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- 05-16-2004, 10:21 PM #1Evan RobbinsGuest
Our Mission
Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by two teenagers, 13
year old Brittany Bergquist and her brother, 12 year old
Robbie Bergquist of Norwell Massachusetts. After reading
a story about a soldier who ran up a huge phone bill calling
home, the two teenagers decided to try and help. Their goal
is to try and help our soldiers serving in Iraq and elsewhere
pay for calls home. They plan to provide as many soldiers
as possible with pre-paid cell phones or calling cards. The
South Shore Savings Bank in Norwell, Massachusetts set up
the account and donated the first $500.00. Brittany and
Robbie plan to hold yard sales and other fundraisers to
raise money. 100 % of every dollar donated will go to
support this effort.
Their parents, Bob & Gail Bergquist, are contacting cell
phone companies to help out. They are also contacting
representatives of the military to put a plan in place
to distribute the cell phones and calling cards. They
hope to begin the distribution by the end of summer.
Please go to:
http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/pages/1/index.htm
› See More: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
- 05-17-2004, 08:04 PM #2Donald NewcombGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
"Evan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Our Mission
>
> Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by two teenagers, 13
> year old Brittany Bergquist and her brother, 12 year old
> Robbie Bergquist of Norwell Massachusetts.
What stupidity!
1. The phones won't work in Iraq.
2. DOD provides lots of opportunities for soldiers, sailors and airmen to
call home very cheaply. I know several soldiers on active duty and they
tell me there is no problem calling home.
3. If they want to help, they can send prepaid long distance cards. This
will help the soldiers call from the DSN gateway at Ft. Lewis WA to their
homes.
--
Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
- 05-18-2004, 09:02 AM #3Guest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
This appears to be legitimate.
The phones that can't be setup as pre-paid are sold for funds to support buying the pre-paid cards.
Those phones that can be used are.
http://www3.whdh.com/news/articles/local/B40492/
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,118397,00.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/ne...ackages/browse
http://www.wfsb3.com/Global/story.as...6&nav=1VGoMpiT
Your Welcome
Jim
An Old Parrot Head,
In the Conch Republic,
Just South of Reality
- 05-18-2004, 11:58 AM #4Todd AllcockGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
"Donald Newcomb" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> What stupidity!
> 1. The phones won't work in Iraq.
That was my first thought as well- however, if you actually go the
site, they explain that the donated phones are sold to buy newer
compatible ones.
> 2. DOD provides lots of opportunities for soldiers, sailors and airmen to
> call home very cheaply. I know several soldiers on active duty and they
> tell me there is no problem calling home.
Agreed. "Need", sadly, has never been a factor in homeland feel-good
efforts for overseas soldiers. I suspect the WWII soldiers didn't
need the doileys and handkerchiefs 40's era schoolchildren were sewing
for them.
> 3. If they want to help, they can send prepaid long distance cards. This
> will help the soldiers call from the DSN gateway at Ft. Lewis WA to their
> homes.
Actually I believe calling cards were part of the plan, if I remember
the website. (I suspect the DOD has already exained the facts of life,
as you've explained them, to the organization!)
Cut them a little slack- it was two kids' idea. At least their
thinking a little selflessly- I was kid during the Vietnam war and the
only thoughts I had about the war was if it'd be over before I turned
18! ;-)
- 05-18-2004, 04:44 PM #5Donald NewcombGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
"Todd Allcock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> That was my first thought as well- however, if you actually go the
> site, they explain that the donated phones are sold to buy newer
> compatible ones.
Then you might as well donate an old car. No, this is an idea that could
only have come from the mind of a 12-year old. For reference, I generally
oppose any idea to donate used junk to help anyone outside the local
community. The distribution inefficiencies outweigh any benefits. Much
better to give money to someone who knows how to make the most of it. The
rest are just "feel good" exercises.
Do something useful with your old cellphone: donate it to the local women's
shelter. They can really use the phones.
--
Donald R. Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
- 05-18-2004, 08:24 PM #6AlesandraGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
Good for the girls. They take what you have, sell the phones and use it for
the soldiers.
Without knowing the kids or their parents, it seems possible. But I'd sure
like to see something to lend creditability.
If you have old ERiccson r520m's, V60g's, find a soldier and mail it to them
with a prepaid sim. Good luck getting a prepaid sim in Iraq for a few
years.
"Evan Robbins" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Our Mission
>
> Cell Phones for Soldiers was created by two teenagers, 13
> year old Brittany Bergquist and her brother, 12 year old
> Robbie Bergquist of Norwell Massachusetts. After reading
- 05-18-2004, 09:26 PM #7Ed SwierkGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
On Tue, 18 May 2004, Alesandra wrote:
> If you have old ERiccson r520m's, V60g's, find a soldier and mail it to them
> with a prepaid sim. Good luck getting a prepaid sim in Iraq for a few
> years.
And if you have an old laptop with an 802.11b card lying around, find a
soldier and mail it to him. It will be a few years before the Starbucks
in Fallujah and Karbala upgrade their access points to 802.11a/g.
--Ed
--
Ed Swierk
[email protected]
- 06-01-2004, 06:26 PM #8direwolfeGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
"Ed Swierk" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:Pine.WNT.4.56.0405182022340.1388@slusher...
> On Tue, 18 May 2004, Alesandra wrote:
>
> > If you have old ERiccson r520m's, V60g's, find a soldier and mail it to
them
> > with a prepaid sim. Good luck getting a prepaid sim in Iraq for a few
> > years.
>
> And if you have an old laptop with an 802.11b card lying around, find a
> soldier and mail it to him. It will be a few years before the Starbucks
> in Fallujah and Karbala upgrade their access points to 802.11a/g.
>
> --Ed
>
if you'll pardon a newbie his insouciance:
i think it's probably going to be all blue tooth over there... it's the
french and italians who will be putting up the cafes.
dedub.pp /me not spam
- 06-03-2004, 11:56 PM #9David LGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
"Donald Newcomb" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> "Todd Allcock" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > That was my first thought as well- however, if you actually go the
> > site, they explain that the donated phones are sold to buy newer
> > compatible ones.
>
> Then you might as well donate an old car. No, this is an idea that could
> only have come from the mind of a 12-year old. For reference, I generally
> oppose any idea to donate used junk to help anyone outside the local
> community. The distribution inefficiencies outweigh any benefits. Much
> better to give money to someone who knows how to make the most of it. The
> rest are just "feel good" exercises.
>
> Do something useful with your old cellphone: donate it to the local women's
> shelter. They can really use the phones.
I don't think the local women's shelter would now what to do with used
cell phones given all the different technologies. Even the donate a
phone programs design for abused women get a portion of the sales of
the donated phone as they go through a third party recyler and
refubisher. Those proceeds are used to provide new specially
programmed phones from the sponsoring carrier. It's probably better to
sell the phone for $10-25 and then give the shelter the check.
As far as troops in Iraq all the soldiers I heard n the news talk
about phone cards. One resourceful soldier got the spanish to connect
the call and then dial to the US from the Spanish telephone network
for cheaper calls to the US.
I say send them phone cards, but not sure who's are going to be
compatible. I think MCI put up some of the US military access phone
banks. _If_ there's an incomming number..(doubt it) a call back
service might be useful.
-
David
- 06-04-2004, 07:53 AM #10Donald NewcombGuest
Re: Donate used cell phone for soldiers
[email protected] (David L) wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> I don't think the local women's shelter would now what to do with used
> cell phones given all the different technologies. Even the donate a
> phone programs design for abused women get a portion of the sales of
> the donated phone as they go through a third party recyler and
> refubisher. Those proceeds are used to provide new specially
> programmed phones from the sponsoring carrier. It's probably better to
> sell the phone for $10-25 and then give the shelter the check.
I won't disagree with you, except to say that many shelters do have
programs to reprogram old cellphones for emergency use to give to poor
women who need a way to call police if their abuser shows up again. If
your local shelter has such a program, this would be a good use for
your old phone.
> As far as troops in Iraq all the soldiers I heard n the news talk
> about phone cards. One resourceful soldier got the spanish to connect
> the call and then dial to the US from the Spanish telephone network
> for cheaper calls to the US.
This is unnecessary. The DoD has been very good about getting DSN
phones available for morale calls. Using (free) military circuits the
soldier can call a number at Ft. Lewis WA that then connects him with
the local PSTN. From there he can use any number of ways to make a
cheap domestic (US) call. So any US phone card (e.g. Sam's Club AT&T)
will get him connected to home. I'd also suggest that military
families add a personal toll-free line to their home phone. That way
the soldier only has to remember the toll-free number. Toll-free
numbers can be very cheap.
> I say send them phone cards, but not sure who's are going to be
> compatible. I think MCI put up some of the US military access phone
> banks. _If_ there's an incomming number..(doubt it) a call back
> service might be useful.
As I said. They should be able to call from overseas to the Seattle
area for free. They just have to pay for the part of the call from
Seattle to where they live. Sometimes they don't even have to do that.
Forward deployed military should be able to call the DSN operator at
the military base nearest their homes and ask to be connected to a
local number.
Donald Newcomb
DRNewcomb (at) attglobal (dot) net
- 06-12-2005, 07:18 PM #11Newbie
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