Help Them Call Home

Press Release - 12/11/07

More than 150,000 troops are serving overseas and are away from their families. Cell Phones for Soldiers and City-based Company are calling on all Americans to support for these brave men and women by donating your unused cell phones. Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to collect over 50,000 cell phones to help keep troops connected with their families.

"For the loved ones of soldiers serving abroad, Memorial Day is much more than a long holiday weekend" says Brittany Bergquist, Cell Phones for Soldiers co-founder. "We're asking Americans to make a small sacrifice of support by donating their unused cell phones, providing families with a much-needed connection to their loved ones overseas."

St. Louis area residents can support the collection drive by donating their phones at any Great American Diving Company retail location including:

St. Charles - 401 North Main Street, St. Charles, MO 63301
Chesterfield Valley - 138 Chesterfield Valley Drive, Chesterfield, MO 63005
Kirkwood - 11125 Manchester Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122

"We're proud to show our support for U.S. soldiers, and to contribute to a worthy cause like Cell Phones for Soliders." says Mark Jugan of The Great American Diving Company.

Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist from Norwell, Mass., with $21 of their own money. Since then, the registered 501c3 non-profit organization has raised almost $1 million in donations and distributed more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.

"We have been overwhelmed by the generous support of thousands of Americans who have helped our troops speak with their loved ones." says the teens' father, Bob Bergquist. "However the need for support keeps growing as more soldiers are sent to the Middle East or are asked to serve extended tours of duty."

Through increased fundraising efforts, the Bergquist family hopes to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to fund new programs, such as providing video phones and prepaid service to allow soldiers abroad to see their families on a regular basis.

The phones are sent to ReCellular, which pays Cell Phones for Soldiers for each donated phone - enough to provide an hour of talk time to soldiers abroad.   Approximately half of the phones ReCellular processes are reconditioned and resold to wholesale companies in over 40 countries around the world. Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and recycled to reclaim materials, including:

• Gold, silver and platinum from circuit boards

• Copper wiring from phone chargers

• Nickel, iron, cadmium and lead from battery packs

• Plastic from phone cases and accessories  

For more information visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com