There’s a little nonprofit gem in Oberlin that helping residents connect and get connected, but also proactively working in the community to make positive differences in the lives of residents.
In 1986, Cable Co-op Inc. was established in Oberlin and was structured as a nonprofit to provide local and cable television services to the city of Oberlin and surrounding township areas.
But, the Cable Co-op is involved in the community in numerous other ways, from filming and broadcasting school board and city meetings, to supporting local youth sport teams and organizations, homework help, canned food drives and even working to eliminate electronic waste.
The Cable Co-op is the only member-owned, nonprofit cable television and internet provider in all of Ohio.
And, since its inception nearly 40 years ago, as the industry evolved, so did Cable Co-op.
What began as a basic cable television provider has grown to offer high speed internet, high definition, digital cable and fiber optic based services.
Currently, the Co-op serves over 2,100 homes and businesses and provides locally based technical support.
Jay Shrewsbury is the general manager of Cable Co-op.
After working for Media One, Shrewsbury began his career at Cable Co-op in 2000 as the lead technician, then operations manager until 2022 when he became the general manager.
He said he is proud of the company and of its involvement throughout the community.
“We sponsor numerous events, we’re involved in parades and create our own events, such as our annual electronic-waste collection, which netted 7,000 pounds last year,” Shrewsbury said. “That’s waste out of Lorain County, and much of it is refurbished and resold.
“Our annual canned food drive has donated more than a ton of goods, each year since inception. There’s an advantage to our members because we’re not concentrating on profits, and we use those dollars that we earn to enhance our community services.”
One recently added service Shrewsbury particularly is proud of is the new BARK program, which is designed to protect children and community members from the potential dangers associated with online activities.
BARK is a comprehensive parental control tool, endorsed by Oberlin Police Department Chief Ryan Warfield and has received widespread support from local schools, libraries and various community partners that share the commitment to enhancing online safety in Oberlin.
“The software was created by a child psychologist, and when we were looking at offering this type of tool to our members, there were a lot of choices to go through,” Shrewsbury explained. “But we felt BARK really had everything parents and kids would need.
“It provides excellent parental controls, but it also gives advice to parents on talking with their kids and how to approach them regarding sensitive topics. And all anyone has to do is give us a call, and we can talk them through the BARK system, how it works and if they’re interested, set them up right over the phone.
“Times have certainly changed and the Internet can be a good thing, but it has a dark side. We deal with cyberbullying and predators that go to gaming sites or social media platforms, and the BARK system is just a terrific way for parents to gain control and provide practical solutions if confronted with these types of challenges.”
The Cable Co-op is located at 27 E. College St. in Oberlin.
Currently, there are seven employees who provide technical support, installation and maintenance services to the members.
Shrewsbury added that the co-op offers highly energy efficient Wi-Fi routers that use 50 percent less energy than standard Wi-Fi units.
He encourages members that when they’re dropping off their electronic waste, to ask about the new Wi-Fi units.
More information can be found at www.Oberlin.net.
