Provide troops with free calls home

The Ungar Family and nonprofit Cell Phones For Soldiers Inc. are asking surrounding area residents to help troops call home by donating gently-used cellular phones. Although the military landscape is ever changing, as many as 200,000 troops are serving in the United States military overseas around the world. By donating to Cell Phones For Soldiers, area residents can provide troops with that precious connection to loved ones back home.Beginning today, residents can donate their phones at the Richmond Fire House location8741 Main Street, Honeoye NY 14471Cell Phones For Soldiers was founded in 2004 by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist at the ages of 12 and 13. The charity has since provided more than 204 million minutes of free talk time to servicemen and women stationed around the world through its calling card program, Minutes That Matter. Funds raised from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase prepaid international calling cards. On average, Cell Phones For Soldiers distributes 7,500 calling cards each week to bases around the world, care package programs, deployment ceremonies and VA hospitals.“Each year we have been humbled by the amount of people and organizations like The Ungar Family the initiative to support our troops,” said co-founder Brittany Bergquist. “The communication gap between those serving and their families is a crucial need that Cell Phones For Soldiers is committed to addressing for years to come.”Donated phones are sent to Mindful eCycling for recycling. For every donated phone valued at $5, Cell Phones For Soldiers is able to provide two and a half hours of free talk time to deployed troops.Approximately half of the phones Mindful eCycling processes are reconditioned and reused. Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and responsibly recycled to reclaim materials, including: Gold, silver and platinum from circuit boardsCopper wiring from phone chargersNickel, iron, cadmium and lead from battery packs