History of SeniorNet LC of Almaden

Sometime in the fall of 1999 a few members of the Almaden Advisory Council began speaking of the usefulness and desirability of having a couple of computers in the Senior Program Room of the Almaden Community Center for the use by its members. Involved were notably Dennis McFerran, Ed and Jane Schwartz. Some inquiries were made for donating unused or older computers but no one responded. About that time Robert (Bob) Fitzsimons (Recreation Supervisor) suggested that the Almaden Senior Advisory Council formally request from the Almaden Community Council funds to purchase two computers, but that funding was far more than the ACC could afford. Then Bob and the Senior Advisory Council approached Council Member Pat Dando for donations and she tried, but to no avail. (Almaden Senior Program is part of District 10, Mrs. Dando's district.) A number of months passed and it was Spring 2000. Dave Peyton, (Superintendent of the Office On Aging), Bob and Torie O'Reilly attended a meeting at the Willows Senior Center with SeniorNet (National) and volunteer staff of the Willows SeniorNet Learning Center. At this meeting, SeniorNet offered six IBM computers to the effort to start a SeniorNet Learning Center at Almaden. In April, Allan J. Greenberg formed a SeniorNet Learning Center of Almaden coordinating council which began the process of assembling the equipment, furniture, curriculum and staff to outfit a classroom provided by the Almaden community center and to instruct students. Additional donations of computers and computer hardware were received from the San Jose Police department and the Computer Recycling Center. Computer desks, cabinets, overhead projectors and other items were donated by IBM. Software to install in the computers was provided by SeniorNet (National). By July, the classroom was ready for classes. There were 12 student computers plus one computer for the instructor. A LCD projector, donated by the Willows SeniorNet Learning Center and connected to the instructor's computer, displayed the contents of the instructor's monitor for all the students to see. Materials to teach introductory courses along with three intermediate courses (Windows 98, Word Processing and Spreadsheet/Database) were put in place with the help of many dedicated volunteers. On August 2000 the doors opened to students that had registered to take the courses offered. Sixty students were enrolled in the introductory courses and 36 students were enrolled in the intermediate courses. And so, the SeniorNet Learning Center of Almaden started and continues today to provide computer courses to help its members use computers to fulfill their needs and to share their experiences with others.

Text provided by Jane Schwartz and Allan J. Greenberg.