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  1. #1
    Evan Robbins
    Guest
    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




  2. #2
    Donald Newcomb
    Guest

    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





  3. #3
    Guest

    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





  4. #4
    Todd Allcock
    Guest

    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! ;-)



  5. #5
    Donald Newcomb
    Guest

    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





  6. #6
    Alesandra
    Guest

    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






  7. #7
    Ed Swierk
    Guest

    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]



  8. #8
    direwolfe
    Guest

    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





  9. #9
    David L
    Guest

    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



  10. #10
    Donald Newcomb
    Guest

    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



  11. #11
    Capt Tom
    Capt Tom is offline
    Newbie

    Posts
    1

    soldiers4soldiers.com

    IF YOU REALLY WANT TO HELP THE CHILDREN OF OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS GO TO WWW.SOLDIERS4SOLDIERS.COM . IT'S NOT A BUSINESS PRENTENDING TO BE A CHARITY.



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