Van Koeverden and tech company donate computers to YMCA centre

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Olympic medalist Adam van Koeverden and Lenovo, an international technology company, presented eight new computers to a YMCA youth centre, Pro Tech Media Centre.

"We thought pretty long and hard about where we were going to make a donation because we knew we had about eight computers available for donation," said three-time kayaking medalist van Koeverden. "It was a priority of mine when I started working with Lenovo that there was going to be a charitable component to my relationship with them."

On Thursday, Nov. 27 van Koeverden and Jay McBain, Lenovo director of channel sales for North America, presented the computers to an informal gathering of YMCA staff and youth who use the centre located at Finch Avenue and Albion Road.

Melodie Downey, YMCA director and operator for the centre, said the computers were needed and will be well-used.

"It's something that is going to aid us in providing more services to the youth," she said. "We've got a lot of members."

The centre is for youth aged nine to 25 and has a current total of 847 members.

"A lot of times, two or three kids are behind one computer, waiting their turn. To have more computers is going to benefit us greatly," she said.

To demonstrate the youth's positive work, three teens presented a video to van Koeverden that outlined his successes as an Olympian. The video was made up of still images they found on the Internet and video clips of van Koeverden in action.

"The idea of the video was to show a slide show of Mr. Van Koeverden and to show his achievements during the Olympic games," said Eric Gonzales, 16, who has used the centre for four months.

After the video was finished van Koeverden said he was, "speechless - and that doesn't happen very often."

He thanked them and said that he too used after-school community programs as a child and teenager. He built his strength as a kayaker at an after-school canoe club in Oakville, and attributed his success to the program.

Van Koeverden said he knows from his own experience that it's important to have places like the Pro Tech Media Centre for youth to go.

"I think it's really important to recognize the value of places like this where kids can go and be creative and work on their skills," he said to the group. "It doesn't matter if it's kayaking or the piano or the computer or design. Any goal or dream a kid has should have a place where they can go to reach their absolute potential."

McBain said that technology is the way of the future and the ability to enable youth has proven to be one of the best parts of his job.

"First of all the economic conditions are obviously challenging and we know the jobs of the future are going to be knowledge-based," McBain said. "I think kids today need that access and if they don't have a computer at home then they need access somewhere else."

The program is meant to engage the youth by empowering them through new media arts, which include elements such as graphic design, web site design, and 3-D animation said Downey. The program also offers a leadership program and homework help among other things.

Van Koeverden said he was blown away by how talented the youth were.

"It's pretty clear that they have it together here in Rexdale and they know how to keep community programing alive."