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April-June 2007

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Northwest Florida Association of Computer User Groups Established
J. B. Hillard
Coordinator, NWFACUG

On November 2, 2006 the organizing user groups of the newly formed Northwest Florida Association of Computer User Groups moved forward in their effort to provide a coordinating venue for home computer user help, education, and entertainment in the Florida panhandle.

The NWFACUG primary purpose is to bring user groups closer together in the geographic region of 16 counties in Northwest Florida. Any computer user group in the region will be eligible for membership. The NWFACUG will be closely associated with Okaloosa-Walton College and the Positive Retirement Through Imaginative Education program.

The organization will operate with many similarities as traditional regional associations affiliated with the APCUG. However, for the annual educational and entertainment function, it will be open to the public and not exclusively for member user groups. While promoting the membership, we will be exposing the public to what user groups are all about, and what can be accomplished when people come together. Hopefully, the residual benefit will be increased membership in the host user groups.

In October, 2006 the founding members hosted a computer fair that received wide-spread public recognition. This was a "first of its kind" in Northwest Florida in that the focus was on the home computer user. There was a slight commercial presence, but the spotlight was on the home computer hobbyist. This brought out the type and age group that we usually see at user group regional events, but there was a strong element of younger participants as well.

Presenting vendors were Smart Computing Magazine, Microsoft, and Corel. All total, 27 vendors provided door prizes of which nearly 200 were given out to the public and participating user group members. Several vendors wanted to set up a presence but we were not able to handle the logistics for this first time event. However, in 2007 it will be expanded considerably and more on-site vendors will be invited to participate.

Organizations are often formed by a "spark" igniting an idea and interest. In our case the "spark" was Jen Clausen, Field Representative for Smart Computing Magazine. A simple telephone call from Jen requesting an audience to present Smart Computing became the catalyst that was leveraged to form the NWFACUG.

Over the next couple of months all the paperwork will be completed, officers selected, a website established, and membership application to APCUG will be completed. We look forward to becoming a member of the APCUG family.