October 20, 2011 (Harshaw, WI) – Northwoods Elementary School received a green gift from Cellcom in the amount of $500 at a presentation at their school today.

Northwoods Elementary is a project-based charter school that focuses on areas of environmental education and technology and was established in 2004. The school has a nature trail on two acres of property near the school.

"We are very excited to be selected as a green gift recipient,” said Terri Phalin, Northwoods Elementary principal. “The funds will help us install educational signage on our nature trail to help students, parents, teach and the community identify the native plants, trees, and animals found in the area.”  

Northwoods Elementary has organized two trail work nights for students, teachers and parents to plan and create the nature trail its pathway. In the future, the school plans to have students develop a nature trail guide incorporating the information found on the signs to share with the community. There will also be student led tours for the parents and community to share knowledge with others.

A total of $30,950 was given out to 17 green organizations in Cellcom’s service area.

Since 2004 Cellcom has offered a cell phone recycling program where customers can bring in their old or unwanted phones to be reused and recycled. Cellcom sends the phones to recyclers who in return send money to Cellcom for the materials that were saved from the phones. Cellcom has always donated this money back to local non-profits.

This is the second year that Cellcom is donating their recycling funds to green non-profit initiatives in an effort to complete the green cycle that starts with consumers being environmentally-conscious and donating their devices.

“We are constantly taking steps to become more eco-friendly as a company,” said Brighid Riordan, director of public affairs. “By dedicating our recycling money to green initiatives, Cellcom continues our longstanding commitment to the community and together we can work toward a greener tomorrow.”

Other green gifts went to non-profits throughout Cellcom’s service area and included Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary (Green Bay), Preble Agriscience Natural Resources Program (Green Bay), Greater Green Bay YMCA Camp U-Nah-Li-Ya (Suring), Trees for Tomorrow (Eagle River), Friends of Mosquito Hill (New London),  Heckrodt Wetland Reserve (Menasha), Northwoods Elementary School (Rhinelander), CAP Services (Stevens Point), Central Rivers Farmshed (Stevens Point), Woodland Dunes Nature Center (Two Rivers), Whitefish Dunes State Park (Sturgeon Bay), The Ridges Sanctuary (Bailey’s Harbor), Oconto River Watershed Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Camp Tekawitha (Shawano), Crivitz High School Science Club, DC Everest School Forest (Schofield), and Marathon High School Ecology Club.

Cellcom’s recycling program has generated over $105,000 for local charities over the past seven years.