Helen Seaton, Publicity Director
The Computer Booters Club will meet on Wednesday, Nov. 3. Tom Mehlert will tell us about a program called AZ StRUT. The meeting will begin at 10 a.m., and members can attend the talk from home or wherever they choose via Zoom.
Since 2008, Tom Mehlert has served as executive director for Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology (AZ StRUT). Tom began his professional career as a technical education instructor and manager at ITT Technical Institute in 1986. In 2003 he was selected to serve on the AZ StRUT Board of Directors. Tom holds both bachelor’s and a master’s degree in education. He began as an electronic technician in circuit board manufacturing in Tucson in 1983.
Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology was started by Intel and Motorola in 1997. We accept donations of all electronics—working or not. Our Mesa location is open to the public for donations on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Individual equipment donations, no larger than what fits in the trunk of a midsize car, can be dropped off at Batteries Plus Bulbs stores. We pick up large donations from our corporate and collection partners by appointment.
We practice industry standard security and safety protocols to protect information on donated devices. We identify equipment that can have a second (or third!) extended life. For example, students can refurbish discarded Dell i3 laptops and put it into the hands of a Title I student who needs a computer to keep up with schoolwork. Each week, we average completing and distributing 101 refurbished computers. That’s over 5,000 computers a year.
AZ StRUT partners with schools and nonprofits for our Techie Lab program. In these hands-on classes, donated equipment is reused for experiential learning. Students can see and touch technology parts to build lifelong hardware and software skills. Further, students learn how to refurbish devices, assisting us in our mission to provide another life for usable technology. Upon successful completion of a Techie Camp, students take home a refurbished computer. For many, AZ StRUT gives them their first personal computer device of their own.
Here are a few other ways to support our Circular Economy efforts:
• Follow us on social media and share our posts.
• Tell your friends and family about us. Everyone has unused tech cluttering up their home.
• Donate unused technology to us. Donate money to support our work.
The Computer Booters Club has many things to offer members, such as free technical assistance, information about new programs, how to use the programs, Microsoft classes, and access to talks and conferences on a variety of topics from APCUG (Association of Personal Computer User Groups). The APCUG classes are free and can be attended using your computer, tablet, or phone with the Zoom.us app. These classes are an exciting benefit for club members. More information and help are available in the newsletter and on our website computerbooters.org. For more information, contact [email protected] or 480-895-2196.