Recycling Cell Phones for Charities

Normal Gadgets has teamed up with CDV/Neville House and Cell Phones For Soldiers to accept gently used and broken cell phones as donations. Normal Gadgets is asking Bloomington/Normal residents to help troops to call home and those assisted by the Neville House to have accessible cell phones for 911 emergency calls. By donating to Normal Gadgets, Twin City residents can provide safe accessible phones for those in need and for troops that want the precious connection to loved ones back home.

Residents can donate their phones to Normal Gadgets at:

2103 North Veterans Parkway
Suite 112
Bloomington, IL 61704 

“A 911 cell phone can mean the moments between life and death in a violent relationship. A soldier far away has a small sense of being home when in contact with family and friends as they are deployed away,” said Terry Ballantini from Normal Gadgets. “Understanding that Normal Gadgets is in a unique position in being able to clean and repair donated cell phones, allows us the compassion to fix them up and get them to those in need.”

Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and responsibly recycled to reclaim materials.

For more information, visit www.NormalGadgets.com 

About Cell Phones for Soldiers 

Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to providing cost-free communication services to active duty military members and veterans. Based in Norwell, Mass., Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by Robbie and Brittany Bergquist, then 12 and 13 years old. The organization has provided more than 168 million minutes of free talk time to deployed military members. Beginning in 2012, “Helping Heroes Home” will provide emergency funds for returning veterans to alleviate communication challenges as well as physical, emotional and assimilation hardships. For more information, visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

About CDV/Neville House 

This program, which operates in McLean County only, is designed to create safe, nurturing families free from violence and control through free and confidential services. CDV assists and empowers families in crisis situations with individual and group counseling for adults and children and serves as a community resource by providing awareness, advocacy, and education on the issue of domestic violence. As the only emergency shelter in the area, we can empower residents as they strive to accomplish their goals through assistance in areas such as domestic violence education, life skills training, transportation, medical assistance and parenting support.

For more information, visit www.mccainc.org/programs/countering-domestic-violence.

The Green Rule: Exploring the Multi-faith Calling to Ecological Justice

Wednesday, Nov. 7
11 a.m.
Evelyn Chapel

The First Wednesday Chapel will explore “The Green Rule,” traditions from multiple faiths calling for ecological reverence and justice.

Chaplain Elyse Nelson Winger will speak about green wisdom drawing from various religious traditions. The talk will explore the ways in which caring for the earth is a transcending theme in different faith and non-faith traditions. Evelyn Ensemble and IWU’s saxophone quartet will provide music.

The “First Wednesday” Chapel is meant to offer community hours to learn about different spiritual traditions from multiple faiths. Different themes are explored through music, poetry, sacred texts and speakers’ reflection.

The theme Green Rule and service is inspired by resources developed by the interfaith organization “Faith and the Common Good.” 


America Recycles Day – MEGA Recycling Event

Saturday, Nov. 17
8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Hansen Student Center Parking Lot

IWU Wellness and the Ecology Action Center want to help make recycling easier for you on America Recycles Day. While most families recycle the usual — plastic food containers, glass bottles, newspapers — what about other items?

For one day only, residents can recycle “the other” recyclables all in one place, all at the same time. Bring us your:
• Electronics
• Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs)
• Household batteries (alkaline, watch batteries, rechargeable batteries)
• Clothes and textiles (usable or not)
• Shoes (usable or not)
• Plastic Garden Pots
• Terracycle items

In addition, Confidential On-Site Paper Shredding (C.O.P.S.) will provide free confidential document shredding for residents.

This event is free and open to the public for residential waste only (no business waste). No hazardous wastes, chemicals, paints or large appliances accepted.

Volunteers are needed. Sign up here.

Household Hazardous Waste Survey

As part of an Environmental Studies senior seminar project, a survey has been designed with the aim of understanding the Bloomington-Normal community’s knowledge and awareness of household hazardous waste.

The responses collected will help determine what needs to be addressed regarding household hazardous waste in order to protect our health and the environment.

Please help by taking this survey.

New Textile Drop-Off

Wellness is now providing a convenient, continuous way to move out the clothes and textile clutter in your closet.

Home Sweet Home Ministries (HSHM) is providing us with a collection bin just outside of the Wellness Office at Shirk Center.

You can now drop off unwanted clothing, textiles and shoes. These items will go back to HSHM and be sorted.

Usable items will be sold in the Mission Mart, and items past their useful life will be recycled into new textiles and goods. All the proceeds from these efforts go to assist the homeless members of our community.

If you have any questions, please contact Wellness at ext. 3334 or wellness@iwu.edu

Additionally, if you have winter coats or winter wear to give away, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity will be collecting these items for the Salvation Army during the week of Oct. 22-26. Drop-offs will be in the CNS atrium, in Hansen Student Center and at the Memorial Center front desk.

Got Compost?

Over the past few months several off-campus students have approached Peace Garden leaders with an interest in donating their compost to the IWU Peace Garden. The garden could benefit from additional compost and the Peace Garden Registered Student Organization is in full support of the idea.

However, setting up a campus compost collection takes time and planning, so organizers would first like to gauge the level of interest in a compost program.

Faculty and staff who would like to see a program like this put into place are encouraged to send an email to IWUpeacegarden@iwu.edu or rdyar@iwu.edu.

Peace Garden Harvest Fest

The IWU Peace Garden will hold a Harvest Fest on Thursday, Oct. 11 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on the steps of the Joslin Atrium.

Students will be selling tomatoes, swiss chard, salad mix, potatoes, sage, nasturtiums, eggplant, peppers, and a few other items.

All are welcome to stop by.