Normal, Illinois Residents Urged to Donate Unwanted Wireless Phones to City-Wide Recycling Program

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NORMAL, IL — To commemorate Earth Day and benefit local domestic violence victims, representatives from the Normal Public Works Department and the Normal City Council today announced a new collaboration with Verizon Wireless to reduce landfill waste by collecting and recycling no-longer-used wireless phones. All wireless handsets and equipment, regardless of manufacturer or wireless carrier, will be accepted in the special year-round collection bin at the city's drop-box recycling location outside Wal-Mart, at 300 Greenbriar Dr.

The recycling effort is an extension of Verizon Wireless' HopeLineSM program, which collects no-longer-used wireless handsets to be recycled, refurbished and/or sold. Proceeds from this effort make it possible for Verizon Wireless to donate handsets with airtime and/or monetary contributions to domestic violence organizations.

"Verizon Wireless routinely works with local and national domestic violence agencies to put wireless phones in the hands of victims trying to escape their abusers," said Tracy Nolan, president —Illinois/Wisconsin Region, Verizon Wireless. "In 2003 alone, the company's HopeLine initiative collected 900,000 wireless phones and donated to domestic violence organizations $3.7 million in monetary and other contributions, including more than 6,000 phones for victims."

Besides Normal, Verizon Wireless has collaborated with several communities in the Midwest to place HopeLine bins at local recycling centers. The company hopes these new wireless phone drop-off locations offer citizens one-stop recycling convenience while also fostering public interest in domestic violence issues.

"I encourage all Normal residents to commemorate Earth Day and make a difference in the community by donating their unwanted wireless phones to the HopeLine recycling program," said Normal Councilman Jason Chamber. "It's easy. It's eco-friendly. And, it could save the life of an abuse victim."

"Our collaboration on this program is a great example of how business and community can work together for a common cause," said Mike Hall, Director of Public Works for the Town of Normal. "By supporting this effort, we can help make the Earth a little greener while directly helping those attempting to escape an abusive relationship."

Wireless handsets and equipment may be donated at any Verizon Wireless Communications Store and at participating community recycling centers, or they may be sent to:

Verizon Wireless HopeLine
C/o ReCellular, Inc
2555 Bishop Circle W.
Dexter, MI 48130

To obtain a tax deduction receipt, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.  

About Verizon Wireless
Verizon Wireless is the nation's leading provider of wireless communications. The company has the largest nationwide wireless voice and data network and 37.5 million customers. Headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, Verizon Wireless is a joint venture of Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD). Find more information on the Web at www.verizonwireless.com. To receive broadcast-quality video footage of Verizon Wireless operations, log onto www.thenewsmarket.com/verizonwireless.

About HopeLine
Verizon Wireless encourages customers who are upgrading their wireless phone to participate in its exclusive HopeLine phone recycling program. The national HopeLine program distributes previously owned wireless phones to victims of domestic violence, supports non-profit domestic violence advocacy groups and provides an environmentally safe method of recycling phones. Donations are accepted at all 1,200-plus Verizon Wireless Communications Stores across the country. For additional information, visit www.verizonwireless.com/hopeline.

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