Denver Indian Center Receives Computer Donation

Jonny BearCub Stiffarm (in purple) DIC Board Member, Dan Archuleta (far right)
Mary Canzona, Director (white jacket) and staff of the Denver Indian Center

Students at the Denver Indian Center will be honing their computer skills with much better equipment thanks to the Mountain Plains Office’s recent donation of ten computers.  Details of the computer donation were worked out by American Indian Special Emphasis Program Manager Dan Archuleta. 

Computer training is one of a wide array of services the Denver Indian Center provides to American Indian families living in the metropolitan area. In addition to running a Head Start and child care center, the Center aids clients in developing job skills, finding employment, locating affordable places to live, and knowing how to access public transportation. Computer students are learning word processing skills, mastering other Microsoft Office programs, and finding out how to conduct Internet searches. MPR’s IT staff set up the computers and ensured software was working properly. 

Center Director Mary Canzona expressed gratitude for the gift since the facility lacks up-to-date classroom equipment. She and vice chairperson of the Center’s Board of Directors, Jonny BearCub, were on hand to receive MPR’s recent donation.  BearCub also serves on Denver Mayor Wellington Webb’s staff. “Our budget isn’t adequate to replace outdated PCs so we appreciate getting high quality computers for our students. This will better prepare them to find jobs in the Denver workforce. This will be a tremendous boost to our training programs,” Canzona said. Archuleta is also working on plans to ship more excess Gateway and Dell computers this fall to students attending school on South Dakota reservations. “It’s great finding new homes for used computers. It’s obvious they’re badly needed at the Center and reservations. Lots of Indian youth will be computer-literate thanks to the Federal government’s donation program,” Archuleta concluded.