Dokken-Nelson Partners with Cell Phones for Soldiers

UPDATE TO RELEASE:  $1,000 Match offered through May 31

DOKKEN-NELSON FUNERAL SERVICE & CREMATORY HAS PARTNERED WITH CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS TO PROVIDE TROOPS WITH FREE CALLS HOME

Dokken-Nelson Offering $1,000 Match in Honor of Memorial Day

Bozeman, MONT. (May 23, 2012) Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service & Crematory and non-profit Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. today announced they have partnered to help troops call home by collecting and recycling gently-used cellular phones.  In honor of Memorial Day, Dokken-Nelson will match the $5 value received for each phone—up to $1,000—for every cell phone donated between now and this Memorial Day.  A special Memorial Day drop off time will be held at Dokken-Nelson from 9am to 1pm on Monday, May 28.

With ongoing deployments to combat areas and elsewhere, there are thousands of troops serving in the U.S. military overseas. By donating gently-used cellular phones to Cell Phones for Soldiers, residents in the Gallatin Valley can provide troops with a critical connection to loved ones back home.

Starting immediately, residents can donate their phones at Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service & Crematory located at 113 South Willson Avenue in Bozeman during normal weekday business hours from 9am to 5pm, or the special Memorial Day drop off time from 9am to 1pm. Dokken-Nelson will also serve as an ongoing drop point for this great cause.

“We often take for granted how lucky we are to be able to communicate with family and loved ones whenever we want,” says Chris Remely, owner and funeral director at Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service & Crematory. “By partnering with Cell Phones for Soldiers we hope to give those who are serving and sacrificing for our country a greater opportunity to do the same.”

Siblings Robbie and Brittany Bergquist founded Cell Phones for Soldiers at the ages of 12 and 13. The charity has since provided more than 114 million minutes of free talk time to service men and women stationed around the world. Funds raised from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase pre-paid international calling cards. On average, Cell Phones for Soldiers distributes 12,000 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 Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service that take the initiative to support our troops,” said co-founder Brittany Bergquist. “We have also watched the communication gap between our armed forces and their loved ones continue to grow as more troops are deployed for their third or fourth tour overseas.”

Donated phones are sent to Michigan-based ReCellular for recycling. For every donated phone valued at just $5, Cell Phones for Soldiers is able to provide two and a half hours of free talk time to deployed troops.

For more information please contact Dokken-Nelson at 587.3184.

About Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc.
Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. (CPFS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing deployed and returning troops cost-free methods to communicate with family while serving in the United States military. Based in Norwell, Mass., CPFS was founded in 2004 by Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and 13 years old. From the recycling of used mobile phones and cash donations, the organization has raised more than $7 million, collected more than 8.3 million cell phones and provided troops overseas with more than 114 million minutes of free talk time. For more information visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/JoinCellPhonesforSoldiers.

About Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service & Crematory
Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service & Crematory is a full-service funeral home that has been serving the Gallatin Valley for more than 100 years. Dokken-Nelson is committed to providing families with caring, compassionate service to help make a difficult time a little easier—working with loved ones to create meaningful life celebrations. They offer customized memorial items, video tributes, and they are the pre-planning leader in the Gallatin Valley. For more information please call 406.587.3184 or visit www.dokkennelson.com.

###

Back to All News & Events