Community InvolvementBright House Networks is dedicated to actively participating in and supporting our community. Every year Bright House Networks participates in and sponsors community events. Some of those events are showcased below:
Community
500 Festival Mini-Marathon
Bright House Networks kicked off the month of May, by once again being an integral partner in the execution of the 2008 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. Hard wire cable provided by Bright House Networks was used to capture the race results of over 35,000 participants, as well as the powering the large TV's located in Military Park. Bright House Networks also brought back the Digital Phone Booth for its third year, providing folks in the Rest and Recovery area, a way to connect with friends and family across the United States free of charge.
New for 2008! Bright House Networks featured a LIVE filming for the new You On Demand service, Channel 600. Race participants, friends, family, and even superman were given an opportunity to shoot a live testimonial on their experience at the 500 Festival Mini-Marathon. Tune to Channel 600 to see the action.
2008 Rhyme Against Crime
Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime in America by networking existing local programs that target gun crime and providing these programs with additional tools necessary to be successful.
The Contest:
Create an original rap song containing an anti-gun crime message. This message must be clearly stated in the lyrics/rhymes of your original piece and should incorporate the words, “gun crime hits home,” “hard time for gun crimes,” “stop the gun violence” or similar message against gun crimes and gang violence. All entries must be submitted a cappella (without music or backbeats). WRITTEN LYRICS MUST ACCOMPANY ALL TRACKS
Net Literacy
In partnership with Net Literacy, an Indiana-based non-profit incorporated in 2003 by local high school students, Bright House Networks is sponsoring the launch of Net Literacy’s new “Safe Connects” initiative, a program to increase Internet safety education and awareness among Indiana students and their families.
Since its inception, Net Literacy has repurposed thousands of computers and established community computer labs in dozens of Indiana communities to provide computer access to more than 70,000 Hoosiers throughout the state. The organization has also mobilized more than 700 students from Fort Wayne to Indianapolis to help increase digital inclusion, Internet literacy and Internet safety awareness.
Now through Safe Connects, students will teach classmates and their parents about Internet safety in a series of meetings after school throughout the school year. Four 45-minute Internet safety programs will also be produced and broadcasted on local government channels and on Bright House Networks’ Local On Demand channel No 600.
Starting March 10, a series of educational public service announcements titled “The 10 most important things to know about the Internet” will air throughout central Indiana on Bright House Networks.
St. Patricks Day Parade 2008
Bright House Networks celebrated their Irish spirit by participating in the 28th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade presented by Cathedral High School. Over 100 parade entries lined the streets of downtown, with Bright House Networks taking home the award for the Best Float of the parade. A special thanks to the Bright House Networks employees who braved the cold to represent BHN: Billy Malone, Jerry McLaughlin, Jenn Stapleton, Ashana Carson, and Erik Willoughby. Look for the next appearance of the Bright House Networks parade float at IPL 500 Festival Parade May 24, 2008.
Mardi Gras Mambo Parade 2008
Chilly weather, hot chocolate, fun, family and Mambo hats made the unveiling of the new Bright House Networks parade float to a smashing success. The Mardi Gras Mambo Parade sponsored by AYS Kids took place Saturday, February 2nd, 2008 on Massachusetts Avenue downtown. Over 200 children participated and over 400 folks observed the parade. A special thank you to the Bright House Networks employees and their families who participated: Denise Batista, Kelli Daugherty, Joe Burton, Kerry Thompson, and Billy Brown.
2007 Holiday Card Contest Winners & Downloads
by Mary Malyka Abramson (5th Grade - Avon Intermediate West in Avon, IN) - Her colored pencil drawing depicted a steamy cup of hot chocolate in a Bright House Networks mug beside a plate of freshly baked chocolate cookies being longed for by a smiling snowman outside.
by Jayde Gray (9th Grade - Crispus Attucks High School) - Jayde won with her quaint colored pencil drawing of a spruce limb with a red “Happy Holidays” bulb
by Ashley Chew (1th Grade - Broad Ripple High School) - Ashley won this category for the second year in a row with her striking colored pencil drawing of a “Bright House” gingerbread house on a table, with “Bright House” gingerbread men outside and a drawing of her 2006 winning entry, “Have a bright holiday season.”
Read Press Release on the winners
Heartland Truly Moving Pictures
A corporate sponsor of Heartland Truly Moving Pictures and the Heartland Film Festival since 2005, in 2007 Bright House Networks Indiana significantly elevated its support of the organization and its mission by creating a dedicated channel to showcase top-honored films from the Heartland Film Festival. In addition, Bright House Networks became the marquee sponsor of the Heartland Film Festival’s Crystal Heart Awards Gala, a black-tie event during which top filmmakers receive their honors.
The new Heartland On Demand channel offers Bright House Networks digital customers a diverse and engaging selection of feature-length films, shorts, documentaries and extras – all commercial free. Programming currently showcases more than 20 Crystal Heart Award-winning films and additional extras.
Circle City Classic
Thousands of fans lined the streets of downtown Indianapolis in the 80 + degree weather, to catch a glimpse of the 2007 American Family Insurance Classic Parade. The Bright House Networks parade float was one of over 100 entries to participate in the parade. Special guests former NFL Tennessee Titan and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George and his wife Tamara Johnson-George, an R&B vocalist better known as “Taj” of the mulit-platinum group SWV, were special guests aboard the Bright House Networks parade float. A special thank you to the Bright House Networks employees who braved the heat to make the 2007 Classic Parade a success; Joe Burton, Carmilla Ware, Debra Kendall, Al Spann, Kim Jackson, Janet Anderson, Kristina Pippin, Mark Goodner, and Juanita Brooks.
CarmelFest Parade 2007
Beach Balls, Candy, and a patriotic employee spirit accompanied the Bright House Networks Parade Float in its first ever appearance at the July 4th Carmel Fest Parade. Thousands of people lined the streets to view the parade excitement, which included entries from around the community. A special thanks goes to Erik Willoughby for driving the float, as well as Bob Smith, Lou Zimmerman, Doug Murray, Byron Posey, and Mike Ehringer for volunteering their time to be the faces of Bright House Networks.
Making our communities a safer place to live, we have implemented a new community watch initiative in conjunction with the Indianapolis Metro Police Department. Led by the specialists and leaders of the Indianapolis Metro Police Department, we’ve provided extensive neighborhood watch training to all of our 130 service technicians. Our service technicians have been trained to follow certain procedures given certain scenarios and are equipped with an extensive list of emergency contacts. With Operation Bright Eyes, we are working to keep our neighborhoods and residents safe. (Read the Press Release)
Alzheimer's Association
Bright House Networks led a strong internal campaign supporting the Alzheimer’s Association for the second consecutive year. Employees participated in raising a significant contribution to be donated to the Alzheimer’s Association in support of the 2007 Memory Walk. Several, Bright House Networks employees joined forces to create a team to participate in the 2007 walk. The Memory Walk is the national signature fund-raising event of the Alzheimer's Association.
Habitat for HumanityFor the past three years, members of the BHN family have come together and participated in the building of three homes with the local Habitat For Humanity organization. We also wire the home for telecommunications service and provide a grant for several months of free service.
WE WON!Michael Glaser, a Marion Installer, piloted the BHN GO- KART to a 1st Place win in this year’s Community Service Association race. Thanks to our Community Programming Director, Inge Harte-North, this event gets bigger each year. She works with the CSA organization and produces the race for airing on the BHN LO channel in Marion. This year’s event raised over $40,000 for the charity, which is about $10,000 more than last year.
BHN Kids Network
Cable in the Classroom project
For over 20 years, BHN has offered cable and high-speed Internet access to over 120 schools in our franchise areas. We offer over 525 hours of commercial free programming that can be recorded and used in classrooms as time and schedules permit. To accompany the programming, the cable industry provides study guide and teacher support materials.
C-Span School Bus visits School 91Bright House Networks sponsored a recent C-SPAN School Bus visit to Rousseau McClellan, School 91. The bus hosted several teachers and ran the various students through the bus in the 4-hour visit. Two members of the State legislature, Rep. Greg Porter and Rep. David Orentlicher made a visit to the bus during the visit.
