Local Computer Club Donates Computers to School in Need

The Hernando Computer Club (HCC) recently presented ten restored computers to Grace Education Academy for use in a new computer lab on the school’s campus. Operating out of the Senior Citizen Club of Hernando County in Spring Hill 7925 Rhanbuoy Rd, the local computer crew is a non-profit organization populated by 225 volunteers.

Their goal is “To share and teach computing information, skills, and techniques in a congenial atmosphere.” They also provide several social activities and volunteer opportunities in the community.

Initially, as the club’s name would suggest, they were dedicated to perpetuating the use of computers and the teaching of how to use them. Though the education angle would be minimized over time, the club’s support of local schools and philanthropic groups grew.

They would continue to do this by taking in donated equipment of nearly all kinds – desktop computers, monitors, keyboards, mouses, and laptops – and re-donate them to other organizations following a thorough refurbishing of the devices, noted Hollis Taylor, HCC Community Service Director. Naturally, demand for laptops has increased, so the club solicits portable computer variants the most.

As part of the refurbishing process, they purge the hard drive and clear it back to factory settings. If the computer is able, the club will get Windows 10 running on the piece of tech as well. If the hardware is unable to support that version of the operating software, the computer is either scrapped or cannibalized for parts. This allows a “dead” computer to serve as an organ donor so another device can live.

For years, elementary and middle schoolers in the local school system were the primary recipients of the salvaged computers. That was until roughly three years ago when grants began being given to schools for these electronics.

Programs like the Federal Communications Commission’s $7.17 billion Emergency Connectivity Fund were implemented over the summer of 2021 to disburse “funding to help schools and libraries keep students, staff, and patrons connected during the COVID-19 health emergency,” the Emergency Connectivity Fund’s website stated.

Funds like these eliminated the need for the computer club’s services in this instance. At the same time, the education system’s e-school program offered a new avenue for Taylor and company to help. As some of the students in these courses are working towards their diplomas but are not physically attending the institution, schools do not supply those students with computers.

The local electronics group still provides computers to those children and has done so for roughly the past 12 months. The Community Service Director recounted the most dramatic example of a student in need of a computer over Taylor’s four years of experience with HCC.

“As I stood in the lobby [of Moton Elementary] and introduced myself to the secretaries and the people that are in the front office, telling them why I was there, what I had to offer and so forth, a lady stepped out of an office to my right and she blurted out, ‘You are just the man I’ve been looking for.’ […] They had just taken in a student from South America […] that could not speak a word of English, but they had a translation program,” said Taylor. “All they needed was a computer.” Taylor took it from there.

Another group that the non-profit organization assists is Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind. As there are various levels of blindness and visual impairment, there are still plenty of such individuals who can make good use of computers with the help of special programs. Taylor’s squad receives requests “quite often” from Lighthouse, and helps groups like People Helping People, Nature Coast Botanical Gardens, and Grace Education Academy.

For those who wish to become a part of the non-profit organization, memberships cost $30 a year ($50 for two years). General Membership meetings take place on the third Monday of most months at 2 p.m. and are open to the public. Call (352) 584-2978 for more information.