Recycling computers responsibly in our global community!

News from Wings for West Africa

2010

July - Wings accepted a generous offer of convenient donated warehouse space to stage our shipments from the Northside of Indianapolis.

June - 200 computer systems were packed and shipped by ocean container to Dakar, Senegal destined to be installed in 20 schools there.

A medical project coordinated by Wings and sponsored by the French Honor Society of North Central High School provided over 1,000 treated mosquito nets as well as medicines and medical supplies to a maternity center being build outside of Dakar. The FHS president travelled there to assist with the project.

May - Wings for West Africa co-presented at the Green Congregations session of the Indiana Recycling Coalition’s Annual Conference.

Wings conducted computer drives at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis, Holy Spirit at Geist Catholic Church and at Our Lady of Providence School in Clarksville, Indiana.

March - Maria Goretti Catholic Church, with help from a local Boy Scout troup, conducted a very successful computer drive on their site in Westfield, Indiana.

February - The Westfield Middle School Environmental Club held their second annual computer drive to benefit Wings for West Africa.

2009

December - A computer drive was held at Noblesville High School under the direction of Ted Ringle, Noblesville High School Recycling Club sponsor.

November - In celebration of National Recycling Day, a computer drive was held this month at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Indianapolis. The work of Wings was acknowledged in an article published in the Criterion Indianapolis Diocesan newspaper.

Wings began initial research toward the goal of establishing a computer recycling center in Senegal, West Africa.

October - Following a presentation by board member John Schaaf, the IT network in Columbia City, Indiana, decided to support Wings by pooling their surplus computers and transporting these donations to Wings.

Wings received a grant from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, which will permit long-term rental of space to store computers locally prior to transfer to Anderson, Indiana, for packing and shipping.

September - 150 computer systems were transported from our donated warehouse space in Anderson, Indiana, to Atlanta, Georgia, for shipment by ocean container to Dakar, Senegal.

July - Susan Seal joined the board of Wings in the new position of Promotions Director. She will be responsible for developing contacts with and making presentations to potential computer drive host schools and churches, scheduling drives, and for external publicity for computer drives.

May - Equipment collected at drives held at Cathedral High School and Holy Spirit of Geist Church completed the number needed for our next shipment. All of the drives this spring have been coordinated with Work Force, Inc., which recycles the machines we can’t use and provides re-entry training to ex-offenders.

April - Computer drives held at Unitarian Universalist Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church produced a significant number of good quality computers and monitors.

The board of Wings for West Africa was expanded to include Computer Drive Coordinator Mike Zierdt.

March - A very successful school-based computer drive was sponsored by the Eco Impact Club of North Central High School, Indianapolis.

Wings expanded its membership to include three new computer technicians, two computer drive coordinators, and a grant writer.

February - The Westfield Middle School Environmental Club held a very successful first school computer drive for Wings for West Africa, thus beginning a very promising partnership with Work Force, Inc., to which it donated for recycling machines too old or damaged to be sent to schools in West Africa.

Technician. Larry Montag joined Wings and quickly began doing an amazing job refurbishing the many CPU’s collected in the spring drives.

January - Wings for West Africa participated in the Creation Care Workshop sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Indianapolis. Ninety area churches were contacted and encouraged to consider a computer drive as part of their green ministry.

2008

November - Wings for West Africa participated in the Helping Hands Festival sponsored by Global Gifts at St. Richard’s School, Indianapolis.

October - Wings moved its shipping operation to Monday Voigt Products warehouse in Anderson, Indiana, allowing for professional wrapping of pallets and dockside pick-up.

August - St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Indianapolis conducted computer drives for the benefit of Wings for West Africa.

June - North Central High School student Miles Johnson traveled to Senegal, where he assisted in the distribution of over 2,000 pairs of donated eye glasses and conducted a computer training workshop on equipment donated by Wings.

May - The third annual Soirée sénégalaise was held by French students at North Central High School, Indianapolis, to raise funds for their project, directed by Wings President, Kathleen Lattimer, to outfit a middle school in Diofior, Senegal, with much-needed equipment and supplies. Dozens of guests were treated to an evening of Senegalese food, dance, a traditional drummer, and market.

April - Wings sent 110 computer stations, printers, and other school related equipment to a dozen of schools in Senegal.

2007

November - Wings donated and shipped more than 100 computers and printers to ten schools in Senegal.

September - A student chapter of Wings for West Africa was organized at the Canterbury School, an independent K-12 school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, under the leadership of student David Witwer. This group is doing an excellent job of collecting computers and communicating the mission of Wings for West Africa to the Fort Wayne community.

June - Wings for West Africa President Kathleen Lattimer and Vice-President Habib Diatta presented at the Education Roundtable discussion at Indiana Black Expo Black Business Conference International Economic Development Forum. The primary goal was to seek partners in their development of a two-way exchange program for thirty teachers from Indianapolis and Senegal planned for 2008-2009. We are also seeing support for the ongoing development of teacher training in schools which have received computers from Wings.

April - Wings President Kathleen Lattimer and North Central High School French Honor Society President Nick Johnson presented the work of Wings to the student body of University High School in Indianapolis. As a result, a new student club was formed. It has already become active in supporting the work of Wings by helping to prepare the next group of computers for shipment and is planning a satellite project for the coming school year.

March - 100 computers and 10 printers, destined for 10 secondary schools in Senegal, began their journey by ocean container from the U.S. to the port of Dakar, the capital of Senegal.