The Town of Shenandoah was notified by Kim Winn, Executive Director of Virginia Municipal League that the Computer Center was selected to receive the 2015 Virginia Municipal League Achievement Award! Mayor and Council noted their thanks and congratulations to Computer Center Supervisor Joyce Fluharty for her hard work at the computer center! VML will present the Achievement Awards at VML’S Annual Conference banquet dinner on Tuesday, October 6, 6:30pm at the Richmond Marriott.
Did you know that the Shenandoah Computer Center is open to the public and is also available for local government or private business training purposes?
There are 12 computers (or people can bring their own laptop) in the back room for private classroom training. The center holds classes for different computer programs and the fees are just $10 or $25 as they are taught by volunteer instructors.
The center can also be rented to hold training with your own instructors too.
There are more computers in the front room where the public can walk in and use the computers. There is no time limit for the use, when the center is open the computers are available.
You do NOT have to be a resident of Shenandoah or even Page County to use the computer center or its services.
The fees for individuals to use the computer center to use the computers/internet is just $1.00 per month (or may be paid $12 a year). They operate a small print shop too and for small fees will print business cards, flyers, maps, photos (and photo restoration), etc.
All computers are up to date with the latest programs.
People should call the center directly to check class schedule or other programs at 540-652-8773 and speak with Center Supervisor Joyce Fluharty.
Below is the entry submission.
Town of Shenandoah Community Computer Center
POPULATION CATEGORY (1) UNDER 5,000
The Town of Shenandoah Community Computer Center was created by a USDA Broadband Grant. The funds provided by this grant were to renovate an existing building for a computer center. The computer center was to be completely funded by the grant for two full years. The grant was awarded in 2004 and the renovations began. The computer center was equipped with computers and equipment to be used for long distance learning.
The Shenandoah Community Computer Center officially opened in March 2005. The computer center offered free computer classes and free high speed internet access and computer use for anyone who desired to use the center.
The Town of Shenandoah Computer Center program of improvements, innovations and enhancements has not been merely a yearly, goal but a long range plan based on:
(1) Community Value
(2) Community Service
(3) Community Need
(4) Cost effective operation
(5) Innovation based on Community need
2005 The computer center added a projector to assist with classes being held. The computer center also purchased a fax machine and a photo printer to offer these services to the community. There were 12 classes offered and attended in the first year of operation. These classes consisted of 10 sessions each on Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM and 6PM. All classes were taught by a volunteer instructor. The volunteer also started a program to include Page County High School students to assist students in the classroom. The computer center was required to be open 84 hours per week for compliance with the terms of the grant.
2006 The free classes were expanded to include an Introduction to Word and an Introduction to Excel in addition to the Introduction to Computers offered the first year. The classroom was expanded to fourteen computers to accommodate the increase in student population. The total number of citizens of Shenandoah and the surrounding area to utilize the computer center’s free services was 4,000.
The staff of the Shenandoah Community Computer Center assumed the responsibilities of the town website. All website data was brought up to date to include current community events, town government information, meeting minutes and newsletters as a community service.
2007 The computer center added a high speed color laser printer to be able to print brochures, flyers and business cards. The computer center also added a copier, binding machine, laminating machine and a better photo printer. This new equipment was funded by the USDA grant. The customers requiring these services increased and the equipment upgrades addressed the community needs.
The computer center also upgraded the computers in our front lab used by walk in traffic for computer use. This new equipment was funded by the USDA grant. This upgrade assisted in keeping us up to date on the change in hardware and software.
The computer center also continued to offer computer use in the front lab at no charge. We also offered and held classes 12 times that year. At this point we did start charging for the classes. The class fee for 10 sessions on Tuesday & Thursday for 5 weeks was only $10.00 and a workbook was included in this price. The attendance continued to increase even with the fee instituted at this time.
The total number of community members served in 2007 was 5,000.
2008 The computer center served 6,070 community members and held 12 classes. We deposited $3,278.00 in revenue. We still continued to operate 84 hours per week. There was still no fee for computer use in our front lab. Our traffic continued to increase based on the expansion of the services we offered.
2009 A new volunteer instructor offered 8 new advanced classes and provided an increase in community use. There were a total of 24 classes in 2009. We served 3,329 community members and deposited $6848.17 in revenue.
In 2009 we started charging a fee of $1.00 per month for computer use in the front lab. We also decreased the operating hours to 50 hours per week. The hours were reduced as a cost saving measure. The traffic decreased, but the revenue increased because the community members using our computer
center were also paying for our services. We printed 3,092 photos, 100 greeting cards, 5,525 brochures, 3,778 pages, 633 color pages, 1,870 business cards, sold CD’s and flash drives.
2010 The computer center added Technology Seminars for small business owners to help them create a logo, use social media and information on building a website. We held one in spring and one in fall and they were well attended and received. We also added Mavis Beacon Typing to the classroom lab to assist students taking classes or those wishing to improve their typing skill. The computer center offered 18 classes in 2010 and were well attended. They were the introductory and advanced classes.
2010 The computer staff was responsible to assist in rebuilding a new website after a crash of the old one. New content was added to approximately 50 pages; a mailing program for Town council meeting minutes and Town newsletters was set up and administered. This was done to continue to keep the community informed of all current and future events and activities in the Town of Shenandoah. We served 3,430 community members in 2010 and deposited $6,442.00 in revenue.
2011 We held 18 computer classes in the same formats as prior years. We also offered Genealogy Workshops and DAR Workshops which were well received and attended. We served 3,428 community members and deposited $6220.00 in revenue.
2012 Fourteen new computers were purchased for the classroom with the 2010 Microsoft Office Suite. Funding for the new equipment was paid by the Town of Shenandoah. The computers were set up, networked and administered by the computer center staff. This was done to keep classroom instruction up to date with new software and hardware. There were 13 classes held in 2012. We also held four Genealogy Workshops. The computer center also added Arm Chair Genealogy Research at a fee of $10.00 per hour. This was very well received. There were 4,547 community members who utilized the services offered at the computer center. The total revenue deposited was $6,820.61.
The computer center printed and copied 4,396 b&w pages, 600 color pages, 2,055 photos, 500 brochures, 520 business cards and faxed 235 documents. We also expanded our printing program to include invitations and wedding programs.
2013 The computer center printed and copied 6,246 b&w pages, 600 color pages, 500 brochures, 300 business cards, faxed 277 documents and printed 1600 photos. We held 12 classes and provided specific classes to assist displaced workers of the Genie Plant closing in Shenandoah. The computer center operating hours were reduced from 50 hours to 45 hours. There were 3,404 community members who utilized the services offered at the computer center. The total revenue deposited was $ 5,128.45.
2014 Eleven new computers were purchased, installed and networked by the computer center staff. This new equipment was funded by the Town of Shenandoah. These were installed in the front lab used for walk in computer use. These are Windows 8.1 computers and were needed bring the operating systems up to date with the current community members needs. We added a new fax machine and a multifunction machine for use in the front lab.
Also in 2014 made the skills of the computer center staff available to community members with new computer issues at a nominal fee or donation. The computer center staff also set up 6-laptop computers for the Town of Shenandoah Police Department and 8-laptop computers for the Town of Stanley Police Department.
We have two assistant volunteer instructors for our classes. They have been a great asset for the instructor freeing his time and allowing a one on one approach for those students needing assistance. There were 10 classes held in 2014. We are now offering an Introduction to Computers, an Introduction to the Internet, an Introduction to Word and Excel and Genealogy Workshops. We held 10 months of Genealogy Workshops in 2014. They were well received and attended by community members.
The computer center served 3,404 community members and deposited $5,325.00 in revenue.
2015 The computer center has purchased a professional photo printer. This equipment was purchased by the Town of Shenandoah. Photo printing has now increased to 25% of our revenue. We have held an Introduction to Computers, Introduction to Google Docs and a Photography Class taught by a professional photographer. We have three Genealogy Workshops scheduled and plans to have classes on smart phones and tablets.
The computer center was completely repainted and decorated by the computer center staff. We held an Open House on March 6, 2015 to celebrate our 10th year in operation. It is our understanding that of all the towns who received USDA Broadband grants that we are the only one still in operation.
The Town of Shenandoah hopes to continue to serve the community technology needs well into the future. We are 20 miles to the nearest city that offers any of the services we have available. We have become what our community has grown to expect from us. We have continued to grow because they have told us what they want and need and we have done our best to serve the community.
Photo of Joyce Fluharty by Cabeb M. Septelean / DN-R
