Pictured above is AT&T Tech Guide William Porter assisting Mary Lou Snare, left, and Grace Pierson during our TechRally at the Plymouth Place Senior Community in La Grange, Illinois as part of our nationwide ReConnect Tour.
Over the last couple of weeks TechRallies, as part of the AT&T Reconnect Tour, have been held throughout the country generating excitement, genuine interest and curiosity from the hundreds of seniors we’ve met.
One story that truly reflects that enthusiasm comes from Mavis Koopman, who among 80 other seniors at Holmstad Retirement Community in Batavia, Illinois, participated in our AT&T Reconnect Tour.
“Armed with a Pantech smartphone, Mavis Koopman was texting, taking video and pictures, and comparing apps with her friends. It was nothing short of ‘amazing,’ said the 82-year-old Batavia resident.
‘I am amazed you can do so much with something so small,’ Koopman said. ‘It blows your mind. At my age, you think you have learned almost everything. Not so.’”
Each attendee of our Reconnect Tour is provided with the new, senior friendly, Pantech Flex smartphone (see here to learn why we chose the FLEX) and Pantech Element tablet to use during the session. Jenny LeBrecht one of our TechRally field managers quoted in the BeaconNews said, “We go over the basics of these devices, but we also encourage them to bring in their own personal devices to the workshop. They can bring them to our help desk, and we will work with them to answer any questions. We make it very interactive. We understand people learn differently, and that is why we try to engage people in different ways.”
In the same article, local AT&T retail sales manager from St. Charles, Ray Alford further punctuated the very heart and passion of the Reconnect Tour – “This is something we are passionate about as a company. We want seniors to learn comfortably in a group setting, at their own pace. I want them to feel comfortable when they leave here, and know that these smart devices are for all ages.”
More TechRallies are still ahead to be traveling around the country during the rest of 2012. And through it all, more seniors will have a chance to discover how technology can open up new vistas of connection with their family, friends and the world around them.
For more current news and the latest pictures from the Reconnect Tour don’t forget to check out our Facebook Page and Twitter feed.
Excerpts / Photos from BeaconNews / 10.3.2012 & MySuburbanLife 10.2.2012
