ClassMates.Com Makes $1 Million Contribution to SeniorNet

Business Wire, July 10, 1998

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 10, 1998--Showing its commitment to further Internet education for older adults, high school cyber-reunion leader ClassMates.Com has pledged $1 million in free memberships to SeniorNet, the national nonprofit organization teaching Internet and computer skills to older adults.

ClassMates.Com President Randy Conrads made the announcement in San Francisco at a reception celebrating SeniorNet's newly enhanced website and recently expanded national headquarters.

The donation will enable any SeniorNet member wishing to locate and re-establish contact with old friends from high school to do so, free of charge. The individual also gains access to a variety of value-added services available exclusively to ClassMates.Com members. More information can be obtained by visiting the ClassMates.Com web site at http://www.classmates.com, as well as SeniorNet (http://www.seniornet.org.)

Conrads sees a natural fit between SeniorNet's focus of building community and the ClassMates.Com mission of helping its members find old friends and classmates via the Internet. "We're both advocates of using technology to promote and enhance human connectivity," said Conrads. He added, "The high 'fun factor' of ClassMates.Com should help defuse some of the natural anxiety new users may experience when faced with unfamiliar technology. We can serve as a non threatening teaching tool, offering the SeniorNet member the opportunity to build an even stronger sense of community."

Ann Wrixon, SeniorNet executive director, said, "Having fun is an integral part of any successful learning equation. ClassMates.Com's user-friendly content dovetails perfectly with our need to provide a relaxed and enjoyable computing environment for seniors. This alliance will provide our volunteer teachers with an excellent learning tool."

Now in its third year of operation, ClassMates.Com is an affiliation database company reuniting high school graduates nationwide. The rapidly growing company maintains a registrant list of nearly 1 million people, representing some 30,000 high schools. Corporate headquarters are located in Seattle.

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