December 2003:  preparing for Christmas and beyond ...

By early December, Glenn's new team of volunteers had built or refurbished 20 computers.  Due to the generous response from the community, many more computers were now available to be refurbished.  The team decided to keep working and complete as many computers as possible for the Christmas delivery.  Although the volunteers had full time jobs and families, they spent every spare minute at Glenn's house working to rebuild computers, install donated software, and attend to the administrative details of organizing the Christmas giveaway.

Glenn and his team realized that the need for computers by Tulsa's needy families was far too great to be satisfied by a Christmas project by a small group of friends.  They also began to realize that the community was eager to donate used computers and volunteer their time to a group dedicated to refurbishing used equipment and providing it to needy persons.  The group decided to continue the work on a permanent basis and to form a non-profit corporation called PC Power.

A representative of the University of Tulsa's Physical Plant offered to donate any surplus computer equipment or office furniture from the TU warehouse. 

By December 21, the team of volunteers had completed 38 computers -- nearly four times the original goal.

On December 22, a large group of volunteers assembled at the Tulsa Police Department's Fraternal Order of Police Lodge to package the computers, gift wrap them, and load them in police cars for delivery to the children of Tulsa.  Among the volunteers were several active and retired Tulsa Police officers, including retired Chief of Police Harry Stege. The Tulsa Marriott Southern Hills and several local chefs donated food for the police officers and community volunteers who showed up to help.  Santa Claus and KOTV reporter Lori Fullbright accompanied a police officer on a delivery that was later featured on the evening news.  The North Pole Computer Project Christmas giveaway resulted in the placement of computers in 38 homes in the Tulsa area.  Those computers will be used by more than 120 children.  It would have cost over $12,000 to purchase used computer equipment and software comparable to those donated for the Christmas project. 

next:  January 2004:  creation of a non-profit ...