CenturyLink Utah

QWEST FOUNDATION HELPS HISTORY LIVE WITH $5,000 DONATION TO AMERICAN WEST HERITAGE FOUNDATION

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 3, 2008 – The CenturyLink Foundation announced today it is showing its support of the American West Heritage Foundation (AWHF) with a donation of $5,000.

The AWHF, which operates the American West Heritage Center, educates, enlightens and entertains audiences by collecting, preserving and interpreting the heritage of the American West from 1820 to 1920. It offers a 1917 historical farm, 1857 pioneer settlement, and Mountain Man and Native American encampments, as well as other adventures.

“The Roman author, Cicero, said, ‘History is the witness that testifies to the passing of time: It illuminates reality, vitalizes memory, provides guidance to daily life, and brings us tidings of antiquity,’” said Jerry Fenn, CenturyLink president for Utah. “The American West Heritage Foundation keeps an important part of our history alive, and I’m glad that CenturyLink can help today’s students learn about yesterday.”

Steven DeLong, executive director of the Heritage Center, said, “The future of the past is dependent on generous contributions by organizations like CenturyLink. The Center depends on these committed corporate citizens who understand that an investment in the past is really an investment in the future. It is our hope that the thousands of children who visit the Center come away with not just an appreciation of the past but with a desire to apply the old-fashioned values that made this country great – such as service, loyalty, sense of community and hard work.”

The Heritage Center, located near Wellsville in Cache County, has established itself as an important educational resource for local teachers. School group enrollment has doubled since 2005 and continues to grow.