After more than 30 years of doing live theatre, I still wait with bated breath each night for the audience to show its power.

It starts backstage, waiting in the hush for the doors to open. Then the patrons begin to enter and you hear the hum. Which then builds to a buzz. Which then, if you’re very lucky, becomes an outright roar as the waiting crowd begins to feed on its own energy, talking and laughing, eager for what’s about to come.

By the time the curtain rises, you know what’s waiting. The box office numbers just confirm the obvious. The crowd has told you – and will keep telling you – how much support you really have. And it’s a thrill that sends your performance to another level.

Just as all of you have done for NextLight.

Five years ago on Aug. 4, we broke ground on the city’s fiber-optic network. Three months later, on Nov. 3, we signed up our first official NextLight customers.

And a few days ago, those customers totaled over 20,000.

That’s huge.

That’s more than 20,000 homes and businesses that have put their trust in us, from the earliest Charter Member to the most recent “wait and see” resident who’s finally seen enough. Who have seen that we mean what we say when it comes to community focus, from the speed of your connection to the protection of your information.

A lot has happened. And it’s happened because of you.

We’re going to keep it growing. Together.

You can help it happen by sharing the word with folks who haven’t signed up yet. (And remember, every time one does and drops your name, you get a free month!)

You can help it happen by giving to Sharing the NextLight and help low-income Longmont schoolchildren get a free connection at home. We’ve even made it easier to donate by allowing you to add a couple of dollars to your monthly bill if you choose. (Call us at 303-651-8386 to set that up.)

Together, we can keep NextLight thriving and Longmont on the map.

Today, the service that started five years ago is in the spotlight and getting rave reviews nationwide. But our first audience has always been you.

You’ve shown your power.

And we’re honored to have your ovation.