated by the Lincoln family, such as the contents of Lincoln s pockets on the night he was assassinated, will be included. After the exhibition s premier at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, it will travel to five select venues across the United States. Its first stop will be The California Museum, after which it will travel to Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, and Georgia. With Malice Toward None: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Exhibition and its national tour are made possible through the generous support of Union Pacific Corporation and West Coast Sponsor, Pacific Gas and Electric Company. Additional support provided by Comcast, Wells Fargo, Motorola Foundation and Pacific Coast Building Products. For more information visit 6 7

5 Comcast Launches Extreme Internet Service continued from page 1 speed and value, which the new Ultra and Extreme 50 tiers deliver, said Steve White, Regional Senior Vice President,. Our customers online experience is significantly transformed with this next iteration of service, and this is simply the first step. Wideband, combined with our fiber-optic network, will allow us to meet our customers needs for several years to come by offering even quicker speeds down the road. Comcast s new services are available to residential homes and businesses in the following cities: Alamo Alviso Antioch Atherton Bay Point Belmont Bethel Island Brentwood Brisbane Broadmoor Burlingame Byron Campbell Carmel Carmel Valley Castro Valley Clayton Clyde Colma Concord Cupertino Daly City Danville Del Rey Oaks Diablo Discovery Bay Dublin East Palo Alto Foster City Hillsborough Lafayette Livermore Los Altos Los Altos Hills Los Gatos Knightsen Marina Martinez Menlo Park Millbrae Milpitas Monte Sereno Monterey Moraga Mount Hamilton Mountain View Oakley Orinda Pacheco Pacifica Pacific Grove Palo Alto Pebble Beach Pittsburg Pleasant Hill Pleasanton Portola Valley Redwood City Rossmoor San Ramon Saratoga Salinas Sand City San Carlos San Jose San Mateo Santa Clara South San Francisco Stanford Sunnyvale Sunol Walnut Creek Woodside The faster speeds will be available in other portions of the Bay Area later this year. As part of the wideband deployment, Comcast launched two new premium speed tiers to its residential and business class customers. Both new services are ideal for households or businesses simultaneously using several computers or Internet-connected devices. They also will appeal to those who simply want some of the fastest speeds available today. In addition to the new speed tiers, Comcast will also increase speeds for its existing Performance tier customers, who will now benefit from doubled downstream and upstream speeds offering up to 12 Mbps and 2 Mbps, respectively. Plus, with PowerBoost technology, customers are able to enjoy even faster speeds to download and upload files such as videos, games, music and photos. New Residential Tiers n Extreme 50: offering up to 50 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 10 Mbps of upstream speed. n Ultra: offering up to 22 Mbps of downstream speed and up to 5 Mbps of upstream speed. With Extreme 50, Comcast customers will be able to download a high-definition movie (6 GB) in about 16 minutes, a standard-definition movie (2 GB) in about five minutes and a standard-definition TV show (300 MB) in a matter of seconds. Customers with Extreme 50 will also be able to download digital photos, songs and games faster than ever. New Business Class Tiers Business customers will benefit from wideband with increased efficiency and productivity. Customers can sign up for the Deluxe 50 Mbps / 10 Mbps tier, which includes a full suite of features and support. As part of their service, Comcast Business Class customers receive Microsoft Communication Services, providing corporate-class , calendaring and document sharing, as well as additional benefits such as, firewall protection, static IP addresses, multiple addresses and business class 24/7 customer support. Existing business class customers also will receive complimentary speed increases speeds on the Starter tier will be doubled to up to 12 Mbps / 2 Mbps and a new Premium Tier also will be introduced, offering speeds up to 22 Mbps / 5 Mbps. To find out when wideband will be available customers can visit fastestfast or call COMCAST. Government Affairs Team Philip Arndt (209) Philip_Arndt@cable.comcast.com Cheryl Chambers (510) Cheryl_Chambers@cable.comcast.com Linda Crayton (925) Linda_Crayton@cable.comcast.com Johnnie Giles (916) Johnnie_Giles@cable.comcast.com John Gutierrez (925) John_Gutierrez@cable.comcast.com Marian Jackson (209) Marian_Jackson@cable.comcast.com Laura Macias (408) Laura_Macias@cable.comcast.com Lee-Ann Peling (415) LeeAnn_Peling@cable.comcast.com Sam Rodriguez (916) Sam_Rodriguez@cable.comcast.com For mailing list updates, or to receive an electronic copy of this newsletter, please contact Lori Herington at or Lori_Herington@cable.comcast.com 8 Publisher: Andrew Johnson, California Regional Vice President of Communications Editors: Lorena Hernandez, California Regional Director of Communications Lorena_Hernandez@cable.comcast.com Lori Herington, Regional Education Project Coordinator Lori_Herington@cable.comcast.com

It s fantastic having an office in Pleasanton. Mark Weckwerth, Chief Operating Officer, Leaf Healthcare

It s fantastic having an office in Pleasanton. Mark Weckwerth, Chief Operating Officer, Leaf Healthcare The Tri-Valley itself is an economic powerhouse. According to Tri-Valley Rising 2018, the Tri- Valley punches far above its weight in terms of economic power with an annual output of billion with a population