History


Here you will read of the conception, birth, and growth of the Century Village Computer Club. It is the work of several dedicated individuals who have given of their time and effort to establish a hugely successful club with membership well over four hundred as we enter the year 2008.

How It Started...Where It's Going...
By Seymour Kawaller

  When Marvin Weiss, a computer literate resident of Century Village, initiated the idea of a computer club he little realized how successful the effort would prove to be. Marvin left Century Village before the first meeting, which was held in my home on April 11th, l996. Based on the minutes which we have on file, Norman Gayton, Alvin Salka, Howard Silver and I were among those elected to office. Others,  who may also claim the distinction of being charter members, were not identified in the minutes. Whatever records we have of that begining were compiled by Norm Gayton who acted as our recording secretary while I, by popular default, was elected the first president of the club.
  At the first meeting the following decisions were made:
Time would be allocated at each meeting for a question and answer session since, our mutual ignorance of computer technology cried for assistance.
  To further this effort we decided to initiate a "SIG" program to accommodate Special Interest Groups by forming classes and inviting guests who could introduce us to more advanced concepts. Belated thanks are extended to Armando Padow and John Sanfrantello who were among the  "outsiders" to provide welcome "know-how" to guide our faltering steps to computer literacy.
  Dues were set at $2.00 per year to cover our anticipated costs of  stationery, stamps, membership cards and similar incidentals.
  By the time our first season of operations was under our belts, it became obvious that our ambitious activities required "year round" leadership. Ken Davis stepped into the breech as our next President to keep the club growing after our snow-birds had temporarily flown the coop. He was succeeded by John Ford whose tenure as President marked a major step up in the impact the club was making at Century Village. John's vision and unbounded energy sparked a rapid expansion of club activities. It was he who pressed Village Management for the financial aid that sparked an explosive increase in our ability to keep up with the demand for increased services and equipment. He enlisted more experienced members to provide tutoring. He wheedled classroom space and the equipment to fill it, so that our members could have hands-on instruction from a group of volunteer computer mavens. Shelley Schneiderman, Frank Tabag, Harry Gevercer, Don Herman and Flo Kaufman were just a few of those who gave unstintingly of their time and talents.
  Frank Tabag rates a special mention for having inspired the club to provide an extraordinary vote of appreciation for his dedication. A club-sponsored fundraising effort provided helpful aid for his family during his prolonged illness. His passing left a huge void.
  Special thanks are warranted too, for Joan Ford's role as attendance and class enrollment manager...a program which was continued and expanded by Marguerite Bevacqua and was inherited by our current classroom manager, Kathy Congi, who has instigated a number of new programs to enhance an elaborate schedule.
  As our classroom program expanded, our club's general activities grew more complex. We were lucky to have Roberta Boehm-Fromkin as our almost permanent secretary to provide a message center and to coordinate club activities. She has left big shoes to fill.
  Harry Gevercer's stint as President resulted in further growth. At  the end of his term we had nearly 400 paid up members who, for a yearly dues of $10, enjoy a widely diverse schedule of classes that would be the envy of a college computer program. Harry passed away on December 1, 2007, after a long illness. His passing has left yet another void. We also enjoy large screen lecture facilities, Internet access, well-maintained computers for hands-on learning, and offer helpful hardware guidance with one on one problem solving assistance. Not the least of the advantages the club provides is the ready access to a wide circle of other computer buffs with whom to exchange computer experiences. In addition to those who volunteer their time and services in providing special interest classes, John Ford and his sidekick Al Himmelbaum have lead weekly trouble shooting clinics to solve computer glitches.  Members are invited to bring their recalcitrant computer in for tuning up and repairs, and the innards of the machines are analyzed and updated.
  The club Web site offers ready access to answers when required, as well as an information source that is always on tap. This is the ideal spot to recognize the contribution made by Jim Walsh, who picked up the ball after Lee Gotlieb designed our earlier Web site. Jim had taken on the difficult and time consuming task of maintaining the site and  providing the continuous revision it takes to keep it current.
  Unfortunately, Jim passed away, also leaving another huge void.
  No longer a novelty, the computer club is now an established and essential asset for Century Village residents. After six terms as our Vice President, Howie Silver, our acknowledged computer guru, has assumed the club presidency and is expected to continue his popular bi-monthly lectures.
  The club extends thanks and appreciation to its many volunteers and apologizes for failing to identify each and every one of them. Their input is the principal reason for our success.