1st Place -Computers Assisting People, Inc.; Cleveland, Ohio ($2500)

2nd Place -San Diego Computer Society; San Diego, California ($1000)

The San Diego Jerry Award project aims were to help older adults who:

finished formal schooling before the computer revolution.

now want to cruise the Internet, use eMail, develop computer skills that will enhance their usefulness in clubs and nonprofit organizations, and edit digital photos.

don't know much about clicking, double-clicking, dragging, scrolling, or other basic computer skills.

are willing to get help from another older adult and are willing to give help to another older adult.

Several early pilot projects of the San Diego Computer Society used the eBus http://sdfutures.org/ebus, a mobile computer lab that could travel to senior centers, libraries, churches, and other community organizations. These SDCS projects included demonstrations at San Diego Computer Fairs at National City School, demonstrations at Southwest Regional User Group Conferences of the Association of Personal Computer User Groups, five sessions with a new computer interest group of the Rancho Bernardo AAUW, four sessions with a new computer interest group at the Ramona Senior Center, and four sessions at the Carmel Mountain Library that were discontinued when the eBus enlisted for special service during the fire emergency of 2003.

The San Diego eBus was an ideal vehicle for giving computer literacy for older adults a jump-start in small communities that would otherwise be excluded from the digital world. Dell provided 20 computers, Microsoft provided Windows 2000 and other software, San Diego County and Union Bank of California provided funding, the Community College Foundation's Community Connect Program provided training and supervision to the paid staff of 2, and the San Diego Futures Foundation assisted with the scheduling.

Unfortunately, funding for the San Diego eBus expired on April 3 and the eBus concluded its operations in San Diego County on April 8, 2004.

Under these circumstances, because the SDCS is primarily an "umbrella" organization, the governing board decided it would be appropriate to transfer the Jerry Award Project and the $1000 prize money to the Seniors Computer Group http://home.san.rr.com/scg which is another San Diego member of the APCUG. The Seniors Computer Group meets every Saturday morning, their motto is Seniors Helping Seniors, and they have many talented and energetic members eager to serve the community.

3rd Place -Columbia-Baltimore Users Group; Ellicott City, Maryland ($500)