NWA-PCUG Newsletter Article
The Jones Center for Families
Doug MacDonald, Co-President, May 98
dmacdona@ipa.net
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With the May meeting, we start what we all hope will work out to be a long and fruitful association with the Jones Center for Families. Northwest Technical Institute has been an outstanding host over the years, but the Board agreed to try a move to the Jones Center for a number of reasons. Our meeting facilities, which will be the combined Little Rock, Atlanta, and St. Louis rooms, appear to be an ideal match for our needs. This large, open room will handle seventy-five folks for the main meeting, and can then be easily divided into three smaller rooms for our roundtables, if necessary.

Another reason for trying the Jones Center is the superior array of audio- visual equipment that their support personnel can provide. We have access to a digital projector, which will make life substantially easier for presenters who wish to use a computer to augment their presentations or to make demonstrations. They also have overhead projectors, public address systems, and telephone jacks in the meeting rooms so that those presenters who need access to the Internet can easily get it. There is a sixty-inch television and VCR system available, which means that if someone wishes to show videotape we all should have little difficulty in viewing the results.

As many of you know, the Jones Center provides numerous additional activities, including a full-service computer classroom, that some of you may be interested in using. For those of you who are new to computing, the Jones Center has several different levels of computer classes. Don't forget to stop in at their computer room desk to see what they have to offer. If you want a quick swim or workout before or after the meeting, the Jones Center can accommodate you there as well! Just ask one of the volunteers at the front desk for information on the many advantages of joining the Jones Center. On top of everything else, access to almost everything at the Jones center is free to local residents! There is also a snack bar available for lunch or quick "pick me up" after the meeting.

Most of you know that the Jones Center is located about one-quarter mile north of the Northwest Technical Institute on Route 265. It is on the same side of the road as the Sprindale airport and located at the end of the runway between Emma Street and Huntsville Road. It is a large facility, and moving around in it for the first time can be a bit confusing. We have posted a diagram of the Jones Center, with our meeting place clearly marked, on our web site as well as on the facing page of this newsletter. For most people it will be slightly easier if you park in the right parking lot as you face the building. There are not many stairs involved in reaching the area where our meeting will take place, but if you prefer to use a ramp there is one available at the north end of the building, which is to the right as you face the Jones Center from the parking lot. There is also handicapped parking quite close to the ramp at the north end of the building. If you need assistance, there are volunteers stationed at the main entrance to the Center, and they will have information about where we are meeting and how to get there. There are also television monitors at various locations throughout the center announcing the various groups and their meeting locations.

We look forward to seeing you at the Jones Center on May 16th! Bring a friend!

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