One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
Contact: Nancy Heck
E-Mail: [email protected]
Phone: (317) 571-2494
Cell: (317) 431-5393
Nancy Heck
The Department of Community Relations
City of Carmel
One Civic Square Carmel, IN 46032
NEWS RELEASE
Date: July 1, 2004
Contact: Nancy Heck (317) 571-2494
Release: Immediate
Community Shows Strong Support of Computer Drive
Carmel, IN – After a week of accepting used computers at City Hall, a local not-for-profit group, Senior Connects, collected more than 100 computers from June 14-18. Senior Connects is a youth-run organization that helps to provide computers and training to local retirement homes and independent living facilities. Daniel Kent, the founder of the organization, came up with the idea when he discovered that many senior citizen centers did not provide access to computers.
Senior Connects periodically holds computer drives, like the one held in June, although computer donations are always welcomed. Kent approached the City of Carmel and asked to use City Hall as a drop-off point for the first collection drive. “The City allowed Senior Connects to use City Hall for a drop-off point. It really helped to contribute to the success of the drive because it gave it credibility. Also, businesses around the city came together to help distribute flyers for the event. It was great to see everyone working together,” Don Kent, Daniel’s father, said.
To date, the organization has raised over 200 computers, which are currently in the process of being upgraded and reformatted by Senior Connects volunteer Kyle Egbert. They will then be placed in facilities where classes will be provided to train the residents how to communicate with friends and family and check for recent news and medical information. Information about this organization is available at www.seniorconnects.org.
“The City of Carmel came together to help support this program to benefit our senior citizens. Carmel’s population has the highest percentage of seniors in Hamilton County, so it makes sense for us to support this program to help seniors stay connected through the Internet and e-mail. We were glad to be a part of the process, by providing a safe convenience place for computers to be dropped off,” Mayor Jim Brainard said.
