[freegeek-news] Quarter 1, 2008 FreeGeek Newsletter

[e-newsletter at lists.freegeek.org]

Free Geek's email newsletter has come your way yet again!  Free Geek's Outreach 
Committee brings you the news-around-the-Geek once every quarter.  Special 
thanks to Laurel Bates and Ali Briggs for donating content to this edition.

If you'd like to stop receiving this newsletter, please scroll down to the very 
bottom of this email and follow the instructions.

Contents:

I. Volunteers of the Quarter
II. Staff Comings and Goings
III. Leo Westwind Update
IV. The Free Geek Facility: So Much Prettier!
V. New Classes Coming Soon!
VI. Truck Grant Approved
VII. Happenings Around Town
VIII. Wishlist

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I. VOLUNTEERS OF THE QUARTER

We have five awesome volunteers to thank in this newsletter.

First, a big, fuzzy, double-stitched thanks to Debra Hubbard and Marie 
Deatherage.  Together, Debra (our Sew Crafty leader) and Marie created a 
community-made batch of quilt squares to hang in our north-most windows.  The 
outside world will see us as even funner and more community-focused thanks to 
you two!

Secondly, a sloppy, fresh-glossed thanks to Erik Fry, who came in as a relative 
newbie and took charge of the enormous amount of painting accomplished on our 
inservice day last week.  A painter by trade and a cool guy/Mary Kate's partner, 
we're glad he's on the team.

Last but not least, some super-sparkly sparkle fingers to Ryan Neibur and 
Michael Limb, two of our whiz-kids.  These two team up to teach build workshops 
on Saturdays, and figure out how to fix the network and scripting problems that 
Martin creates when he's toying with things.  Their keen wit and quick minds 
often blind me to the fact that I'm speaking to early teens when I interact with 
them.  The best way we've found to reward them is by giving them more work and 
responsibility, which they seem to enjoy.

Thanks so much for your valuable work Debra, Marie, Erik, Ryan, and Michael!

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II. STAFF COMINGS AND GOINGS

Free Geek welcomed a number of new folks in the past few months.  On the 
collective end of things, Laurel Bates was hired as our new Education 
Coordinator.  In order to avoid confusing this new Laurel with Laurel Hoyt, 
current board member and former Education Coordinator, many refer to Miss Bates 
as Laurel2.0.  Mary Kate Watson was also hired as our Office Coordinator, and 
would be happy to talk to you about your pets and/or urban farm animals.  Both 
have extensive experience in their respective fields, bring fresh perspectives 
to Free Geek, and are doing a wonderful job thus far.

On the ever-changing intern end, we changed the name of the Receiving Internship 
to Hardware Donations Internship.  We simultaneously hired Rob Stewart, who was 
trained by outgoing intern Nori Wigmore.  Free Geek recently hired Jessica Rand 
as the Thrift Store Intern to replace Francisco Marquez.  Keep an eye out for 
the latest Front Desk intern, as the position is currently open.

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III. LEO WESTWIND UPDATE

Thanks to all those who stuck with our emails about our Tech Support 
Coordinator's child, Leo.  Leo has a brand-new/used liver and is doing well.  He 
should be back in Portland for his 13th birthday in early March!

To read more about his status, check out this web page: http://freegeek.org/leofund

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IV. THE FREE GEEK FACILITY: SO MUCH PRETTIER!

If you haven't been to the Free Geek facility lately, there've been lots of 
changes.  The plan has come to fruition in the past couple weeks.  All the 
following areas have new homes(!):

* Card and motherboard sorting moved a bit west, out of that closed-off room for
   better teacher visibility.
* System Eval I and II moved into a hallway just west of Receiving.  The hallway
   was created by knocking out a few walls in the area.
* Printerland moved west in the warehouse and now lives where the gaylords used
   to reside.  This allows greater visibility and hopefully will encourage more
   volunteer interest.
* Full recycling gaylords awaiting pickup now live a bit west, where the old
   Black Hole was.
* Advanced Testing moved into its expanded place against the west wall, where
   System Eval used to be.
* The old meeting room is now the library and will soon serve as a core area
   with terminals.

Additionally, the main hallways, the System Eval walls, and the build room were 
painted, and the build room and reception areas were rearranged.  We hope that, 
besides creating a better aesthetic and helping us clear lots of our 
ever-lasting clutter, these changes will result in a more open, spacious 
learning environment for volunteers, and a more efficient production stream.

Come by and marvel!  We still have tours of the facility at noon and 6pm, every 
day Tuesday through Saturday.

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V. NEW CLASSES COMING SOON

How do you spell "Awesome" in the coming months at Free Geek?

E-D-U-C-A-T-I-O-N

(thanks to our new Education Coordinator, Laurel Bates, for this article)

Hey Free Geek Community! Come and get educated! *The Beyond Adoption Option 
Class Series* will allow you to learn more about how to use your awesome 
Freekbox! Classes are free to Free Geek Adopters and Builders, and offered for a 
small fee ($10) to others. Your 50%-off volunteer discount applies! All March 
classes will be taught by Michael Westwind, our tech-support guy.

* Friday, March 7, 12-1pm: Open Office Word Processor: This class is designed to 
cover the ins and outs of Open Office Word Processor. Writing a book? A resume? 
This class is for you.

* Friday, March 14, 12-1pm: Super Adopter: This class is designed to give an 
adopter more control over their system. We cover creating and administering 
users, installing programs in several different ways, fixing problems and some 
security. We look at the structure of the filesystem and how to find important 
files in it. The class involves some command-line.

* Friday, March 21, 12-1pm: Open Office Spreadsheet: This class is designed to 
give you an in-depth look at Open Office Spreadsheet. If you like Excel, you'll 
love Open Office Spreadsheet. ;)

* Friday, March 28, 12-1pm: Super Adopter: (Same as March 14th class description)

To register for a class, please call or visit the front desk.

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VI. TRUCK GRANT APPROVED!

Early this month Free Geek received word that our grant request for $25,000 from 
Meyer Memorial Trust was approved!  These funds will be applied toward the 
purchase of a box truck.  With a truck of this size, Free Geek will be able to 
expand its impact significantly by picking up large amounts of hardware from 
donors, staging neighborhood recycling events, and drag racing with the truck 
driver at Oso's new venture, BearEcycling.

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VII. HAPPENINGS AROUND TOWN

Sunday Brunch at the Hawthorne Hostel
Every Sunday!
FREE

* Sunday Brunch:
WHAT TIME: 11am to 1-ish. Prep begins at 11am, eating around noon.
WHAT TO BRING: a dish to share, raw ingredients to make stuff, or a modest 
monetary donation to pay for supplies.
WHERE: Hostelling International Portland, Hawthorne Hostel
3031 SE Hawthorne Blvd
HOW: by bike! by foot! by bus: #14/Hawthorne
WHY: because we all love to eat!

***********************************
Sew Crafty
First and Third Mondays
6-10pm
Free Geek
FREE

Show up to Sew Crafty with your sewing project and sewing machine, and have fun 
while schmoozing with fellow crafters.  Ask advice of our resident expert Debra 
Hubbard, or just show up and hang out.

*************************************
Leo's Ride For Life
Sunday, March 16
11am
Meet at Johnson Creek Trail Head

Enjoy a Sunday ride along the Springwater Corridor while supporting a good 
cause.  This motor-vehicle free, paved bike route will provide breathtaking 
views of some of the city's most picturesque scenery just as spring is beginning 
to bloom.  Rest stops along the way will feature organic bike-blended smoothies 
and vegan pastries.

Local 12 year old cycling enthusiast Leo Westwind is facing a life threatening 
liver condition, and the possibility of a liver transplant.  His mother is 
facing mounting medical bills.  This ride will help raise money for his medical 
fund.

For more information, see the Shift to Bikes calendar: 
http://www.shift2bikes.org/calendar/ or email Kyr Westwind: bikeblender [at] 
gmail [dot] com.

**************************************
Classical Revolution
Wednesday, April 30
9pm
Someday Lounge, 125 NW 5th Avenue
FREE!

"We love classical music.
We love playing classical music.
We love listening to classical music.
We are tired of the elitist and inaccessible nature of the classical world.
We believe that there are many that would enjoy classical music if they could 
access it in a setting that is comfortable for them.
We believe classical musicians should be allowed to perform in a setting that is 
more casual - where the audience is allowed to have a drink, eat a scone, laugh 
a little, and clap a lot.
We believe everyone can enjoy the music that we love."
--Someday Lounge

To have a listen, visit http://www.myspace.com/classicalrevolutionpdx.

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VIII. WISHLIST

You might not know it, but many of our basic supplies (like printer paper and
TP) are donated to us by individuals with big hearts and a few extra dollars
in their wallets (or good scavenging skills!).  We'd very much appreciate
donations of any of the below:

- Band-aids, band-aids, band-aids
- TP
- Dishwashing fluid
- Simple Green general spray cleaner
- Bleach
- Coffee
- Cream and sugar for coffee
- Dry Erase Markers
- Rags
- Wire and cable cutters
- 8.5" x 11" single-sheet white printer paper (post-consumer recycled content,
  if possible)
- Food and drink for volunteers (especially chocolate)
- Big hugs!

As a quick and easy alternative, we welcome your online monetary donations.
Just go to our website (http://freegeek.org), and click on the PayPal link on
the right-hand side of the page to donate to Free Geek online.

----------------------------------------------------------
Thanks so much for reading this newsletter, and for supporting Free Geek and all 
its people, dogs, computer stuff, random electronic doo-dads, implements of 
computer destruction, and good times.

See you next time!


Shawn Furst
Volunteer Program Coordinator
Free Geek
1731 SE 10th Avenue
Portland, OR 97214
(503)232-9350
http://freegeek.org


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