Lowell Telecommunications Corporation held its annual meeting last night at the organization’s Market Street facility.  With a pot luck dinner and the chance to re-connect with old friends, the Annual Meeting is more of a communal festival than a business meeting (although there is a bit of that too).

LTC Board President Jay Linnehan

LTC Board President Jay Linnehan and acting Executive Director Marc Duci shared some of the highlights for LTC in 2014.  These included:

• Offering closed captions for city council meetings
• Coordinating and live telecasting the 18^th Middlesex State Rep Primary Election debate
• Being awarded $30,000 in CBDG grants to remodel studio B
• Becoming a polling place for state and municipal elections
• Working with the American Textile History Museum to produce 2 short videos about Lowell History that will be installed at the Smithsonian in Washington this summer
• Hosting numerous screenings, art exhibits, workshops and conferences

My personal highlight of each year’s annual meeting is the announcement of LTC Awards to deserving members.  The recipients this year were:

• Municipal Award to Ken Lavallee & Rema Nagathan for “Enterprise Bank Presents: Dollars & Sense”
• Intern of the Year to Aaron King
• Volunteer of the Year to Luis Lopez
• LTC Spirit Award to Mitchell Similien
• Best Local 8 Show to “At Home With You” by Irene Egan & Circle Home
• Best Global 95 Show to “Understanding Buddhism” by Vichhay Sok
• Partner of the Year to Elizabeth Brassel & Pollard Memorial Library
• LTC Innovation Award to Seth Bailin & Patrick Meany for “LTC Sessions”
• Lifetime Achievement Award to Tom Wirtanen
• Producer of the Year to Jim Peters for “Peters’ Principles”

Mitchell Similien, recipient of LTC Spirit Award

All of these program and more are available on Lowell cable TV through LTC’s channels 8, 95 and 99 (municipal channel).  All are also available on LTC’s website which you should check out.  While you’re there, consider becoming a member.  Even if you don’t plan to produce a TV program, it’s a great organization that uses technology to strengthen the community.