home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- Date: 08 Sep 92 12:43:00
- From: Ernest Debakey
- To: Planet Earth
- Subj: MAKE A KID SMILE!
-
- MAKE A KID SMILE, INC.
-
- On July 12, 1987, Ernest DeBakey created THE GAVEL, a private computer
- BBS (Bulletin Board System or electronic mail service). For the past
- five years, this high speed modem-oriented communications network has
- operated internationally, 24 hours a day, from Houston, Texas, at
- GTPOWER net/node 001/030 (HST-DS - V32.bis V42.bis) (713) 785-5877.
-
- In January of 1988, THE GAVEL began sponsoring the International ANSI/ASCII
- Art Conference, a world-wide computer/modem "think tank" on the art and music
- of ANSI, a popular computer graphics/music software available on most home
- computers. The popularity of THE GAVEL grew rapidly and soon there were
- thousands of subscribers.
-
- Through the art conference, Ernest met artist extraordinaire, Michael Arnett,
- now co-director of Make a Kid Smile, Inc. After collecting thousands of
- fantastic ANSI graphics, Ernest suggested the collection be used for needy
- children. Michael agreed and the noble Make a Kid Smile project was born.
-
- On December 24, 1989, THE GAVEL began sponsoring MAKE A KID SMILE, a
- charitable organization designed to directly benefit hospitalized children.
- Michael has written a series of powerful ANSI display utilities and donated
- all proceeds to the Make a Kid Smile project.
-
- Make a Kid Smile, Inc. purchases and then programs IBM compatible SVGA
- computers with Menu systems, Educational and adventure games, Drawing
- programs, and Graphic display programs to educate, amuse and entertain
- youngsters confined by illness or injury. We then donate these computers
- to childrens' hospitals and provide free maintenance service during the
- life of each system.
-
- Children in burn wards, cancer centers and trauma units can use our help
- and these "Dream Machines" do make the kids smile. Over the past few years,
- THE GAVEL and generous members of the International ANSI/ASCII Art Echo have
- provided hospitalized kids with a collection of many outstanding graphics,
- drawing and educational programs, and the SVGA computers to run them.
-
- Kids relate to this "ANSI Art" and they learn quickly. Those suffering from
- serious illness often learn to express their art beautifully using computers
- (with minimal effort and regardless of their affliction). Computers take
- their minds off the pain, fear and misery of hospitalization, and hospital
- staff report a definite therapeutic effect.
-
- Michael Arnett's programs and the graphics collected by THE GAVEL are called
- "The Smile Machine." These menu-driven programs make viewing, editing and
- sorting ANSI graphics both convenient and easy, and they handle ANSI,
- animation, MUSIC, Mouse, Doors, GT control codes, command line entries, and
- more. All graphics included are suitable for children.
-
- Michael, an accomplished artist, also donated many wonderful ANSI creations
- of his own design and has helped Ernest collect thousands more. Finally,
- Michael and Ernest reviewed their huge collection of ANSI graphics and
- selected the best of the bunch for the kids and their supporters.
-
- The SMILE MACHINE is the best ANSI art display package I've seen. Most
- folks are thrilled with the fabulous graphics and no one has ever complained
- or demanded a refund.
-
- As shareware, no payment is required for the SMILE MACHINE, but donations
- are accepted to help MAKE A KID SMILE. It's an opportunity to pick up some
- wonderful graphics, to get the best ANSI display utility on the planet, and
- to MAKE A KID SMILE.
-
- For a $20 contribution, donors receives a choice of the following great
- MAKE A KID SMILE computer programs: 1. SMILE (ANSI viewer and Library
- Utility), 2. SMILE DOOR (ANSI Viewer DOOR for GT Power BBS systems),
- 3. SMILE QUICK (Command line ANSI viewer). They also receive a collection
- of the International ANSI/ASCII Art conference graphics (Over 2 Million bytes)
- and an Artist/Graphic database (Program displays respective artist's name
- with selected graphic.
-
- We have provided fully programmed SVGA computers to Texas Children's Hospital
- (1991), and to Depelchin Children's Center in (1992). We are now putting
- together our 1993 Make a Kid Smile computer for a childrens' hospital in
- North Carolina.
-
- To date, support for this project has primarily come from members of the
- International ANSI/ASCII Art Conference. In the future, we intend to expand
- our scope to include large corporations and local community support. Our
- goal is to ensure that all hospitalized kids have access to these special
- computers.
-
- For more information on this worthy cause, contact:
-
- MAKE A KID SMILE
- c/o Ernest O. DeBakey
- The Bechtel Tower, Suite 1480
- 3000 Post Oak Boulevard
- Houston, Texas 77056-6582
- (713) 965-9555
-
- THE GAVEL BBS
- (713) 785-5877
- GT Netmail - Net Node: 001/030
- GT International ANSI/ASCII Art Echo: E10/037
-
- .ORIGIN: 001/030 - ░░▒▒▓█ THE GAVEL █▓▒▒░░ * RES IPSA * HST-DS * HOUSTON
- --- PreMail GT Gate v0.91α
- * Origin: GATEWAY TO POWER: BridgeWorks (1:116/36)
- SEEN-BY: 13/13 15/20 106/285 116/24 29 36 1000 203/566 241/5600 275/429
- SEEN-BY: 369/21 379/1 510/0 720/13 3641/1
- PATH: 116/36 29
-
-