Congratulations to Chamber Member MGW for winning the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council’s annual award for Innovation in Community Impact for their MGW & Lingo Networks “Drive-in” Public Wi-Fi Access program!  The Highland County Chamber of Commerce collaborated with MGW and the Stonewall Ruritan Club to provide free Wi-Fi for the public and vendors in anticipation of the 2020 Highland County Maple Festival at the Stonewall Ruritan Building in McDowell.  When the coronavirus pandemic hit, the infrastructure was in place for a Wi-Fi “Drive-in” hotspot in the community that has continued to this day.  Fourteen dedicated public Wi-Fi access points were set up and are available throughout MGW’s coverage area.

Once a year, the Shenandoah Valley Technology Council (SVTC), the Valley’s regional organization for technology users and creators, recognizes and highlights the achievements of Shenandoah Valley technology firms, organizations, programs, and projects — and the entrepreneurs, leaders, innovators, and educators behind those successes.  The SVTC’s twenty-second annual Tech Nite was held on May 4, 2022, at JMU and recognized the Valley’s technology users and creators in 8 categories.  JMU College of Integrated Science and Engineering’s Innovation Community Impact Award is given to an individual, team, nonprofit/civic organization, or company in the Shenandoah Valley that aspires to use its capabilities to help solve a social or environmental issue in a local community while using technology to amplify the impact of a service, mission, or project.

To learn more about MGW’s Public Wi-Fi locations, please visit https://www.mgwnet.com/driveinwifi and https://lingonetworks.net/driveinwifi.

For more information about the SVTC’s Tech Nite 22, please visit https://svtc-va.org/2022/05/06/technite-22-recap-nominees-winners/.