Patrick Chezzie works on one of the many computers he has fixed up and donated to schools.
Georgina
August 13, 2008 08:16 PM
John Slykhuis
Georgina school children whose parents can’t afford a computer have found their hero in Patrick Chezzie.
The 62-year-old Keswick man is finding his quiet retirement anything but since he launched his completely volunteer personal project earlier this year.
“It started when a lady at the bank asked if I knew anyone who needed a new computer,” he said. “I said, ‘I’ll take it and give it to the little girl who lives across the street’,” Mr. Chezzie said.
Since then, he has collected and refurbished second-hand computers and accessories and donated them to local schools to give to children who need them.
“I just love to see the kids’ faces when I bring them,” he said.
Donors to date include the Town of Georgina, Keswick and Sutton libraries, Markham-Stouffville Hospital, Job Skills, the Tenet Computer Group and various individuals.
“This has just been taking off like crazy,” said Mr. Chezzie. “Some retirement.”
He has the full support of his wife, Paula, and son, Christopher, a York Regional Police officer.
His garage is filled with computers, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers and all the electronic wiring a peripherals that go with it such as hubs, modems, drives, sound cards, cables and power cords.
“Some of this stuff is brand new,” he said.
It feels good knowing the children who are getting his computers will now have an equal chance at learning their classmates who have computers at home, Mr. Chezzie said.
“They can’t keep up if they don’t have a computer at home, so they start falling behind,” he said.
He loads his computers with Linux programming so there are no licensing or pirating issues.
A lot of the programming is children’s educational.
He hopes to find a spot in Keswick someone will donate so he can have a depot for all the computers and parts.
While not a computer engineer by training, Mr. Chezzie said he handled production and computer programming at Reese’s Woodworking in Newmarket before his retirement.
“My computer broke down once, so I just learned how to fix it,” he said. “I’m a fast learner.”
Last week, he got a call from the Hospital for Sick Children who informed him they have a huge inventory of used computers.
Computers being throw out are collected like regular trash and put in a large container at the waste transfer station where a private company collects them to refurbish and sell.
He won’t do that.
“I’m not looking to make any money at this.
“I just enjoy helping the kids.”
He is also a volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.
Anyone who would like to help with the Sick Kids project, donate a computer or related equipment, can e-mail Mr. Chezzie at paddy1@rogers.com