LIMESTONE – Tory Howard has two friends serving overseas in Iraq, so when an organization at the Loring Job Corps Center asked for volunteers to collect old cell phones to benefit soldiers, the carpentry student quickly offered his help.

The Job Corps has become an official drop-off location for Cell Phones for Soldiers, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit organization that collects old cell phones, which are then sent to ReCellular. In turn, for every cell phone recycled, ReCellular provides a one-hour prepaid phone card to troops overseas.

The Job Corps student volunteers have collected about 60 cell phones since the program began at the end of November, but they hope with exposure that number will climb.

“I have two friends in the war right now and had three altogether, but one came back wounded,” Howard said. “I would love for the community to support our country’s soldiers who are out there fighting for our freedoms. Maine is a patriotic state and I’m pretty sure there are a lot of old cell phones out there.”

Dan Bruno, security supervisor at the Job Corps, said he was encouraged to create a drop-off location at the center by one of his employees, who had seen an advertisement for the organization. Bruno, a 27-year military veteran who served in Vietnam, almost immediately began the paperwork to become an official drop-off point. The northernmost drop-off location was in Waldoboro, so most of the state was unable to participate, he said.

“Probably the biggest morale boost that any GI could receive is a letter or phone call from home,” Bruno said. “As soon as you get [overseas] all you think about is the next time you will touch American soil.”

While gathering cell phones for the troops, Bruno said he also hopes students will interact positively with area residents. About 60 percent of the Job Corps’ students are from cities in Massachusetts, New York and Connecticut, and Bruno said this is their opportunity to give back to the area communities.

“I hope when the community members see the students in the small towns collecting cell phones it will change the perception [and make a good impression],” Bruno said.

Howard hopes so as well. As part of his carpentry classes, Howard built the first of several wooden boxes, complete with a secure lock, to place throughout the community to collect the cell phones.

At present, cell phones can be dropped off at the Job Corps’ 24-hour security office, the center’s student government store, the Red Cross in Caribou and PPJS Thriftway in Van Buren.

For more information call Dan Bruno at 328-4212, ext. 7452.

trobbins@bangordailynews.net

990-8074