Connect Ohio Awards Computer to Ross County Participant of Free Statewide Internet Training Program

Contact: Amanda Murphy

614-214-6755 or amurphy@connectohio.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 18, 2011

Twelve Ohioans were randomly selected to receive a new laptop computer following completion of the free computer-training program

COLUMBUS – On Monday, July 18, Connect Ohio presented Cathy McComis of Chillicothe with a new laptop computer during a short media event at Chillicothe and Ross County Public Library. McComis was selected as a winner in a random drawing following her participation in the Every Citizen Online program, a free statewide basic computer and Internet training program.

“I loved the training and the instructor is one in a million,” said McComis. “I don’t have a computer, so now I can go get Internet at home. I’m so excited.”

Connect Ohio, a nonprofit public-private partnership, is distributing a total of 12 new laptop computers to Ohio adults who completed the Every Citizen Online free basic computer-training program between April 5 and June 20, 2011. Program participants completed an online survey following the training and were entered into the random drawing giveaway.

“We at the library congratulate Cathy McComis for completing the Connect Ohio online course at the library,” said Jennifer McKell, library director. “The library’s goal is to get everyone in Ross County online, who wants to be online, in order to connect to the broader world of information. We will be continuing the free Connect Ohio computer classes through 2011 and 2012. Cathy’s win through the one-time Connect Ohio drawing is great. The real winners are she and everyone else who becomes comfortable in the online world by taking the course.“

Connect Ohio has partnered with more than 200 libraries, community colleges, education and career centers across the state to offer the Every Citizen Online training. More than 8,000 adults have already taken advantage of the training since it launched in late December 2010. The training consists of 2 hours each of Basic Introduction to Computers, An Introduction to the Internet, and Tools and Benefits of using the Internet. Participants are helped to establish an e-mail account and provided with additional training resources to help them continue to learn and use information available online. Connect Ohio plans to train a total of 200,000 Ohioans by program completion in December 2012.

For information on upcoming Every Citizen Online training classes at Chillicothe and Ross Public Library Northside branch, located at 550 Buckeye Street, Chillicothe, call 740-702-4100.

Additional training locations can be found by calling 1-855-NOW-I-CAN (669-42260) or by visiting http://connectoh.org/consumer_training/training_facilities.php.

Contest rules and guidelines are listed on Connect Ohio’s website at http://connectoh.org/consumer_training/computer_giveaway.php or you may receive a copy by e-mailing amurphy@connectohio.org.

For more information on the Every Citizen Online program, visit http://connectohio.org/consumer_training.

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Connect Ohio, a division of Connected Nation, is a nonprofit, technology-neutral public-private partnership that works with telecommunications providers, business and community leaders, information technology companies, researchers, public agencies, libraries and universities in an effort to help extend affordable high-speed Internet service to every Ohio household. For more information about what Connect Ohio is doing to accelerate technology in Ohio's communities, visit http://www.connectohio.org.


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