October 24, 2011 (Baileys Harbor, WI) – Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park received a green gift from Cellcom in the amount of $2500 at a presentation at their facility today.
Whitefish Dunes State Park is an 865-acre day use park in Door County. The park preserves the largest and most significant Great Lakes dunescape in Wisconsin. Friends of Whitefish Dunes is a a group of volunteers dedicated to enhancing and supporting the park’s mission and goals, working to enhance and preserve the park’s natural and cultural resources.
“The Friends of Whitefish Dunes State Park in Door County would like to thank Cellcom for its generous green gift that will be used to combat invasive species in the park,” said Bill Krouse, Friends of Whitefish Dunes board member. “We hope that by controlling invasive species, rare plants located in the park will be available for future generations to enjoy.”
The plan includes monitoring current and potential species, controlling identified species, offering service learning opportunities to local landowners, school groups and general public and developing recommendations for best management practices based on specific species.
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.
Pictured in photo from left:
Carolyn Rock - Naturalist
Rob Van Gemert - Cellcom
Bill Krouse - Friends of Whitefish Dunes
Tony Knipfer - Park Ranger
Mary and Dale Goodner - Friends of Whitefish Dunes (back row)