Typically we wait until the end of the year to update readers on stories, but I figure I would give you the latest on two stories that I have received a lot of calls and e-mail messages about.

I first told you about David Hinton -- or as many of you have coined him "The Computer Guy" -- in December.

For those of you who may have missed the story, Hinton, a retired businessman, was fixing up old computers donated from businesses and giving them to students at Durant Road Middle School who did not have computers at their homes.

His goal was to test out the project at Durant and based on the success, he wanted to branch out and serve other schools.

I received an abundance of calls and e-mail messages from people who had old computers sitting around houses or offices.

In December, Hinton was sharing space with Triangle United Way, but he has since told me that he has since moved to a new space at 6808 Davis Circle. In January, he named the business The Purple Elephant Computer Factory for Kids.

For more information, check out www.purpleelephant.org.

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In the Jan. 14 edition of the North Raleigh News, I wrote a story about David Fajgenbaum, who raised more than $7,000 one Saturday when he hosted a "Boot Camp for Brain Cancer" in honor of his late mother, Anne Marie Fajgenbaum.

David was working on starting Ailing Mothers & Fathers, a support network for students who have a sick or deceased parent at Georgetown University where he is a rising junior.

Fajgenbaum had promised his mother that he would continue educating people about brain cancer.

After the boot camp, Fajgenbaum held his first AMF meeting. More students became interested in the group's mission and wanted to help. From that response, Students of AMF Service formed. The group began to participate in activities throughout Washington, D.C.

Most recently, the group participated in an event in which hats that belonged to brain tumor patients were displayed on Capitol Hill.

Fajgenbaum subsequently formed Students of AMF Angels after Georgetown faculty inquired about the organization. That group is made up of 30 faculty members.

He is also working on a mentoring program pairing college students with middle- or high- school students who have a sick or deceased parent.

He has attended conferences speaking about brain tumors, and he has been in contact with other universities that are interested in starting support networks.

Fajgenbaum said he is in the process of developing a Web site that will be the main point of contact for the groups and their mission.

I'll keep you posted.