Cell phone recycling benefits seniors

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office and the TRIAD safety program for senior citizens have launched a program to collect used cell phones and cell phone batteries for recycling to the Cell Phone Bank.

The agency recycles the old phones and batteries and returns profits to senior citizen programs such as TRIAD.

With the money raised through the program, Cell Phone Bank issues new cell phones to TRIAD for low-income seniors to use in emergencies to contact 911.

"Douglas County TRIAD is supporting the Cell Phone Bank program by collecting and recycling used cell phones. Citizens are encouraged to drop off their old used cell phones at one of the collection points throughout Douglas County," said Deputy Teresa Duffy.

She said the phones will be collected by Douglas County TRIAD at drop box sites throughout the area and recycled through the cell phone program.

Phones and batteries may be dropped off at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, Minden, the Lake Tahoe Substation at Stateline and substations at North Sunridge Drive in north county, south county/Topaz at the intersection of highways 395 and 208, Gardnerville Ranchos, Tillman Shopping Center, all staffed East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts stations, the Douglas County Senior Center, 2300 Meadow Lane, Gardnerville, and Carson Valley Medical Center, Gardnerville.

"Please do your share to contribute to the seniors of our community by discarding your old cell phones at one of these collection points," Duffy said. "It will go a long way toward supporting TRIAD senior safety programs."

For information, contact Duffy at 783-6441.