Adult Day Care of Calvert County is collecting cell phones in order to raise money to provide transportation for its clients.
The center, 975 Solomons Island Road in Prince Frederick, provides community-based health care, nursing interventions, advocacy and support services and social and recreational programs at its facility in the basement of the Calvert County Health Department.
One of ADC’s services is driving to clients’ homes, picking them up and bringing them to the center or taking them on various trips. “For the past month, we have not been able to provide transportation because we have no money, said Carol Salter, ADC president and chairwoman of the Board of Directors. Transportation costs are $200 a day and going up with the cost of gasoline, she added.
Salter works for Easter Seals and learned about fundraising by collecting cell phones at a national convention. Knowing only too well ADC’s need for cash, she researched what her organization would need to do to participate in the program for recycling and refurbishing cell phones.
“We could make anywhere from $3 to $30 dollars for every cell phone we collect,” Salter said. “We have to send 50 at a time. We’re hoping every time we send in a box of 50, it will be worth $500.
“The turnaround time is very good,” Salter added. The recycling company sends a “check back in two weeks. So, if every week or two week, we can send a box in that would mean a stream of money for gas.”
Currently collection boxes are located at Adult Day Care Calvert County at 975 Solomons Island Road in Prince Frederick, Embroid Me at 13338 HG Trueman Road in Solomons, Embroid Me at 10132 Southern Maryland Boulevard in Dunkirk, Radio Shack at 10324 Southern Maryland Boulevard in Dunkirk, Radio Shack at 436 Solomons Island Road in Prince Frederick, Radio Shack at 27680 Mohawk Drive in Charlotte Hall, Lighthouse Engraving at 135 W. Dares Beach Road, Suite 2, in Prince Frederick, Calvert Memorial Hospital at 100 Hospital Road in Prince Frederick and Verizon at 304 Market Square Drive.
“We would like to have collection boxes in a number of companies and organizations,” Salter said. “I thought I would visit Verizon and see if they have phones they can give us,” she added. “Maybe the military would participate in some way. Maybe the county courthouse could take a box. I am going to try to reach anyone and everyone,” she said, adding that if a company wanted to donate a large number of phones it was replacing ,ADC would be glad to pick them up.
Companies and individuals interested in donating phones can call Lisa Kochell, executive director Adult Day Care Center of Calvert County at (410) 535-0133 or Carol A. Salter, president of the center at (443) 968-1730.