Mentoring: Another way to improve

Mentoring is an age old method for learning and teaching. It is also a great thing to show on your resume as it shows a willingness to share (aka, a "team player")and a willingness to grow. It also gives you "X years" of experience as you have to have experience to teach. This becomes a win - win scenario for all as a disadvantaged group works itself out of low pay and into high degrees as well as the members gaining experience and resume "browny points" that human resources and business like to see.

Giving your old but tweaked computers you don't need anymore will help tremendously in this effort. It is an opportunity to spread the Unix word, to demonstrate Open Source software (where the price is definitely right) and wean people off of the Micro$oft dependency. Microsoft is expensive and if you don't have the cash, it's awful hard to learn computing skills.

Gifted computers, systems and other things:

This is an incomplete list at this time as I can't remember who has given me all the things I've passed on, however, I wish to thank all of them:

Ted Perna, colleage at VLSIP Technologies, Inc. for PC's and contact with the Truitts

Mike and Tanya Truitt, for many PC's and hardware, particularly the PC the Dallas Indian Methodist Church is now using

Jeff Rush, who donated laptops to the Native American Veteran Warrior Society, NAVWS

The FBI, who generously donated a "Lucky 13" set of computers less hard drives (for security reasons). These will be configured with "new" hard drives as they become available and are very nice desktop models. I looked inside and unlike the majority of PC's needing to be cleaned of dust, these were totally spotless! Thanks guys!

Of other Recognition: Albert Old Crow, DJ of “Beyond Bows & Arrows”, KNON 89.3 FM for the invitation to come to the station and having me on the air from time to time.

Tracy Palmer, of the Urban Intertribal Center of Dallas who interviewed me that fateful day in April 2006.

Eugene Folsom, John Taylor, Arnulfo Pena, Andrew Ochoa and others of the Native American Veteran Warrior Society for identifying the need. In particular, Eugene, who first asked me to help the kids immediately after the interview.

Reverand Billie Nowabbi of the Dallas Indian Methodist Church, who is hosting the physical site for the classroom and collection site for the PC's.