Fundraising was never so satisfying

With the wide stance and smooth over-the-back swing of an expert log splitter, Bob Gower destroyed a computer with a sledgehammer last Friday.

The first whack only dented the chassis of the 10-year-old server formerly used by Gower’s department at Central Pre-Mix, where he is a contract manager. The second blow split the computer open, its parts flying like shrapnel.

On his sixth hit, Gower proudly hollered, “That hard drive is toast.”

During their lunch break, almost 20 Central Pre-Mix employees gathered on the grassy berm of the parking lot to watch or participate in the company charity event, “Buck-a-Whack.”

For $1 per hit, employees could release job stress and technology frustration by demolishing obsolete computers and printers.

All funds raised will be donated to the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery.

Richard Chan, technical services manager and event organizer, said Central Pre-Mix first offers old computers to nonprofit organizations and schools, but some of the hardware is so outdated the company can’t even give it away.

“Even the poor don’t want these. They are that old,” said Chan, who also is a Your Voice correspondent.

Because the computers were slated for disposal, Chan figured employees could have a little fun first while using the computers to raise charitable donations.

Information Technology personnel lined up first.

“Traditionally, we just throw them off a balcony, but this is fun, too,” said John Phillips, technical support specialist.

The first woman to wield the sledgehammer, Stacy Smith, accounts payable supervisor, went back to smash more hardware after she had gotten “additional funding.”

Her black-heeled sandals, while not typical demolition footwear, did not seem to impede the strength of her swings. She felled a printer with one blow.

“That does feel good,” Smith said, taking off her protective hard hat and goggles while colleagues clapped and cheered.

The event had the air of a team-building exercise or sporting event, with a balanced mix of aggression and laughter.

Mangled memory cards, obliterated disk drives and flattened port pieces littered the ground.

The slugfest raised $164.