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Phone Recycle
Putnam Leos prepare collected cell phones for shipping and refurbishing at their meeting March 23. This is the third year of the group’s collection for Hope Phones. Courtesy photo.
Club collects
'Hope phones'
PUTNAM — Members of the Putnam Leo Club recently kicked off their third annual “Cell Phone Recycle Campaign” for Hope Phones, a used cell phone drive that connects underserved communities with mobile communication.
The Hope Phones campaign supports the efforts of parent organization Medic Mobile, formerly FrontlineSMS:Medic, a non-profit group that works to advance health care in 11 countries with and through mobile technology.
According to Leo Club Vice President Mikayla Van Dam, The Putnam Leo Club first learned about this organization in 2012, and felt strongly about trying to support its goals.
“I know it is very easy for people now to receive money back from their phones,” said Van Dam when this year’s collection began, “but knowing that because of your contribution, more people are getting access to better health care is much more rewarding than a couple of extra dollars in [your] pocket.”
Van Dam’s confidence in the generosity of the Quiet Corner – and others – was not misplaced.
Nearly 180 phones – 176 – were donated to the effort this year. Three of them came from as far away as Branford.
The effort and its success grows each year: in 2014, Putnam Lion and Leo Adviser Al Cormier extended the collection deadline to allow the youth group to collect and donate exactly 100 phones, double the 48 received in 2013.
Cormier expressed his pleasure with the continued growth and success of the collection drive during a Putnam Leo Club meeting arch 23. More than a dozen enterprising youth were on-hand to prepare, wrap and package the phones for shipping. Your phone will be shipped to Every Mother Counts, a non-profit organization in Texas, for refurbishing, etc., according to Leo Club president Jozzlynn Lewis.
According to Hope Phones, “Each phone donated is recycled to fund up to 10 new phones for community health workers in 21 countries around the world. Community health workers use the phones to register every pregnancy, track outbreaks faster, monitor essential medicine stock and communicate about emergencies.”
National
Honor
Society
inductees
PUTNAM — March 26 the Putnam High School Chapter of the National Honor Society inducted seven new members to this prestigious oranganization. Inducted into the Putnam Chapter of the National Honor Society were: Elyse Bergeron, Hannah Bowen, Alysha Minaya-Torres, Alyssa Saxton, Lindsay Roberts, Kaitlin Fafard and Ashley Lafortune.
Brian Germain, Putnam High School History Department chair, addressed the inductees and invited guest about the four characteristics of the National Honor Society: Scholarship, Leadership, Service and Character.
Superintendent William Hull said, “This continues to be a great ceremony where the school and district get to honor not only the new inductees but the entire membership of the Putnam High School National Honor Society. We honor these wonderful students not only for their scholarship but their character. “
The following charges were listed in the Putnam Police Department logs. The people charged are innocent until proven guilty in court. The Town Crier will publish dispositions of cases at the request of the accused. The dispositions must be accompanied by the proper documentation. The Putnam Police Department confidential Tip Line is 963-0000.
March 12
Keith Quinones, 30, Woodstock Avenue, Putnam; operating under suspension, possession of less than ½ oz. of marijuana.
March 19
Martin Carlson, 56, New Sweden Road, Woodstock operating unregistered motor vehicle.
March 20
Kathleen Hogan, 30, Rt. 171, Woodstock; second-degree failure to appear.
March 21
Robyn Lemoi, 30, Park Street, Putnam; use of motor vehicle without permission.
Angela Missino, 26, Cottage Street, Manchester; sixth-degree larceny.
Lisa Martel, 41, School Street, Putnam; second-degree failure to appear.
March 22
Brian Sergel, 32, Church Street, Putnam; third-degree assault, breach of peace, violation of probation.
Jessica Germain, 38, Powhattan Street, Putnam; operating under the influence, evading responsibility.
On dean’s list
LOWELL, Mass. — Local residents were named to the fall 2014 dean’s list at the University of Massachusetts Lowell: Sean Boucher of Pascoag, majoring in sound recording technology; Victoria Sidoti of Chepachet, majoring in sound recording technology
Honored
BIDDEFORD/PORTLAND, Maine — Kerribeth A. Szolusha of Woodstick was named to the dean’s list for the 2014 fall semester at the University of New England.
On dean’s list
ITHACA, N.Y. — Pomfret Center native Sangita Burke was named to the dean’s list for the fall 2014 semester at Ithaca College.