The complainant, Carol Coveleskie, didn't answer the door when
McDermott first knocked. Suspecting the April 1 call was an April Fools'
Day joke, McDermott almost walked away.
Instead, he knocked again and a voice from inside said, ``Come in.''
Coveleskie couldn't answer the door. A quadriplegic, she wasn't in her
electric wheelchair but in bed and unable to get up.
McDermott took Coveleskie's complaint. She had been robbed by her
caregiver, who later went to jail for the crime.
That might have been the end of it. Turns out, the chance meeting
proved a turning point for both Coveleskie and McDermott.
Readers Respond
The tough cop couldn't forget Coveleskie. He made a point of regularly
stopping by her house.
A few weeks after the initial call, Coveleskie's computer crashed - a
disaster for the widow, whose major contact with the outside world came
via the PC.
On disability, she couldn't afford to buy a new system. McDermott
raised $1,500 from other generous deputies, and a friend in the computer
business built Coveleskie a special machine adapted to her disability.
McDermott then discovered that Coveleskie had a dial-up service to get
online, which meant she couldn't use the computer for emergencies.
That's when McDermott called The Tampa Tribune for help.
As usual, Tribune readers responded with great largess, and Coveleskie
was soon equipped with an ``always on'' cable system, which she still
enjoys today.
Meeting Spurs Action
Helping Coveleskie gave meat to an idea McDermott had been percolating
for years:
Providing the opportunity for digital literacy for people in need
without red tape and bureaucracy.
In other words, to hear of someone who could benefit from a computer
and providing it - all with donated computers and computer parts and
volunteers who could turn parts into a complete machine or fix broken
computers.
At first, the group wanted to specialize in children. But it soon began
hearing of worthy adults who needed assistance as well.
And the helpers heard from a lot of folks who wanted to donate computer
equipment and time.
Before long, Cops and Computers for the Community was thriving.
In its first year, the group's goal was to place 12 computers.
The group vastly underestimated its ability.
More than 200 computers have been placed, and the effort has attracted
donors such as Wal-Mart.
Those on the receiving end include all of the Sheriff's Youth Ranches
in Florida, a family that lost everything in a fire, a girl with spina
bifida who wants to be a nurse, a child of migrant workers who wants to be
a veterinarian and on and on.
While its success is phenomenal, the group could still use more
computers, more computer parts, more volunteers.
Check it out on the group's Web site, www.ccftc.org.
E-mail them or give them a call.
This group is a perfect example of how a few ordinary citizens who take
some time and effort can actually change lives.
Judy Hill can be reached at (813) 259-7812 or by writing her c/o The
Tampa Tribune, P.O. Box 191, Tampa FL 33601.
