Hello Everyone,
I hope you had a great New Year and are off to a running start with your computer group. It was great seeing so many of you in Las Vegas. As crowded as it was at CES it amazed me as to how many of you I ran into while drooling over all the goodies. If you found a good speaker while at CES let me know so we can share it with all. We are all looking for new speakers for the coming year.
This is an excellent time to clean out your email and your document files. You could even have a meeting where you show people how to get rid of all the junk that has accumulated over the year. Refresh people on how to delete temporary Internet files and how to do a disk defragmentation. Show people how to burn a backup copy of pictures on a DVD or a CD-let us all start out neat and tidy for the New Year!
For those that attended CES and our Convention a great program is to put together a PowerPoint on all the goodies that you saw. Who knows, maybe someone already has that terrific gadget you are drooling over. The gadget I want is at http://www.vievu.com. It is a video camera that you wear, and as a high school teacher, (not Language Arts so don't critique the grammar) I can see all sorts of uses for it. So far I have managed to tell myself no, but I don't know for how long.
Treasurers - your group's dues are payable by February 29. You will find the online renewal form at: www.apcug.net/members/member_select.htm. If you pay by check, please send a copy of the form, along with the check, to:
APCUG
3155 E. Patrick Lane Suite 1
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120
This edition of NOOZ is sent to the President, Vice President, Director, Secretary, Treasurer, APCUG Representative, Newsletter Editor, Webmaster, Membership and Program Chairs of each APCUG-member User Group.
We urge you to share the information in NOOZ by including it in your newsletter, posting it on your Website, or e-mailing it to members of your group.
In this edition of NOOZ:
1. 2008 APCUG Officers
2. 2008 Convention Highlights
3 Convention Contest Winners
4. 2008 Early-Bird Membership Renewal Winners
5. Upcoming Regional Conferences
1. 2008 Officers.
Board of Directors
President - Jay Ferron
Vice President - Don Singleton
Secretary - Jim Evans
Treasurer - Birl Smith
Board of Advisors
Judy Taylour - Chair
David Steward - Vice Chair
Secretary - Melvin Weekley
2. 2008 Convention Highlights. More than 170 officers and members from APCUG-member groups attended the 2008 event in Las Vegas. A big thank you to the vendors that supported the event. You will find contact information at: http://apcug.net/events/2008/2008_vendor_contact_info.pdf Special thanks goes to the meal / presentation sponsors: Corel, Microsoft, AMD, Raxco, and Pinnacle. User Group members and vendors enhanced the attendees' knowledge with Roundtables and Tech Sessions. You will find PPT / PDF presentations from these sessions at: http://apcug.net/events/2008/files/program.htm. Feel free to use them at your meetings.
3. Convention Contest Winners. Congratulations to the winners of the Jerry Award competition and Newsletter and Website contests.
Jerry Awards
First Place and $1,000 went to the Palmetto Personal Computer Club, South Carolina, for providing usable computers for underprivileged people. Their ComputerAid SIG was formed in the spring of 2006 to provide computer-related services to the disadvantaged people of the Greater Columbia area. Generally, this consists of reconditioning and installing free software on old computers. Typical groups that received some of the 80 refurbished computers included:
" An AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association) Home for
" disadvantaged senior citizens (15 computers)
" The Greater Columbia Literary Council (12 computers)
" The Nurturing Center (6 computers)
" The Women's Shelter (10 computers)
The Nurturing Center and Women's Shelter were able to subsequently obtain training grants not otherwise available. The remaining computers went to various deserving others such as a low-income learning-disabled child. www.palmettopc.org/
Second Place and $750 went to Sandwich Computer User Group, Illinois, This service project is an ongoing project. They are helping a group in Sandwich called Fox Valley Older Adult Services (FVOAS). One of their primary goals is to help seniors remain in their own homes. Since there is no public transportation in the Sandwich area, they provide transportation for seniors to doctors, hospitals, shopping and other necessities. They also provide moderately priced lunches and social and informational programs.
The Director of FVOAS asked the Sandwich Computer User Group (SCUG) for help by supplying them with two computers. SCUG donated and upgraded two computers, including appropriate software, installed a local area network and are providing ongoing service to the machines. One of their members volunteered to teach the seniors how to use the computers. She wrote a computer curriculum to meet their goals which were to have the seniors be able to communicate with their family and friends through e-mail.
www.scug.org/
Third Place and $250 went to the Tellico Village Computer Users Club, Tennessee. TVCUC received permission from Habitat for Humanity, the Good Neighbor Shoppe, the Beautification Committee of the POA, and the Community Church Crafters* to launch their Computers for the Needy program. Forty-four families were identified as needing computers and the group gave completely refurbished systems to 12 of them on June 2 and the remainder on October 6, 2007. The Good Neighbor Shoppe and the Community Church Crafters (contributing $150) have been generous in supporting the costs incurred for the computers being upgraded for the program. The TVCUC will continue this program as long as there are individuals being referred that would warrant TVCUC providing them with a free computer. www.tvcuc.org/
Newsletter Contest.
Small Groups (<100)
1st Place - Topeka PC Users Club, KS (www.topekapcusersclub.org/)
2nd Place - Phoenix PC User Group, AZ (www.phoenixpcug.org)
3rd Place - Amador Computer Users Group, CA (www.acug.net)
Honorable Mention - Big Bear Computer Club, CA (www.bigbearcc.org)
Honorable Mention - PC Users Group of Connecticut, CT (www.tpcug-ct.org/)
Honorable Mention -Computer Users of Erie, PA (www.cuerie.com/)
Medium Groups (>100 & <300)
1st Place - Mid Hudson Computer User Group, Inc, NY (www.mhcug.org/)
2nd Place - Tie - Danbury Area Computer Society, CT (www.dacs.org) - PC Community, CA (www.pcc.org)
3rd Place - Twin Cities PC User Group, MN (www.tcpc.com)
Honorable Mention - Lake Sumter Computer Society, FL (www.lscs.us)
Honorable Mention - Space Coast Users Group, Inc, FL (www.scpcug.com)
Large Groups (>300)
1st Place - Tucson Computer Society, AZ (www.aztcs.org/)
2nd Place - Brookdale Computer Users Group, NJ (www.bcug.com/)
3rd Place - Channel Islands PC Users Group, CA (www.cipcug.org)
Honorable Mention - Manatee PC Users' Group, FL (http://manateepcug.org/
Honorable Mention - Hilton Head Island Computer Club, SC (www.hhicc.org)
Website Contest.
More than 250 members (Very Large)
1st place - Tucson Computer Society, Arizona (www.aztcs.org/)
2nd place - Tri County Computer Users Group, Florida (www.tccug.net/)
3rd place - Charlotte County Computer Group Corporation, Florida (www.cccgc.net/)
249 to 100 members (Large)
1st place - TUGNET User's Group Network, California (www.tugnet.org)
2nd place - Brookdale Computer Users Group, New Jersey (www.bcug.com/)
3rd place - PC Community, California (www.pcc.org)
99 to 50 members (Medium)
1st place - Fredericksburg PC Users Group, Maryland (www.fpcug.org)
2nd place - Amador Computer Users Group, California (www.acug.net)
3rd place - Western New York Computer Society, New York (http://www.wnycomsoc.org/)
Fewer than 50 members (Small)
1st place - Arizona Society for Computer Information, Arizona (www.asciigroup.org/)
2nd place - Southwest International PCC, Texas (www.swipcc.org)
3rd place - Utah Computer Society, Utah (www.ucs.org/)
Digital Photography Contest.
Category A: People
1st Place - Untitled, Don Wiegel, Computer Users' Group of Greeley, Colorado
2nd Place - Young Masai Girl, Northern Kenya, Rick Edwards, Big Bear Computer
Club, California
3rd Place Tie - Canoeing Paradise Cove, Douglas Agee, Southwest International
Personal Computer Club, Texas
3rd Place Tie - Historic Reflection, Ron Sherwood, Licking County Computer Society, Ohio
Category B: Animals
1st Place - Crowned Crane Drinking, Nairobi, Kenya, Rick Edwards, Big Bear Computer Club, California
2nd Place - Bird, Karl Wester, Temecula Valley Computer User Group, California
3rd Place - Tiffy, Bob Crossett, Southwest International Personal Computer Club,
Texas
Category C: Landscape
1st Place - Meeting of Shore and Sea, Marguerite Hobbs, Big Blue and Cousins: The Greater Victoria Personal Computer Users' Association, British Columbia, Canada
2nd Place - Palm Trees at Kona, Douglas Agee, Southwest International Personal Computer Club, Texas
3rd Place Tie - Civita, Joe Nuvolini, Pikes Peak Computer Application Society, Colorado
3rd Place Tie - Untitled, Carol Laws, Quad Cities Computer Society, Illinois
Category D: Still Life
1st Place Tie - Under Construction, Les Muldorf, Mid-Hudson Computer Users Group, New York
1st Place Tie - Untitled, Larry Klees, North Orange County Computer Club, California
2nd Place - Two Leafs on a Step, Art Silvergate, Central Maryland User, Maryland
3rd Place - Untitled, Gary Miller, Evans Computer Society, Colorado
Judges' Choice for Best of Show by the Center for Photography at Madison, WI
1st Place - Crowned Crane Drinking, Nairobi, Kenya, Rick Edwards, Big Bear Computer Club, California
2nd Place - Untitled, Don Wiegel, Computer Users Group of Greeley, Colorado
3rd Place -- Under Construction, Les Muldorf, Mid-Hudson Computer Users Group, New York
People's Choice as Chosen by Attendees at the 2008 APCUG Convention
1st Place - Crowned Crane Drinking, Nairobi, Kenya, Rick Edwards, Big Bear Computer Club, California
2nd Place - Young Masai Girl, Northern Kenya, Rick Edwards, Big Bear Computer
Club, California
3rd Place Tie - Historic Reflection, Ron Sherwood, Licking County Computer Society, Ohio
3rd Place Tie - Untitled, Cruz Moncivais, Evans Computer Society, Colorado
Again, congratulations to the winners as well as the individual members and groups that participated in the contests. Some of the photos will be in APCUG's news magazine, Reports, mailed to selected officer in your user group - all of them will be posted on www.apcug.net.
4. 2008 Early Bird Renewal Winners. Groups paying their dues online by December 31 or at the convention by Friday, were eligible to be in the drawing conducted at the Advisor lunch. Thanks to the109 groups that renewed by the deadline; the following groups are the lucky winners:
Macon Users Group, South Carolina (www.maconusersgroup.org)
Northern Virginia Computer Club, Virginia
Spring Hill Teaching Computer Club, Florida (www.shtcc.org)
5. Upcoming Regional Conferences. All are welcome to attend.
March 7, 8 & 9 in Zephyrhills, FL - FACUG (Florida Association of User Groups) www.facug.org
May 17 and 18 in West Nyack, NY - New York Leadership Conference http://apcug-ldc2008.org
May 30, 31 & June 1 in San Diego, CA - Southwest Computer Conference www.theswcc.org
September 19, 20 & 21 in Chicago, IL - Midwest Regional (fka the Chicago Mini-Expo)
Your group is a member of APCUG; you have received this e-mail to inform you of updates, changes, or special news and information. APCUG's policy is to send e-mail messages only to announce such information, and we will continue to honor this policy. If you no longer want to receive these e-mails, please reply to the sender. Thank you for being a member of APCUG.
Computingly yours,
Cheryl Wester
cwester@apcug.net
Region 10 Advisor
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