Entry No.134c

IT Writers Awards

One lunch time last week I came back to the office after running the gauntlet in the Plaza near PC Week's offices at North Sydney. I'm talking about the various charity collectors who are there every day. We got talking about it in the office, and everyone had an experience to relate.

Despite recent news reports about how cheap some Australians are when it comes to charities, most of us are more than willing to do our bit. The trouble is, what's a worthwhile charity and what's little more than a con? For instance, I have a personal dislike of any charity that pays its collectors or lets them keep a percentage of the `take'. But if you think you get lots of calls on your money, spare a thought for the companies with high public profiles. Many IT companies are bombarded with requests for money, for free computers and software, and for raffle prizes and so on.

For instance. Compaq gets so many calls every day that for quite a few years it's had a policy of supporting two charities to a very high level-the Starlight Foundation and Clean Up Australia. It would be interesting to hear how other IT companies support worthwhile causes.

Just a tad

There's a way all of us in the IT industry can use our skills or our money to help others. It involves a group called TAD or Technical Aid for the Disabled. There are TAD groups all around Australia, and if you can't find one in your local phone book, contact the Sydney office to see if they can help. TAD uses technical skills to help disabled people with special needs.

For instance, while there are plenty of wheelchairs on the market, what if you need a special control or modification. That's where TAD and TAD volunteers come in.

TAD NSW loans computers to people with special needs. These are donated by  vendors and individuals, and modified and installed by volunteers. The cost to users is minuscule-around $50-$70 a year. Volunteers are also utilised for custom installations and modifications to equipment, but there also has to be a core of staff engineers and healthcare professionals, so TAD also needs donations of cash as well as your time and equipment. (TAD NSW is currently $45,000 in deficit, just in case you have a bit of spare cash!) We'll follow up with a TAD story in a later issue, but in the meantime I encourage you to take a look at one of the TAD Web sites, such as the NSW TAD page at www.technicalaid.org.au. Your skills may be just what they need!

Win 2000competition

On page 20 of this issue you'll find details of a competition Microsoft and PC Week are running. Because we believe in doing our bit for others in society, we aren't asking for a jingle that says how good Microsoft or PC Week is; we're simply asking you to nominate a charity, telling us in a few words why it would benefit from assistance from the IT industry. Not only do you have a chance at a great prize, but your nominated charity will get one too.

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