• By Todd Luck
• Posted Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Fifth Annual “Geek-A-Thon” to refurbish and award computers to local students

Team member volunteers from Wells Fargo will award over 100 computers to deserving students from Forsyth County schools without access to a working home computer on Saturday, October 12, starting at 10 a.m. at the Hanesbrands Theater, 209 Spruce Street.

Approximately 200 team members from Wells Fargo will volunteer their time over the course of two days, starting after Opening Remarks at Noon on Thursday (Oct 10) and continuing through Friday (Oct 11) afternoon at the Hanesbrands Theater. They will refurbish desktop computers during a three-day “Geek-A-Thon” sponsored by Wells Fargo and organized by the Kramden Institute and WinstonNet. The goal is to refurbish and award 100 of these computers on Saturday (Oct 12) to local school children without a home computer of their own. The rest of the refurbished computers will be awarded to students and organizations across North Carolina.

“We take pride in supporting and collaborating with WinstonNet, Kramden Institute and our Winston-Salem and Forsyth County Schools on this important initiative,” said Peggy Reingold, Wells Fargo’s Senior Community Relations Consultant. “The prosperity of young people is a critical element in a strong and thriving community, and Wells Fargo is committed to providing the students of Forsyth County with every possible resource to achieve long-term success. Our goal is to help build strong and vibrant communities, improve the quality of life and make a positive difference.”

Kramden Institute, a Durham-based nonprofit whose mission is to provide technology tools and training to bridge the digital divide, brought hundreds of computers along with their staff to lead and guide the Wells Fargo volunteers through the Institute’s intense two-day “Geek-A-Thon” computer refurbishing process.

"For the fifth year in a row, Wells Fargo and their community partners, WinstonNet and Forsyth County Schools, have invited us to help students and their families in Winston Salem bridge the digital divide. Thanks to the generous help of Wells Fargo employees volunteering their time and effort, we've been able to place well over 400 computers to deserving students in need," said Michael Abensour, Executive Director of Kramden Institute.

One hundred and twelve (112) deserving elementary school students were nominated by school educators to receive a home computer as a result of a partnership between Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools and WinstonNet, a local non profit dedicated to closing the digital divide in our community.

Kevin Sherrill, Chairman of the WinstonNet Board, said “We are excited to partner again with Wells Fargo with the Geek a Thon program. Their investment in the community to provide over 100 families with a home computer will have a lasting benefit. WinstonNet is honored to be a part of this initiative and commends Wells Fargo on their commitment to this worthy cause.”

The “Geek-A-Thon” will conclude on Saturday Oct. 12 when local students and their families arrive at the Hanesbrands Theater to pickup their computers. Wells Fargo volunteers will train the students on their new computers and show them some of the many educational programs pre-loaded on the machines.