The Alexander City Outlook

Ayre wins volunteer award

Volunteer Connections of Central Alabama is conducting a basic computer class for seniors this summer.

Instructor Jim Ayre said the next class is scheduled to begin July 6 and classes will continue throughout the summer, as long as there are seniors ages 50 and older interested in the class.

The classes will be conducted from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on four consecutive Tuesday afternoons.

Ayre said this will be the sixth summer Volunteer Connections has offered the computer course.

“We do taxes on the computer and we had a lot of seniors doing their taxes on paper and they’d come in and say they’d love to learn how to do more on the computer because that’s what their grandkids use – you know, they won’t write letters but they’ll certainly answer an e-mail,” he said.

The first class will cover computer hardware, the second will cover software, the third will cover the Internet and searching the web and the final class will cover e-mail and social networking.

Ayre said no prior computer experience is required to take the classes and added that students who own a laptop can bring it to class and learn on their own computer.

There is a $20 registration fee for the class and each class is composed of the first eight students to pay the registration fee in person or by mail.

The classes will be taught by Ayre and fellow Volunteer Connections volunteer Ruth Zeisler.

“On an as-needed basis, other VCCA volunteers will come out and assist as needed,” Ayres said.

The computer classes will be conducted at Volunteer Connections located at 5030 Highway 280 Suite C in Alexander City. For more information, call the Volunteer Connections office at (256) 234-0347.

Volunteer Connections also provides free tax assistance with filing and electronically filing federal and state income forms. Ayres and Volunteer Connections recently received a silver MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Award in the team spirit category. The OVEA program honors both older volunteers and older volunteer programs that make communities better places to live.

“I was totally surprised and flabbergasted,” Ayres said. “I had no idea I was nominated.”

Ayres said he would like to thank Volunteer Connections project director Carley Cummins for nominating him for the award and the Volunteer Connections board for their support. He said the credit for the success of Volunteer Connections goes to their volunteers and the support they receive from the board of directors, the Lake Martin Area United Way, the local media and businesses.