пятница, 2 марта 2012 г.

Fishermen connected thanks to donation

STONINGTON - Area fishermen now have access to the Internet andcomputer assistance through the Penobscot East Resource Centerthanks to a gift of computers from Bar Harbor Bank and Trust.

Liz Veazie, branch relationship manager for the bank, recentlydelivered seven computers and monitors to PERC, where they have beeninstalled in the Fishermen's Room and public education space and areready for use.

"Bar Harbor Bank and Trust feels it is important to give back tothe community where we work," Veazie said in a press release. "Thefishing industry on the island is very important, and we want tosupport it, and we are glad the computers will be used by localfishermen."

A few fishermen already have been using those computers.According to Carla Geunther, PERC's community coordinator, the mainuse will be to help lobstermen and their families access onlineinformation they need to complete requirements for USDA TradeAdjustment Assistance.

"Right now, the primary use of the computers is with the TAA forthe lobster fleet," Guenther said Tuesday. "TAA offers some onlineoptions for fishermen to complete a lot of the requirements for theprogram."

The TAA program is using federal stimulus funds to provideeligible lobstermen with business management training in a series ofworkshops and counseling for business plan development over a three-year period. TAA orientations also may be done at TAA locationsthroughout the state, but for many applicants who do not want totravel and who do not have Internet access at home, the PenobscotEast Resource Center computers provide a local option, Guenthersaid.

In addition to providing the computer and Internet access,Guenther said, there would be someone on-site to work with fishermenand their families on the TAA processes.

"We really appreciate this generous and timely donation by thebank," Guenther said. "We can now offer computer assistance on sevencomputers where fishermen, their wives and sternmen who have appliedfor the TAA program can 'virtually' attend the required TAAorientation and five hours of workshops online. A family can nowattend different workshops simultaneously without having to leavethe island."

PERC is developing a TAA workshop schedule, which will beannounced as soon as it is available.

Statewide, about 220 of the 2,250 fishermen who applied for theTAA program have gone through the orientation. Two of thosefishermen did the program online at the center.

The Penobscot East Resource Center Fishermen's Room is alreadyopen and available to fishermen from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, andfishermen also are using the computers for other purposes. Fishermenare coming in early to check the NOAA weather forecasts, Guenthersaid, and shrimp fishermen have used the computers to get updatesfrom the Department of Marine Resources on shrimp landings to seehow close they are to the total allowable catch.

Although the focus initially has been on the fishermen because ofthe TAA program, Guenther said PERC hopes to offer programs to thewider community. They are developing plans to offer a basic computerintroduction course this winter and to add other courses in thefuture.

"The bank gave us these computers so they would be used,"Guenther said. "This is another way to bring people into our newbuilding. We have a lot of great space and we want it to be used asa community facility."

Questions or suggestions for the workshops can be addressed toGuenther or Eaton at 367-2708.

rhewitt@bangordailynews.com

667-9394

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