Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 09/99) - After beaming about his useful screen saver, senior George Gibson describes how sending e-mail to grandchildren is one reason many seniors are becoming computer literate.

"I have a daughter in Calgary who I e-mail," said Gibson, who has been teaching basic skills to seniors this summer.

The five classes of four students each teach initial skills in advance of seniors' computer classes at Aurora College this fall.

Gibson says about half the seniors who have taken the Baker Centre classes have never touched a computer.

Gibson credits the Elk's Lodge with helping out buying two of the centre's four computers. The Yellowknife Seniors' Association bought the other two.

But aside from the practical use of e-mailing relatives, Gibson excitedly discussed his screen saver.

"Instead of having something totally useless like fish swimming across the screen, I see radio waves, peaks and frequencies as my computer analyzes data and sends it back to a central headquarters," Gibson said of a program to monitor real radio waves from outer space.

He downloaded the program that acts as a screen saver with help from a Grade 7 student, Duncan Hamre, with whom he meets weekly.

"I saw a scientist on TV talking about (the radio wave monitoring program) last week so this is pretty new," Gibson said.

For 80-year-old veteran Dusty Miller, his interest in computers is how to link with other veterans and veteran organizations.

"I'm just beginning to look at other veteran organizations and how they might tie in and take advantage (of that knowledge) up here," Miller says.

"I try to keep up with the world and computers are the way to do it."

Gibson said Baker Centre computers are available for seniors to drop in and use whenever convenient.

"We've gone into relaxed mode so in the summer, we're going to keep it going informally just to keep our skills up."

Gibson said he and some other seniors met with Sheila Morrison from Aurora College to discuss implementing computer courses for seniors.

She made a presentation outlining programming and sign-up forms are available at the Baker Centre.

"We're very enthusiastic and very appreciative," Gibson said.