I’m proud to report that on February 20, 2004, the James J. Peters Memorial Computer Clinic was officially opened at the Northport VA Medical Center. This computer clinic consists of two rooms with adjoining accessible restroom. Each room is equipped with four Pentium 4 computers and a laser printer. Our organization donated the software and a color printer, which serves as a scanner, copier and fax machine.
Special thanks are in order to Mary O’Sullivan, Chief of Voluntary Services, for putting together the necessary paperwork and helping cut the red tape, and to Philip Weisbroat who, as member of the planning and design team, was instrumental in developing the physical space. I would also like to acknowledge and thank Board Member Leo Maniace, who played a major role in getting this project off the ground. I salute Leo for his work and for his caring and dedication to his fellow members.
During my years as hospital service director, I observed with great consternation that when newly injured individuals completed their rehabilitation, oftentimes their lives were reduced to watching TV and continuing rehab, because there were no real avenues to open up vocational or educational opportunities that would enable them to fully reintegrate back into the community and lead productive lives. Then Executive Director Jim Peters asked me to head a program that would provide computer clinics to our members.
Now that many of our members have the opportunity to become computer literate and surf the Internet, they can enhance their skills, as well as assist themselves in finding a job, an accessible apartment, or pursuing their education. Another side benefit, instituted from the beginning, is that members completing the basic computer-training course are rewarded with a free computer (usually a used model) to take home with them, so that they can continue to use and improve their computer skills. Up until now we have been able to live up to this promise, and it is our hope that we can continue to do so in the future.
If you live within easy distance of the Northport VA Medical Center, I encourage you to visit and make full use of the new computer clinic at that location. If you would like additional information about the computer clinics in general, please contact me at Paddesso@unitedspinal.org or at 718-803-3782, Ext. 203.
Until next month, stay well and semper fi!
Peter Addesso
President
