Staff Writer
LIMESTONE — For those looking to make an appreciative contribution for the brave men and women fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, it may be as easy and as simple as stopping by the Loring Job Corps Center in Limestone and parting with a couple of items that you’d probably never miss.
According to Dan Bruno, safety and security advisor at the Loring Job Corps Center, Job Corps at Loring is now a drop-off point for Cell Phones for Soldiers and Movies for Wounded Veterans.
Cell Phones for Soldiers is a program which aim to convert old cell phones into prepaid calling cards for U.S. Troops stationed overseas.
“Each cell phone equals a one-hour pre-paid calling card, which is sent to our troops in Iraq or Afghanistan,” said Bruno.
“Movies for Wounded Soldiers collects new and used DVDs and movies for soldiers overseas who have been injured and are recovering in the hospital,” Bruno said.
According to Bruno, homesickness can be an awful part of recovering so far away from home.
“As of Dec. 14, we have collected 236 cell phones and 346 movies,” he said.
Pointing to a box of about 60 movies, he indicated that those movies accumulated in just one week.
“I also have an additional probably 20 cell phones that are in the collection box,” he stated.
“Through the Student Government Association here at Loring Job Corps, we have student involvement with the programs,” Bruno stated, “The SGA turns the cell phones over to us, and they get shipped out with the rest of the donations.”
“I try to get the students involved with the programs so that they can appreciate what other young Americans are doing, and the students have been involved quite a bit,” he added.
More information on Cell Phones for Soldiers can be located online at http://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.
