News Release

For immediate release

Three Manitowoc County projects receive Green Gifts from Cellcom

Manitowoc, WI (November 21, 2022) –  Cellcom has selected three Manitowoc County projects to receive a share of its annual Green Gifts, which invests money from recycled cell phones back into environmental projects. Awardees include Woodland Dunes Nature Center, Manitowoc Public School District for the Rahr Memorial School Forest and Glacierland Resource Conservation and Development Council for a project at Lower Henry Schuette Park.

Woodland Dunes Nature Center manages over 1,500 acres of diverse habitats between Two Rivers and Manitowoc. More than 150,000 children have participated in the organization’s environment-based education programs since its inception in 1974. A $340 Green Gift from Cellcom will support purchase of new supplies for the education room, a popular destination for families.

The Rahr Memorial School Forest is an outdoor education facility operated by the Manitowoc Public School District. Within the nearly 300 acres are mixed forests, stands of pine, sand dunes, fields, a swamp, and a pond, all of which offer a unique learning environment. The forest averages around 9,000 visitors annually. The $800 Green Gift from Cellcom will support a student project to create permanent interpretative signs for the property, which will serve as an educational project and further the education of all who visit the property for years to come.

Glacierland Resource Conservation and Development Council is committed to the wise use and conservation of natural resources throughout a nine-county area in northeast Wisconsin. This summer the organization facilitated a group of volunteers from Lincoln High School in Manitowoc who participated in removing invasive species at Lower Henry Schuette Park. The group was able to remove more than 1200 pounds of plant matter that were then properly disposed of. This event was part of a larger restoration project at the park. The $420 Green Gift from Cellcom will support the ongoing effort to remove invasives in the area.

A total of 32 green organizations received a share of the $30,527 in Green Gifts from Cellcom this year. The Green Gifts program uses funds generated from Cellcom’s cell phone recycling program to fund green nonprofit initiatives. Customers and community members 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’s Green Gift program completes the green cycle that starts with consumers being environmentally conscious and donating their devices.

“Cellcom is focused on reducing our negative impact on the environment and investing in projects in our communities that do the same. From preserving and enhancing natural areas to providing educational programming to spearheading sustainability and research efforts, this year’s Green Gift recipients are leading the way for environmental causes locally,” said Mick O’Malley, director of sustainability at Cellcom. “We’re proud to support the many nonprofits throughout our service area that are not only performing critical work for our environment but also inspiring the community to become environmental stewards.”

Visit Cellcom’s website for the full list of award recipients. Cellcom is proud to support organizations of all sizes, whose work is impacting the community and building a greener tomorrow. The company’s recycling program has generated $581,206 for local charities over the past 19 years.

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Cellcom is an innovative wireless and broadband company that operates its own regional network to provide service for its customer base throughout Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. The company is respected for its long-standing reputation of delivering extraordinary customer care and being a strong community partner. As a subsidiary of Nsight, Cellcom is part of a family of companies offering complete telecommunications services. Learn more at www.cellcom.com.