Sierra Pacific Power Company
Contact: Robert Sagan/Karl Walquist
Phone: (775)834-4345

For Immediate Release

Through its program called"For the Kids," Sierra Pacific has donated 50 used, but refurbished desk top computers to schools in the utility?s northern Nevada and northeastern California service area.

Included in the computer giveaway are schools in Washoe, Carson, Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Esmeralda, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Elko, Humboldt and Lander counties. Arrangements are also being made to provide computers to schools in Sierra Pacific?s northeastern California service area.

"These computers will be a valuable asset in any organization where they can be put to good use," said Mary Jane Willier, vice president, Human Resources for Sierra Pacific. We can?t think of a better home for them than in our schools."

The 50 computers, including color monitors, disk drives, keyboards,"mice", printers and pre-loaded software, are valued at approximately $30,000. They were cleaned and refurbished prior to their donation. Represented are brand names such as IBM, Microsoft, Macintosh and NEC.

According to Willier, the donated computers are compatible with the newer generation of hardware and software, and will offer students a learning experience that will be relevant to the workplace.

She also thanked the Microsoft Licensing firm, now leasing space in the Sierra Pacific headquarters building, for donating free software to the project. The Microsoft Office software was pre-loaded into the computers.

The computer donation was coordinated through Partners in Education, a group that acts as liaison between the schools and the private sector in such activities.