Free I.T. Athens volunteers are participating in a few events this month and we hope you’ll join us!

Whether you love Linux, are passionate about coding, can’t get enough of vintage tech, could talk about environmental science for hours, or anything in between, you’re invited to GEEK OUT with Free I.T. Athens volunteers over a potluck lunch! Saturday, November 23rd at 1:30pm in the Free I.T. Athens Workspace.

Free I.T. Athens will provide plates, water, tea, sodas, and a crew of geeky volunteers who are looking forward to meeting you. 🤓

Please plan to bring…
– A dish to share with serving utensils. Comment down below what you plan to bring to avoid a potluck with nothing by desserts (but then again, would that be so bad?)
– A reusable cup and utensils. This helps reduce the environmental impact of these sorts of meetings.

Heads up! Some volunteers have dairy, shellfish, and soy allergies, and there are vegan and vegetarian folks around too. Please consider this when deciding what to bring. Labeling any food that might contain an allergen such as soy or peanuts is helpful in creating a safe, enjoyable event for everyone. Leave a comment if you have a food restriction. 💚

RSVP over on the Facebook!

Sat, Nov 16, 1-3pm
Repair Café @ ACC Solid Waste – 725 Hancock Industrial Way

Bring an item in need of repair like bicycles, toys, clothing/textiles, computers, small furniture, electronics, tools and small appliances (No automobile repair). We will help you fix the item. This will be same day service and we are NOT masters at fixing everything, but we will try our best. “Repairing people and things, one cafe at a time!”

For more information: (706) 613-3512, recycle@accgov.com, or accgov.com/recycle

SUNDAY new volunteer orientation! Sunday, November 24, 2019 at 12 PM – 1 PM @ Free I.T. Athens

We host new volunteer orientation sessions every other Tuesday, but every now and then like to host a special session on the weekend for those who can’t attend on a weekday evening.

Before you get started volunteering, you’ll need to attend a new volunteer orientation session. These meetings typically last less than 45 minutes and provide an introduction to Free I.T. Athens and our policies.

There is no need to RSVP, just come by the workspace (2465 Jefferson Rd.) on Sunday, November 24th at noon. If you can’t make this session, no worries. We hold orientation every other Tuesday. Check out the calendar for future dates (https://www.freeitathens.org/calendar/).

Heads up, Free I.T. Athens will be closed a few days in November. Keep up to date with our hours and events on the calendar page.

We’ll be closed on…

• Sunday, November 3rd
• Sunday, November 10th
• Wednesday, November 27th
• Friday, November 29th

Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated a great 2019 at Free I.T. Athens. We munched on pizza, played games, revealed the secret identities of a few LOCAL SUPERHEROES, and had such a good time that we all forgot to take pictures!

If you missed it, here’s a PDF version of this year’s presentation:

Hope to see you at the annual meeting in 2020. :)
Charlie

>>> You’re invited to Free I.T. Athens’ annual meeting and celebration Saturday, October 13th at 6:30 pm in the workspace.

>>> Free I.T. Athens will close Saturday, October 19th and Sunday, October 20th.

Annual Meeting

Each year, staff volunteers meet on the second Saturday in October to elect board members for the upcoming term. We take the opportunity to celebrate Free I.T., its mission, and all the wonderful people who serve it and our community. We’ll have some noms and sodas, a casual presentation, and give a lot of high fives. Join us!

Closed Saturday 10/19 and 10/20

Free I.T. Athens will not be open Saturday, October 19th and Sunday, October 20th. Regular hours will resume on the following Wednesday.

Despite having 112 amazing active volunteers, only a handful of people have stepped up to ensuring open hours take place each and every day. After years of volunteering, that small group of people is teetering dangerously close to burning out. So, for their wellbeing and to make sure that Free I.T. Athens stays open for many years to come, we’re taking a health weekend and closing up shop.

You may see these health weekends more frequently moving forward, but we’ll always give you plenty of heads up here and on social media. We don’t like closing down. Quite the opposite! We want to grow our open hours, which is why staff volunteers and board members are making some big changes for…

…the Future of Free I.T. Athens!

Everything is still in the early stages of planning, but we’re working on a two-pronged approach for a thriving Free I.T. Athens:

Build a stronger volunteer backbone to prevent burnout by adding a role with additional perks. Volunteers who commit to being “head volunteer” for a day each month might get access to store discounts or additional computers.

Establish more regular business hours by hiring FRITA’s first employee!

We’re still exploring options and gathering information from other nonprofits, but many of us volunteers agree that this is the best path forward. Feel free to email us your thoughts or even drop by the workspace for a chat in person. We always appreciate your insights and advice.

Looking forward to seeing you at the annual meeting!
Charlie

Saturday, February 23 from 10a to 2p
@ Athens-Clarke County Library

Free I.T. Athens volunteers are excited to spread the word about ewaste and responsible recycling at this year’s GREEN LIFE EXPO. This annual event is an educational celebration of all the great organizations and community members in Athens-Clarke County working toward a sustainable future. (Psst, it’s also free and full of activities for the kiddos!)

We hope you come by our table and say hello! Learn more at the Athens-Clarke County website or Facebook Event.

Cheers,
Charlie