Bladen County resident introduces President Joe Biden in Raleigh

TAR HEEL, NC (WWAY) — Edward and Emma Smith of Tar Heel were invited to Raleigh Thursday to speak with White House and other governmental officials about the positive impacts of having high-speed internet brought to their community.

Edward Smith, a retired US Army veteran, gave opening remarks at the event and introduced President Biden.

“It was an honor to be there in Raleigh and to represent my town of Tar Heel,” Smith said. “If I can help put an emphasis on the importance of having high-speed internet brought to small communities like Tar Heel, then I’m happy to share my story with others.”

In 2022, FOCUS Broadband was awarded a $2.9 million Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology (GREAT) Grant from the North Carolina Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) to expand fiber optic broadband service to more than 727 homes and businesses in Bladen County near Tar Heel and along Highway 701. FOCUS Broadband contributed $307,989 and Bladen County contributed $216,225 in matching funds to the project.

“Before we got high-speed internet, I was doing a lot of paperwork to receive my VA benefits through the mail or by driving to the library,” said Edward Smith in his opening remark. “Thanks to President Biden, and with support from the state, my family and my neighbors are now connected to high-speed internet. It really helps the kids when they are doing schoolwork, and I can email and download my VA paperwork, and talk to my doctor online instead of driving far away.”

Thanks to this project, many residents in the Tar Heel community and along Highway 701 between Clarkton and Elizabethtown can now enjoy the benefits of high-speed internet, including the ability to work remotely, engage in online learning, and participate in telehealth appointments.