President’s Message
This month’s message is about our Technology Access Program (TAP) and the helping nature of our members.
The recent tornadoes in Tennessee and Kentucky wreaked havoc with thousands of families, leaving them homeless and stripped of all their possessions. No one felt this devastation more than the children. Adults are more resilient and understanding and can better cope with tragedies like this. But children are easily scarred for life by such events.
Once the need became apparent, TAP began working with the Kiwanis to provide laptops (because of living space restrictions) for these displaced families. We sent out appeals in Nextdoor and other places for laptops and the response of people both in and around Tellico Village has been overwhelming and heartwarming.
As the donated laptops arrive at TAP, they’re cleaned, the operating systems re-installed, and some basic software and utilities are added. They are then picked up by Kiwanis volunteers, who work with the local school systems to find new homes for the refurbished computers with families affected by the tornadoes.
I want to first thank the many volunteers who work at TAP for the endless hours they have given in this effort, and the many other purposeful causes to which TAP donates refurbished computers. In the past 15 years TAP has refurbished nearly 10,000 computer systems that have been repurposed to help over 13,500 youths and families. Most of these have found new homes near Tellico Village, but some have gone to other states.
I also want to thank our generous members, and others in Tellico Village, for donating computers they no longer need or are replacing. These acts of kindness enable TAP to help nearly a thousand needy children and families every year. In the past two years, when online learning has become so intensified by the pandemic, your generosity has made a huge positive impact on so many children. We sincerely thank you!
Larry McJunkin, President
TVCUC Updates
Membership Committee. Last chance to pay your 2022 dues. Members who haven’t renewed for 2022 are ineligible for free technology assistance from our First Level Support team. To renew your membership in the TVCUC, click here and then select the blue “Join or Renew” button. This will take you to the TVCUC page on TellicoLife.org where you can either securely pay by credit card or pay by check. If paying by check, be sure to print out the invoice and take it, along with your check for $20, to our TAP office (located under the Thai Bistro – enter from the rear of the building). The payment process MUST occur on TellicoLife.org.
First Level Support. Our FLS team was exceptionally busy during January. We’re not sure if this was caused by all the new technology presents received over the holidays, or just an increasing interest in becoming more tech-savvy. Regardless, the team fielded 98 support calls in January, setting an all-time monthly record. Go Team FLS! If you have a question about your computer, the Windows or Mac operating systems, or any of your technology devices, you can initiate a support request here. For hardware issues, such as hard drive replacement, etc., we will refer you to a TVCUC approved individual here in Tellico Village who is certified to repair your computer.
Financial Update. The TVCUC Treasurer is exceptionally busy during the first couple of months of each year. This period is when several state forms must be prepared and submitted, and it’s also when we begin preparing for our annual audit. As a Tennessee registered 501c3 nonprofit organization and because we receive donations from several major funding organizations, we are required to keep exemplary financial records.
Dave Flanagan is the TVCUC Treasurer, and for nearly two years, he has done an amazing job of guiding our organization financially, helping to rewrite the financial sections of our Operating Manual and dealing with hundreds of reconciliations and transactions monthly. The TVCUC’s finances are currently in the best hands possible. Thanks, Dave!
Admin Update. Sometimes, it’s easy to take for granted all the things in life we expect to just happen. A newsletter appears in our inbox, a receipt arrives for our annual dues, we receive a notice about an upcoming event or tour, and many other things to which we don’t give a second thought. But for all these things, someone is behind the scenes, ensuring they happen. For the TVCUC, that someone is Ken Van Swearingen.
For nearly five years, Ken has been the driving force behind all that connects the TVCUC with its members. He is our primary club admin and as such, is responsible for all the geeky things that occur on the back end of the club’s presence on TellicoLife. Email blasts, monthly bulletins, credit card transactions, membership statistics, calendar events, and a host of other things we need to keep TVCUC running smoothly.
Being an admin can be a thankless job, so please join me in thanking Ken for the countless hours he gives our club in support of administrative and technical efforts, and many other volunteer tasks. As past president, and member of our board of directors, we sincerely appreciate all you do!
Trending Technology Articles
New Features for Windows 11 Taskbar. The new taskbar is one of the most controversial changes of Windows 11. The updated taskbar, which comes without extremely basic features like drag and drop, has been disliked by a lot of users. But the good news is that Microsoft is listening to feedback, and it is fixing most of the issues with the taskbar in the upcoming Sun Valley 2 update. Microsoft has been mulling over this update for over six months, and now they’re finally implementing it. To find out when, and if you can test this feature early, click to read the full article.
What’s New in macOS 12.1 Monterey. macOS 12 Monterey, unveiled in June 2021 at WWDC, is the current version of macOS that was released on Monday, October 25. Compared to macOS Big Sur, macOS Monterey is a smaller update, but there are still many notable new features that improve the Mac experience. Universal Control is perhaps one of the biggest updates, allowing a single mouse, trackpad, and keyboard to be used across multiple Macs and also the iPad for moving content between devices. For all things new in the latest 12.1 update to macOS Monterey, click to read the full story.
Some Good Advice “Before” Cutting the Cord. We often talk about “Cutting the Cord”, and for good reason. Every day, more and more of our members do cut the cord and free themselves of expensive cable and satellite solutions that seem to be costing more but delivering less. The phone rings here several times monthly with someone in need of basic advice about taking this big step. The folks over at CNET have put together a great article that is filled with simple, basic guidance and questions to ask yourself before you cut the cord. If you’re thinking about ditching cable (and you really should), head over to CNET and read the full article.
Should I Leave Facebook? This is not a controversial question, but merely some simple guidance if you’re thinking about leaving Facebook…or perhaps would like to just suspend it for a while to see if you can live without it. Many folks are rightfully concerned about their online privacy, the polarizing effects of being on social media, or they just want to disconnect altogether. But do you really want to leave completely? There are two ways to get rid of a Facebook account: You can temporarily deactivate your account or choose to permanently delete it. Today online has put together some of the best guidance we’ve seen regarding what to do next if you’re in this quandary. To learn more before pulling the plug on Facebook, read what they have to say.