Posted by Colin on June 21, 2001 at 10:21:12:
In Reply to: Wired For Access: Three Computer Centers on North Eleuthera & Briland Underway posted by Briland Modem News Team on June 18, 2001 at 12:46:14:
Brilanders,
I think many of us would love to hear stories about whether and how the improved access to computers has changed island life or your own lives!
Please post some tales if you have the time!
Computer center people-- I have only one word for all of you---WOW!
Colin
: Spread the word ... the centers are incredibly popular, and they need our hardware and software support!
: -- Kimberly
: Harbour Island & North Eleuthera
: Wired For Immediate Access
: Thanks to Public/Private Sector Support, New Computer Centers Set Sail
:
: [Dunmore Town, Harbour Island, Bahamas - Summer 2001] Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Briland Modem Fund, in tandem with Senior Commissioners Rufus Johnson, Alex Williams, Chief Councillor Harvey Roberts, Community Center managers Naomi Percentie Fowler and Ann Sawyer, and the local government council on Harbour Island, Bahamas, the brand-new Harbour Island District Center boasts six Pentium computers, two Macintosh computers, three Hewlett-Packard printers, an entire set of the Hooked On Phonics software program, and state-of-the-art edutainment, financial support, and word-processing software. Government and private industry-accredited adult and after-school programs will debut in July, underway, courtesy of IBM Nassau. Donated computers and related hardware in transit to the center are regularly shipped via complementary freight offered by Ft. Lauderdale-based G&G Shipping.
: The development of similar computer centers for Gregory Town and Bluff, Eleuthera is currently in progress, with the Gregory Town site offering four networked computers, and the Bluff Center boasting two Pentium computers that are being networked to the Harbour Island location. Thanks to the support of general manager Felix Stubbs, IBM Nassau has begun regular one-week intensive tutorials for members of the North Eleuthera community seeking accredited computer training. In the meantime, community and expat volunteers for onsite afternoon tutorials and weekly classes at the community center regularly note their schedule of availability via the Briland Modem located online at www.briland.com, for integration into a master schedule for access by local teachers. Plans are underway to incorporate the successful Every Child Counts developmental education program into all area community centers as well.
: "We're not going to stop developing these community centers until every interested student and adult on Harbour Island and North Eleuthera is computer literate," says Senior Commissioner Rufus Johnson. "It's that important to the future of our islands."
: The Briland Modem Fund -- www.briland.com - has been working with the private and public sector to coordinate the donations of software and early Pentium model [and newer] computers to the regional centers since the Fund's launch in September 1999 in the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd. The center continues to bring in many more such community development resources - such as the recent alliance with IBM Nassau -- so that additional adult and after-school HTML and Internet design classes can be scheduled for the buildout of the Briland, Gregory Town and Bluff computer centers. Several additional community centers are planned for the area, with Governor's Harbour and Rock Sound, South Eleuthera expressing interest in developing centers in their region as well.
: The Briland Modem Fund is continually seeking corporate and community support of the center endeavour. All hardware and software donations can be shipped to G&G Shipping, 760 NE 7th Avenue, Dania FL 33004, Tel 1 954 920 0306, attention: shipping manager Richard Monroe. Please clearly LABEL all parcels [marked 'parcel' vs. 'manifest'] for the Harbour Island district center to show being addressed to Senior Alex Williams, c/o Customs Officer Wilson, Harbour Island District Center. Such clear marking will ensure that your computer donation is imported duty-free. All such gifts will be acknowledged with a receipt for tax purposes, as the Fund is a U.S. 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation.
: About the District Center
: The Harbour Island District Center is sponsored by Harbour Island Local Government, with active support from the private sector both on and off-island. For more information regarding your support of the center, please contact Kimberly King-Burns via telephone on island at 242 333 2204, in the U.S. at 818 761 5688, or via e-mail at info@briland.com; or contact community liaison Kayla Davis at 242 333 2275, e-mail hidc@batelnet.bs.
: About Briland Modem
: The Briland Modem is a central island resource by and for Harbour Island and North Eleuthera, Bahamas, and serves as a local community portal, located at www.briland.com. The Briland Modem offers continuous communication to the regional and international community through its website located at www.briland.com. The Briland Modem Fund has been active in its hurricane relief efforts and public/private sector development of regional computer centers and educational programs, and presently solicits the private grants, public business and government support and in-kind donations needed to develop such efforts. For more information, contact the Briland Modem at info@briland.com.
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