For almost 20 years, the Lighthouse Foundation has sought to meet the basic needs of people in southern Butler County.

Offering food to the needy, career counseling to the unemployed and shelter for those with nowhere else to turn are just some of the ways the foundation has served the community.

Now another program is being offered, and organizers hope it will address a new need - the need to understand technology.

In order to meet this need, the Lighthouse recently opened a technology center where community members can learn about computers.

The center, one of 12 maintained by the Faith Tech program, was started by volunteers from the University of Pittsburgh. It offers free, six-week classes from computer basics to Web design.

"Their objective is to work with interested potential organizations that have a faith basis to develop the capacity of people that live in this region to understand, utilize and access technology," said Tom Ritchey, the associate executive director of the Lighthouse Foundation.

The classes are open to anyone, regardless of age, sex, or financial status.

According to

Ritchey, the response to the course offerings has been overwhelming, leading to a waiting list for new students.

"We did very little publicizing," said Ritchey. "It's clear that there is a great need and appetite (for the courses)."

The goal of the program - supported by PennSERVE, the Governor's Office of Citizen Service and the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Heinz Endowments and the Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh - is to "bridge the digital divide" in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

The Lighthouse Foundation, one of about 12 educational centers, offered three courses in its first term, and it began the second term Monday with six courses.

During the first term, the 30 students in the classes ranged in age from 10 to 83. Ritchey noted about half of the students from the first term had enrolled for a course in the second term.As Ritchey observed, students took the courses for a variety of reasons, such as wanting to communicate through e-mail, research genealogy through the Internet, or to improve computer competency as a job qualification."Our goal is not to make anyone a computer engineer, but to allow them to utilize and take advantage of the good things in technology and computing that are available," said Ritchey.Celeste Gallup, a volunteer at the Lighthouse since its beginning, was pleased with what she learned in the beginning computer and Internet courses."It was a really good course," said Gallup, whose only prior computer experience was at the local library.In a small, wood-paneled room in the back of the Lighthouse's building, students gather each week to learn in what Ritchey calls a "warm and friendly environment."The Faith Tech Program provides the 10 computers used for the courses, as well as Internet service for the first year at the new center.Each course is taught by an instructor and teaching assistant, both volunteers, who follow a standard curriculum provided by the Faith Tech program."We've been blessed by people who have been here," said Ritchey, who added that though two or three of the instructors are professionals in technology, others are just "good, solid, capable people."John Gerberich and his 16-year-old daughter Kat taught a beginning Internet course during the first term.Gerberich, who is trained in Microsoft applications, enjoys helping people understand how to use technology."It's always fun to learn how students absorb information," said Gerberich.Kat, a 10th grader who participates in the Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School, has been using computers since she was in elementary school, but even she learned something."I've always enjoyed (computers)," she said, "but I was surprised at how much stuff there was that I didn't know."According to Gerberich, having his daughter as a teaching assistant helps him to stay on track."She's very intelligent and a very good teacher," he said.As the program expands, Ritchey hopes more volunteers will come forth who are willing to teach."It need not be a lifetime assignment," said Ritchey, who feels teaching courses is a good opportunity with anyone with computer knowledge."There might be students at a local high school who would like to be a teacher," he said, "They don't have to be experts."In addition to providing opportunities for learning and volunteering, the Lighthouse Foundation has brought a unique component to its Faith Tech program.A unique characteristic of the Lighthouse center is that community members who are not able to afford their own computer can now request a refurbished computer.The idea for the program component was brought forth by a computer users group seeking a way to serve the community.In the first month of the program, the group gave away 76 computers, a number Ritchey feels will increase as more computers become available."I believe the computer is no longer a frill in people's lives," said Ritchey. "It can be a wonderful way to communicate with family and friends and to keep learning.Ritchey hopes to offer more evening courses in the third term, which begins in April.Anyone interested in enrolling in the courses can contact the Lighthouse foundation at 724-898-4673.