Chuck Wyld isn’t a man to let a good idea, or a good computer, go to waste. For the last ten years, the Chase resident has been collecting computers and computer components, then rebuilding and programming them before giving the finished results to those in need.
Concerned that those living on poverty-level incomes have no means by which to acquire computer technology, Chuck states: “This large and growing group of our society –and their children– are at a disadvantage. Computer access helps level the playing field by providing direct access to government programs, information, caregivers, support organizations, job boards, career opportunities, and on-line learning opportunities. The access also helps children in school –a must during high school– and assists in sustaining communication with family, and opens the world to children and housebound adults.”
Diane Sebba, now 34, was once debilitated by mental illness and its physical effects. “At 22, I suddenly wasn’t able to work anymore. My social circles were limited to soup kitchens and clubhouses for the mentally ill, but these didn’t feel like peer groups for me. At the same time, I wasn’t well enough to keep up with my former colleagues and friends. The day I was introduced to computers and the internet, my life turned around. Within a week I was typing resource lists for other marginalized people. I was learning skills in a medium that respected my social and physical limitations, and gaining confidence.
“Later, internet access allowed me to keep in touch with family and friends even while at my most ill. I also used the ‘net to meet with others similarly diagnosed, to discuss everything from a medication’s side effects to the relationship between nutrition and mental illness. This allowed me to take an active role in improving my health. Eventually, I created internet-based employment for myself. Finally, I had found a niche that honoured my bizarre schedule, my random hours of energy and clarity, my creativity, and my obsessive traits. I had come full circle. I was finally happy and participating fully in my community, thanks to technology. What Chuck is doing is crucial to the well-being of disabled and marginalized people. Efforts like his deserve a lot of recognition and support.”
So long as a computer is available, Chuck seldom turns anyone down. Priority is given to requests relating to employment or quality of life. “With a little help from service clubs and internet service providers, yearly costs are affordable,” he says.
Working out of his home in his spare time, and without any government funding, Chuck has redistributed over 140 computers since 1995, an average of 15-25 per year. The project receives intermittent support from service provider communities and business organizations. When cash is needed, it comes out of his own pocket.
Action: Thanks to the action originally listed here, Chuck currently has enough computers to support his work for two to three more years. Computers less than five years old and in great working condition can still be delivered to charities like the Food Bank and the Boys & Girls Club, or to any thrift shop. Computers and parts older than that, or not in good repair, should go to Stop Computer Landfill Society. Contact them for their current drop-off arrangements. Please consider donating cash to SCLF’s work.
Original Article Submitted by One Hill Productions
November 2005, SOUND (Kamloops)
