M'ville to open computer lab for senior citizens, students

Senior citizens and Merrillville students would benefit from a new program the town plans to offer.

Clerk-Treasurer Eugene Guernsey said Merrillville is in the process of opening a new computer lab at Town Hall. He wants to have the facility in place in January.

During the day, the computer lab would be open to senior citizens.

Guernsey said there are many tasks that are done using computers. He said some senior citizens might not have computers or they might not know how to use some programs, such as video chatting software to talk to relatives who don't live nearby.

"There are a lot of people who are not computer savvy," Guernsey said.

He said volunteers would host computer classes for senior citizens to help them learn how to use a variety of programs.

After school, computers would be open to Merrillville students, Guernsey said.

He also wants the town to hire Merrillville high school students to provide tutoring sessions at the computer lab.

He said he will collaborate with the high school to find students for the part-time jobs.

Guernsey said there would be no cost to senior citizens using the computers, but there would be a minimal charge to children coming in for tutoring.

Funds received from the fee would be used to pay the high school students, Guernsey said.

Guernsey said he hasn't yet determined where the center will be located inside of Merrillville's municipal complex.

"We're gonna find room in that Town Hall," Town Council President Carol Miano said.

Equipment for the computer lab will be purchased with money from a $30,000 donation Comcast contributed for the project, Guernsey said.

Miano said she is appreciative of businesses that are taking an active role to improve the community.

She said Merrillville's computer facility would be named the Comcast Computer Center.