Fran, I know you are a volunteer of SeniorNet to help people for learning computer. How many hours do you help in a week ? And, after finishing the course, what do the people use computers for ?

Also, I know you are managing a discussion group on the Web site. Please let us know the subjects to have ever been discussed, the number of participants, and related activities on an as available basis..

What do you think the most favorable and/or accepted subject or program for seniors is ?

The reason why I ask you this kind of questions is ; We, Seniornet Sendai (SCNS), have computer classes for supporting seniors, too.

Our penpals, Reiko, Yoko, Kazumi, and Reiji are helping seniors as volunteers at the class, but the after-the-class supporting system has not been established yet. We are now in process of developing something enjoyable and informative as an after-the-class system. So, your suggestion based on the experience will be very much appreciated.

I am voluntarily engaged in managing the SCNS activity center named "Senior Center Salon WAIWAI(lively and cheerful)". As spending a lot of time for the above works, I cannot join to work for computer classes.

As to a volunteer, the educational reform national conference, a prime minister's advisory body, recently issued the interim report. It says that a kind of legal obligation of service activities is needed for primary, junior-high and high shool students, in order to change such critical situation in Japan as of 30,000 violences inside the schools, and 130,000 students of not going to school.

I am not sure if "service activity" is equal to "volunteer activity". An obligatory acitivity should not be called as a volunteer one, I think. Since the U.S. is advanced in volunteer activities, I would like to have comments from Fran, Bernie, Jane, and Jane on this point.

Anyway, prior to requesting volunteer works to children, we, elder people, must do volunteer work much more aggressively.

My story gets to be a bit serious.

The dinner menu at my house tonight includes steamed rice with chestnut, and cooked pork with potaoes .

Take care ! Mutsumi.