A florist in Portland, Maine, has joined with a national charity to help keep deployed soldiers in touch with their loved ones with thousands of calling cards.

Just recently, Erlene LeBorgne, AAF, owner of Rosemont Floral, saw a TV special highlighting Cell Phones for Soldiers, a family-run charity started in April 2004 by 13-year-old Brittany Bergquist and her 12-year-old brother Robbie of Norwell, Mass. The group turns in donated phones to recycling centers and exchanges the money it receives for prepaid calling cards for soldiers in Iraq, Kuwait, Afghanistan and elsewhere. Cell Phones for Soldiers has collected more than $1 million in donations and 400,000 prepaid calling cards.

Where does Rosemont Floral come in? LeBorgne explains that Cell Phones for Soldiers is constantly looking for more drop-off centers for the used cell phones and that Rosemont Floral was more than willing to lend a helping hand.

"Becoming involved really serves two purposes," LeBorgne says. "You're able to support the program by serving as a place to drop off used cell phones and at the same time you're encouraging people to come to your store."

And they will come, LeBorgne says. She explains that she even had people come from as far a distance as about 90 minutes away to drop off five cell phones after hearing about the program.

"It supports the troops and it's a community project," LeBorgne says, adding she thinks more florists should take the opportunity to get involved. "Florists are in the business of expressing feelings and this is a way to do that."

Looking for other ways to help soldiers? According to the "Why Not?" section of June's issue of Real Simple magazine, volunteers can connect with soldiers and donate some needed items.
 

--Kori Kamradt
kkamradt@safnow.org

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