Archive
Heading into August: Craigslist
We’ve finally made it to Craigslist – a great way to get a free message out there that MRC is alive and well. We’ve continued to meet weekly at Marvin Church and have been busy helping folks, recycling older Macs by tearing them down into their components and refurbishing Macs for donation or sale (yes, we do sell refurbished Macs).
Here’s the ad you can find on the Maryland Craigslist page – “All Services Listed” -> Computer Services.
Craigslist interface is still pretty basic but they do allow you to add photos and a map these days, which can make a huge difference.
Let’s Start at the Very Beginning…
(From an original post to Tumblr)
I joined Washington Apple Pi or WAP for short) in 1983 or so. Like many, I needed some support from fellow users and WAP was the answer. (That’s me second from right with a group of SARAsaurs as we were called – the /// was named after the designer’s daughter.)
A group of us started holding tech sessions on Tuesday nights – folks would bring their sick computers in for repair help, to ask questions, get upgrades – you name it. Some left old machines behind. And that was the start of our recycling efforts.
Early-on, the focus was on the Apple II – Apple’s first real success story. We tried to recycle many donations to schools that did not have any – like the two elementary schools in West Virginia in 1996.That’s a picture at left of all the computer equipment ready to be set up in a lab.
As Apple moved from IIs to Macs, we slowly made the switch ourselves as the mix of donations changed. The passion was still there – we just had a different machine to work with. There is a real challenge in taking a donated machine and turning it into a tool that is useful again. But for most of us, there is just great satisfaction and joy watching the faces of those who receive our donations.
Can Mac Recycling Be a Passion?
Updated 3/16/2011 to fix photo link.
Updated and edited from an earlier Tumblr post:
My Entrepreneurial Journalism class at the University of Maryland has a ton of passionate folks – passionate about everything from Broadway plays to birding. Even the “Frat Lifestyle.” Me – I’m passionate about the causes I volunteer for. Thus the genesis for this blog:
- My involvement with a group that works to help folks repair their Apple Macs as well as recycling Macintosh computers back into our community.
The recycling effort goes back to the early 1980s when I purchased my first computer – an Apple /// (the first computer actually made by a company called Apple). Over the years, I worked with a computer users group called Washington Apple Pi — focusing on support for the ///, later serving on the Board of Directors. Finally, getting involved with what we called the “Tuesday Night Crew” that helped folks with sick Apples and Macs and also took in computers to recycle.
WAP as we called it, has suffered from a loss of membership over the years – primarily because computers have become such appliances that they are really no longer a hobby – folks don’t really want to open them up and see what makes them tick. So the TNC lost its space and began looking for a new home. And that’s how MacRecycleClinic was born! More on that in a later post.
MacRecycleClinic: Finally Back in Business
Note: I am consolidating my RecyleYourMac blog to WordPress from Tumblr. This original post was actually on TwitWall.
Originally published: September 9, 2010
Marvin Memorial Methodist Church in Silver Spring. Drive in on this side - University Boulevard. There are two automobile entrances on this side and you'll exit from here as well. Parking lot is to the right of the church, with handicapped parking in front. Entrance to the Clinic is on the right side of the main church entrance. You will literally walk into the Clinic space - no climbing steps or long walks. If you have a heavy computer, come get us first and we'll help you bring your Mac in.
It’s exciting to tell you that we are finally back in business – helping Mac (and even Apple) users in the Washington, DC area with their Mac problems. MacRecycleClinic is the new name for the old “Tuesday Night Crew” that was hosted by Washington Apple Pi in Rockville for many, many years.
As fewer folks joined user groups, WAP downsized to the point where we no longer had space to work so we took a step back, put our tools into storage and started looking for new space.
It took awhile – but we have found a new, welcoming home at Marvin Memorial Methodist Church across from Blair High School in the Four Corners area of Silver Spring. This is an ideal location for us and working with the church, we have big plans on a number of fronts.
1) We are going to establish a Mac lab for Blair students to use for after-school homework.
2) We hope to establish ties with Blair to train students to repair and help us recycle Macs.
3) We have already established some ties with various Veterans groups and will work to recycle Macs into the hands and homes of our Wounded Warriors. These are special men and women and we look forward to honoring them by helping them have the tools they need to move on to productive lives.
4) We will continue to work with Mac (and Apple) owners in the Washington region who need a little one-on-one help in a friendly atmosphere. As a non-profit, all fees are tax-deductable as well.
5) Clinics will now be on Monday nights from 7 until 9 PM or so.
Please check out our website for more information, instructions on how to get to Marvin Church, hours of operation, fees and more. And if you’re interested in working with us, let us know!
From time-to-time, we’ll post blog entries here to let you know what’s going on, some of the challenges with repairs we’ve faced (or are facing!) and maybe even to ask for your help or suggestions.
Website: http://www.macrecycleclinic.org/site/
Twitter: MacRecyclClinic
Directions to Marvin Church: http://www.gbgm-umc.org/marvinchurch/directions.asp
Map: http://bit.ly/aaTbH9
You can leave a message on our new phone at: 301-593-4004 or email us at office@macrecycleclinic.org
MacRecycleClinic Photos
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