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 The Club began in 1983
when Len Point had a problem with his computer and could not find ready
answers. He gathered together the few local computer "experts" at that time, as
sort of a "mutual-aid" society. Club members took turns offering their homes as
sites for the monthly meetings.
As the PC became more popular, and as more residents learned of the Club, it became
apparent that a larger venue was needed. So, in 1988, the Club became "The Sun City
Center Personal Computer Users Group", associated with the SCC Community Association
and moved its meetings to the CA facilities - first, the Heritage Room, then the Little
Theater, then the Caper Room, and eventually to the Florida Room.
In 1996, with the monthly meeting attendance exceeding 200, arrangements were finalized to
move to the Community Hall. This site has a capacity of 1,000, so it is expected to serve
the Club's needs into the foreseeable future.
While Len Point is the historical "father" of the Club, his summer absences
resulted in Charlie Elder hosting the meetings beginning in 1986. With the affiliation
with the Community Association, formal bylaws and elections were required. That resulted,
in order, with the election of Tom McCormack, Carl Knapp, Russ Merritt, Jack Fischer,
Roger Meissner, Bob Porterfield, Jim
Cox, Homer Childress and Forrest Rose.
 As the membership grew, major manufacturers became more interested in
presenting their wares. Today, we are able to attract nearly any program or vendor
presentation.
The first Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed in 1991 to study Genealogy. This has
since spun off as its own organization - The South Bay Genealogical Society. The list of
SIG's has grown to include Windows, Novice, Internet, Macintosh, Quicken,
Digital Imaging, and Genealogy. As our diverse membership continues to grow, so too does this list.
In 1993, as the result of solid planning and a fortuitous grant, a permanent Computer
Learning Center was established in the Kings Point Clubhouse. This facility
and one in Community Hall, staffed with
Club volunteers, trains nearly 1000 residents each year in computer fundamentals and
applications.
In 1996, the Club incorporated as The Computer Club, Inc. and was granted 501(c)(3) status
as a tax-exempt organization in 1997. While forecasting the future is risky, it seems safe
to suggest that the Club will move forward as a larger, even more important,
force in the community it serves. |
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