The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss Collecting Cell Phones For Soldiers This Week
11/18/2009 | Athletics
OXFORD, Miss. - Ole Miss is joining forces with the national Cell Phones for Soldiers campaign to collect 5,000 used cell phones this week, leading up to Saturday's football game against LSU.
Individuals can recycle their cell phones by bringing them to drop-off points at the J.D. Williams Library, Student Union, Inn at Ole Miss, Oxford-Lafayette County Chamber of Commerce and Lafayette County Library.
The recycling effort will broaden for Saturday's game, allowing fans to stop by and contribute while tailgating on campus. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., three collection points will be housed under tents at the Student Union Plaza, E.F. Yerby Conference Center and Starnes Athletic Training Center.
Every cell phone collected will provide a 60-minute prepaid phone card for one of the 5,000 Mississippi soldiers serving in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Ole Miss' Student Athlete Advisory Committee teamed up with Alumni Affairs, Office of the Dean of Students, Office of Campus Sustainability and Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity to sponsor the statewide campaign, which started on a small scale during Ole Miss Green Week in spring 2009.
Juliana Smith, a junior on the Rebel track & field team and president of the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, said her organization decided to get involved with the Cell Phones for Soldiers initiative because it is a great way for student-athletes to collaborate with different campus organizations for a great cause.
"Our organization has been brainstorming ways to bridge the gap between student athletes and the general student body, and this was the perfect start to what we hope to be a lasting relationship," Smith said.
Once the cell phones are collected, they will be sent to a cell phone recycling company. The proceeds will be used to purchase calling cards for the soldiers.
Not only should cell phones be in good condition, but all private data should be erased before donating a used phone.
Cell phones can also be mailed to Cell Phones for Soldiers Campaign, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS 38677.
Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded by teenagers Brittany and Robbie Bergquist in Norwell, Mass. Starting with only $21, the nonprofit organization has garnered national attention and has raised nearly $2 million in donations. Since the campaign's debut, more than 500,000 prepaid calling cards have been distributed to soldiers serving overseas.
For more information, visit http://www.olemiss.edu/green/cellphones.html.