PUBLIX, MICROSOFT TEAM UP TO HELP AREA GROUPS

A lot of times in these spaces, we bloggers tend to moan and groan and bitch about who's doing what to who, who's screwing "we, the people", and concentrate on what's wrong. Sometimes, a story comes along that we simply have to make time and space to let you know what's right here at home.

The Lakeland-based supermarket chain Publix has 650 laptops and personal computers that were aging and had been replaced. So, what to you do with 'em? Toss 'em out? Dump 'em on an unsuspecting charity with far outdated software that wouldn't do them any good and aren't worth the time, hassle, or expense of upgrading 'em?

This morning's Lakeland Ledger reports that the answer is: None of the Above. Publix got together with the United Way of Central Florida and Microsoft to refurbish the computers, install new software, and distribute them to several Polk County nonprofit organizations.

For the past several months, Publix employees had been installing the Microsoft-provided software, delivering and setting up the machines...all on their own time.

Among the groups benefiting from the refurbished computers are Girls, Inc. of Lakeland, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, Central Florida Speech and Hearing Center, the Learning Resource Center of Polk County, and Volunteers in Service to the Elderly.

According to the Ledger story:

Staff at United Way actually put the two companies together, and Microsoft liked the idea so much the company plans to form similar partnerships throughout the country.

"When companies team up to address the needs of the underserved, the results can be amazing," Kirsten Kliphouse, a Microsoft district manager, said in a news release. "Together with Publix, our goal is to close the gap in technology education."