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Seniors making Pals with technology Open Day
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Mayor Paul Gangemi at the Hills Pals clubhouse during 25th anniversary celebrations with President Ralph Warren .
by Maryann Callaghan
Eighty-three-year-old Colyn Wright is on a mission to make seniors friends with technology .
As a volunteer and publicity officer for Computer Pals for Seniors – The Hills Inc , he ’ s more than aware folk of his ilk shy away from tech but can really benefit from the ease it brings with everyday tasks .
“ Technology can be your best friend when used on mobile devices to keep track of important dates , appointments and send alerts and reminders ,” Mr Wright said .
“ As a senior myself , I know that there are lots of others who are either not aware of these facilities or just don ’ t know how to use them .”
To further educate and inform seniors , as well as help keep the notfor-profit community organisation operating , the group is holding an Open Day membership recruitment drive on Tuesday 19 March , 10am-3pm , at its clubhouse - the Old Caretaker ’ s Cottage in Castle Hill Showground .
“ Our expenses including rent , insurance , security and printing are considerable and we need to maintain our membership numbers and recruit new members to survive and continue to provide the service for seniors ,” Mr Wright said .
“ To the best of my knowledge , we are the only Computer Pals for Seniors club between Castle Hill and Penrith , Parramatta and Rooty Hill clubs have ceased operating .”
The service provided is extensive and entirely run by volunteers .
It provides one-on-one or group training in learning about Apple products and Microsoft computers .
“ We have many knowledgeable members teaching a broad range of subjects from smartphones and tablets
Hills Computer Pals at one of the Picasa Photo Editing courses .
and computer based applications as well as a Help Desk where members can seek solutions to their computer and technology issues ,” Mr Wright said .
Staying safe on the internet , accessing and protecting personal information , data backups and password managers are also covered .
Creating calendars , photo books , communicating with government or local services via email , banking , using the web for knowledge , searching family history , playing interactive games and creating documents are useful tech tools that can enhance everyday life .
Courses , which are accompanied with manuals or guides , include basic Windows , files and folders , MS Word , MS Excel , Google Chrome , Gmail , Google Docs and Google Calendar .
Internet and iCloud computing , PC care and maintenance , data backups and password managers are also covered .
“ Our courses , run on Tuesdays or Thursdays , are all held in a friendly and relaxed environment ,” Mr Wright added .
For more information , call 0479 137 131 or visit the website at cphills . org . au
Computer Pals for Seniors – the Hills Inc OPEN DAY Tuesday , 19 March , 10am to 3pm The Old Caretaker ’ s Cottage in Castle Hill Showground Contact : 0479 137 131
8 ISSUE 105 // MARCH 2024 theindependentmagazine . com . au THE HILLS INDEPENDENT