This is part of a day-long trip to Baltimore with a User Group Academy visit to Dulaney High School, the partner in MD Apple's winning grant proposal.


An Evening with MD Apple Corps

By now you've probably already read my account of our visit to the MD Apple Corps' grant recipient partner Dulaney High School. After that visit, I had the opportunity to experience a Maryland Apple Corps meeting first hand.
__ By the time we finished with the Dulaney High School tour, it was already well into rush hour. Mical Carton and I took a short excursion around Baltimore's 695 beltway to the city of Towson, MD, where we were met by Arno Drucker, President of the Maryland Apple Corps.
__ One thing I always enjoy about User Groups is that they're almost always ready for a little social gathering mixed in with computer business. Arno invited us to join their pre-meeting dinner at Friday's -- just across the street from the Baltimore County Public Library complex where the meeting would be held.
__ An onlooker would never have suspected that I was an "outsider" from nearly 300 miles away. Nope, I was warmly welcomed as part of 'the family' by more than a dozen members and officers gathered for the pre-meeting affair. I learned that, as with many user groups, it's been a tradition at MD Apple for interested officers and members to meet for a light supper before the general meeting. There's also an after-meeting get together which I was unable to experience because of my four hour drive home.
__ The Baltimore County Public Library complex is a super site for user group meetings. The in-facility parking deck opens directly into the huge library interior, which, by the way, is completely wired with its own Internet ISP complete with dial-up services, and remote network access directly into the information system maintained by the library. In the meeting/presentation room busy and excited MD Apple members were already gathering. I dropped off the box of TShirts I brought along for door prizes, and went to join in the Q&A session already in progress.
__ As with many user groups, an informal question and answer period sometimes acts as the warm-up mixer for the meeting. (Photo above) Questions were heartily met with answers and solutions from every part of the room -- from how to export a Quick Books library to getting connected on the library network -- no matter how difficult or how easy, all questions were answered with relish. MD Apple Corps meetings average anywhere from 50 to 150 members, and follow the basic general agenda used by most user groups.
__ Upon calling the meeting to order, President Arno Drucker made some business announcements then Larry Carton invited me to say a few words about the UG Academy and the visit to Grant Award Partner Dulaney High School. I was proud to give an enthusiastic report but, more importantly, for the opportunity to invite MD Apple member Marie Ponzillo, Grant Proposal Author, to stand and be recognized by her fellow members.
__ When the applause died down, Larry introduced their program for the evening -- a multi media presentation on the information resources and network programs at the Public Library facility. It was a great presentation complete with many questions from the audience. (enlargement)
Alas, even before the meeting was over, I had to begin my trek back home.
__ As I drove, I recounted the day's activities. The folks in Baltimore County sure have a lot to be proud of. The community around Dulaney High School, and in the Towson area are very fortunate to have an active and caring computer club like MD Apple Corps -- particularly with members like Mical and Larry Carton, Arno Drucker, and Marie Ponzillo.

It was a happy day. One that I won't soon forget.

Fred Showker

Also, find out about our visit to the MD Apple CorpsGrant Winning Partner, Dulaney High School, this link will take you into the User Group Academy for that story.

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How to reach the MD Apple Corps:
MDApple@AOL.com, or contact Arno Drucker, President, for comments about this page.

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