We are making a difference.

January 10, 2009

The laptop relay took about 10 days and 11 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise locations to hand off the laptops from city to city.  On December 22, over 150 laptops converged at the Washington DC 1-800-GOT-JUNK? office.  Here are some photos of most of the laptops collected.

Alan Klug of Baltimore brings over 100 laptops to Mark Rubin of Washington DC. (see then in the truck?)

The laptops converge in DC.  L to R: Rick Galliher (Virginia North), Andy Katon (GM of Washington DC), Alan Klug (Baltimore)

and Mark Rubin (Washington DC)
 

Mark and Claudine Rubin (Washington DC) and some laptops at the end of the relay.

In a room full of laptops - on their way to be "overhauled"

January 9, 2009

Happy New Year!  In December, we conducted a successful laptop relay to move all the collected laptops from Boston south to Washington, DC.  The weather cooperated as the laptops made their way from Boston to CT to NY to NJ to Philadelphia to Baltimore to DC.  We also moved some from Virginia Beach up to DC.  Thanks to all 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franshise partners, managers and crews for their hard work and dedication to this project!

Here are some photos of the handoffs:

Above:  The Boston Handoff

Above:  Driving south on Interstate 95 from Philadelphia to Baltimore

Above: Baltimore had great results and collected nearly 40 laptops for the relay. 

Above:  Keith Dixon, right, of Virginia Beach, meets Virginia North's Rick Galliher, for the laptop

handoff in Richmond.

December 10, 2008
Bob Valeri of the Boston North Franchise of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and his crew collected 50 laptops for Project Red Dot.  Here's of photo of the team holding some of the laptops.  Kudos to Boston North -- they collected the most laptops for the December relay!  Keep up the GREAT work!

October 28, 2008

They started computer classes yesterday!!  Barbara Davis is the teacher, and also the administrative assistant for WHH. She has had previous experience teaching basic computing at the primary and junior high level.  The computer lab will be used to teach the children for education as well as vocational training for young women in Axim.

Do you hear the "Hallelujah Chorus" ringing there, from the clouds???

September 1, 2008
David Thomas, an American living in Ghana, is one of our contacts that is personally involved in receiving the laptops and overseeing their use.  When the laptops are deployed, they all meet the standards of computers acceptable to the governments of Africa.  At each site there is a computer tech that receives a laptop free of charge and will be the IT support for all computers at that location. David Thomas (Kojo Ayekumi) is personally responsible for any disposal needs from the Axim locations  in the event a laptop is not usable.  Project Red Dot takes e-waste very seriously and we make every effort to properly dispose of any non-working laptops and parts.

August 28, 2008 

Here in DC, our awesome junk crews have collected dozens of laptops to date.  It's an ongoing process, and this week we delivered 82 laptops to YTI in time for their fall session.  Additionally, 10 are ready for shipment to Ghana.

Andy Katon, General Manager of the Washington DC 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise, and members of his crew with some of the collected laptops.

June 24, 2008

The Los Angeles Coast, Orange County, Orange County North, Orange County East and San Diego Northeast 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises are excited about collecting laptops for the refugees in Ghana.  Pictured below is Darren Tavitian, the General Manager along with employees of the Los Angeles Coast franchise.  Tavitan says, "We expect to be a significant contributor to the laptop drive as we serve great, compassionate customers in Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties."

June 12, 2008

DC Franchise GM Andy Katon met with students from the Network and Internet Security Administration (NISA) program at YTI Career Institute's Mechanicsburg campus.  He comments, "It was a good experience to see the reaction of people to the project.  The NISA Program Director, Kenny Ream, wanted to do something more then just teach computers.  He wanted to do something to give back to the community.  He said when Pat (Gick, of Ghana Together) approached him about Project Red Dot 'it was a no-brainer'.  After spending 45 minutes with the group of students and staff, I spent another 10 minutes with just the staff.  You could feel the excitement building in the room as they learned more about the great things they could be a part of.  They also talked about the personal growth that can occur for each individual, both internally as well as externally with things like having a resume builder.  I kept describing the work they were doing as a win/win/win/win/win/etc. project.  Kenny Ream and his students have pledged to volunteer IT support in preparing laptops for deployment to Africa."

May 28, 2008

This letter is from a young girl who lives at the Western Heritage Home.

April 16, 2008

We are happy to report that the second batch of laptops arrived at a school in Cameroon.  The laptops will be used to improve the IT setup at the school

March 30, 2008

The Ghanaian press was in attendance at the dedication ceremony of the laptops and other educational materials.  Along with the laptops, Project Red Dot also shipped dozens of childrens books and games like Checkers and Chess -- all from a surplus of donated holiday gifts given to 1-800-GOT-JUNK? by the DCJCC after Christmas.  The DCJCC suggested we find a good home for extra gifts.

Here are photos, the article, and its link. 

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=141543

Axim, March 30, GNA - Ghana Together, a US-based charity organisation, on Saturday donated ICT equipment and other teaching and learning materials to the Western Heritage Home, an orphanage at Axim in the Western Region.

The gifts, which were a collection from individual members of the organisation and valued at more than 10 million Ghana Cedis, included 12 laptop and four desktop computers, 35 chess sets, children's books and other educational materials.

Mr. and Mrs Richard and Maryanne Ward, Directors of Ghana Together who presented the items at a ceremony at Axim, said the aim of the organisation was to support the needy and vulnerable children in Ghana. Mrs Maryanne Ward said since children were the most valuable assets of every nation they must be given care, protection and encouragement to become useful leaders in the future.

Nana Kaku Bulu II, Nkosuohene of Lower Axim who was instrumental in the establishment of the Home in 2007, received the items on behalf of the community and expressed gratitude to the donors.

Nana Kaku Bulu, a Takoradi-based businessman, said an ICT centre attached to the Home would soon be completed and opened to the public particularly students. He appealed to individuals, public and private institutions, religious organisations and the district assembly to help to provide the Home with materials and facilities. Madam Hanna Esi Biney, Manager of the Home, appealed to citizens and institutions to help the Home to procure basic items such as refrigerators, cooking utensil among others to enable it to admit more children.

The above photos are of Operations Manager Brendan McKeegan and Driver Jeff Garcia with donated toys and games,Children of the Western Heritage Home learning to play Chess, and a teacher from WHH with donated books and educational materials.