The HeliOS Project Organization Day

Well, it never ceases to amaze me.

The more room we are given, the faster I can turn it into a cluttered mess.

Hey, I'm just talented that way...

On the 20th of February which is a Saturday, The HeliOS Project will be hosting their first official Organization Day.  We will be gathering volunteers to meet at our facility in Lakeway and try to bring some order to the chaos I have created.

You've been warned.  Oh...there will be free food as an incentive.

We will also be filming parts of the event so wear something you'd want to be seen in.  I've sent  personal invitations to Angelina Jolie and Moon Bloodgood and I have every confidence that they will show up.

I mean, they'll show up somewhere...just probably not in Lakeway.

If you can participate, please notify me via email:  helios at fixedbylinux dot com.  We really could use some help.

Most importantly, I want to announce publicly the appointment of a new Director to The HeliOS Project.

Skip (Stephen) Guenter has been a crucial part of our effort for two years.  Skip was part of the hardware team during the first Linux Against Poverty and his knowledge of hardware as it pertains to building functional computers has been invaluable.  It is not uncommon for Skip to take recently donated equipment, load it in his car and spend his free time at his work bench at home getting this stuff ready to go out. 

Skip resides in Hutto Texas with his wife Sharon and and his two monster dogs Kaiser and Blue.   He has given The HeliOS Project countless hours of his time in getting donated machines ready for deployment.  The addition to Skip Guenter as the Director of Systems Engineering will solidify our efforts and insure that I don't blow up any more perfectly rebuildable machines.

Skip is a Senior Manager at Computer Sciences Corporation where he has been employed since 1983.  He's also traveled to Beijing and spent a year there working for CSC.  When he's not working or tinkering with computers, he's usually asleep.  I want to join you in welcoming Skip to The HeliOS Project in an official capacity.  This guy rocks and I'm glad to have him aboard.

This is also a great time to highlight some of the people that have been an inestimable part of what we do.  It didn't take me long to figure out that I couldn't do everything required by this project and the people listed below took a great burden from me.  For that I am extremely grateful.

Tom King

Tom has been our Director of Network Engineering since we incorporated as a Texas non profit.  Tom's understanding of complex networking issues has gotten us out of more jams than I could possibly put us into.  Well, for the most part...there are some balls of fishing line that can't be untangled by human hands.  Tom is a Server Analyst for Dell, Inc and lives in Round Rock Texas with his wife Cyndi.  She has been more than understanding when Tom was needed to come fix stuff and he has never missed a call for assistance.  Tom was the guy in charge of getting all the computers at Linux Against Poverty hooked up for system installation.  We couldn't have done it without him.

Andy Krell

Andy is the Director of IT and Custom Data Services at nFusion Group, LLC here in Austin.   Andy has seen to it that we get some of the best laptop computers we've ever been able to give away.  Not only has he been instrumental in getting these donations, Andy does all the repair work and tweaking before they come our way.  I can't begin to count the hours he has saved me in preparing these great machines prior to deployment.  Andy was also a steadfast component of the Hardware Team during Linux Against Poverty.

Andy has selflessly volunteered his services to install computer systems for our disadvantaged kids around Austin.  He's answered every call for help we've issued and for his service to The HeliOS Project, we couldn't be more grateful.

Darrel Raynor


Darrel is our Director of Asset Management and he has delivered more to our effort than I could have ever asked.  Not only does Darrel solicit donations for The HeliOS Project, he has provided us with a free facility where we can store and build the computers we give away.  Darrel has done this at his own cost.

I often kid that Darrel knows everyone. Seemingly, he does.  I am guessing that his Rolodex is coveted by about everyone in the business and social community here in Austin...or the state of Texas for that matter.  We owe Darrel more than we could ever repay him.

Now it might be good for me to tell you specifically what these guys do for us.  We have two projects coming up shortly that will make a big difference in many kid's lives.

Camp Cedar Creek hosts a camp for kids with HIV.  John Weathers has asked us to provide 6 computers for these kids and we have agreed to provide them.  These kids live day to day in many cases, not sure of their futures.  HIV is no longer a death sentence and we will do what we can to give them the learning environment they need.  They DO have a future.  I will be preparing these computers at our Lakeway facility this weekend for delivery on Monday.

Plans are going ahead for the delivery of up to 30 computers for Our Texas Grandchildren.  This is a foundation established by Carole Keeton Strayhorn to care for and nurture the most neglected in our Texas foster care system.  We are proud to provide these machines and training to these kids.

As always, we rely upon your support to do what we do.  I want to thank you now for helping us do it.  We couldn't do it without you.

All-Righty Then