Cells for Cells

Recycle Cell Phones to Help Families Battling Cancer

Connecting in Kansas City: genKC networking event review

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(photo: vasta)

The genKC event on March 26th at the Sprint Center ROCKED.

genKC is billed as “the catalyst for young, area professionals engaged in shaping Kansas City’s bright future, and in return, enhancing their own opportunities to achieve, enjoy and thrive in our vibrant community…”

…and they delivered! It was fun and exciting and there was food and drink and music and tons and tons of people.

Here are the specifics:

First, the genKC website is really well done and they made registration very easy. As you would expect with any online reg today, it was a few clicks – fill in your name and cc – and done. The intro vid and tune is perfect and upbeat and contributed to my decision to go. (I would love to find out what tune is playing on the site – wondering if it is a local group.)

Secondly, genKC is backed by a powerhouse of founding members. I have to point out members like Perceptive Software, UMB, Time Warner Cable, HNTB, and Black & Veatch because they are all Cells for Cells partners. You see where I am going with this list: The most cutting-edge companies in KC participate in the most important events and activities. So…the brightest, young professionals from THESE companies are going to be…

…you guessed it…at the cool events like genKC!

Lastly, I got to meet some of the coolest and brightest young professionals in KC like

  • Andy Metzler, VP of Marketing & E-Commerce for Ultra International – a very cool wellness company out of Lee’s Summit, MO
  • John Owens, CPA at Preferred Finance Partners, Inc. – entrepreneurs who are finance guys – that is one of the best combos when you are looking to have a CPA in your corner
  • Sarah Hemme, Development Assistant for KU’s Audio Reader – it’s “Radio for the Print-Disabled.” I spent a lot of time talking to Sarah about her research project and the tie-in to the genKC event – very cool stuff.

But the very coolest, sharpest, brightest professionals I met were the two fellow twitter-ers (is that a word?) @BrianSchmid and @swolfe09. That was cool to run into them after I saw their tweets. (Yes, tweet is a word. It is the act of twittering.)

I have recently begun to understand the power of Twitter and Search.Twitter.com and I searched to find out who really, IN KC, is using the tools of today’s new social market. It was only Brian and Sara and a few others, including Perceptive Software.

So here, finally, is my only criticism of the genKC event. No Social Marketing/Media/Promotion is BAD, VERY BAD, in today’s world. I looked and looked for anyone and any company that was using today’s tools to promote, record, or just create buzz. I found virtually zip, zero, nada. With the exception of those I mentioned, I am really shocked that the KC Chamber is not using one of the most powerful (most powerful, some say) social media/marketing tools. Especially at an event that targets today’s YOUNG professionals.

I hope by the next genKC event, everyone will tweeting to everyone else how cool and rockin the genKC networking events are.

Cent’ anni,

Jason

Your Wellness Connection has added $500 in services to March’s Giveaway

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(Photo credit: ibeginz)

Kansas City’s own wellness super-guru and founder of Your Wellness Connection (YWC), Dr. Michelle Robin has added $500 in services to the Cells for Cells March giveaway.

That means that our first Extreme Medical Bill Makeover winner will receive $500 cash and $500 in YWC services (either on-site in Shawnee, Kansas or consulting via telephone).

Thank you, Dr. Robin for inspiring us to be WELL!

How to Clear my Blackberry in less than 5 minutes

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When it comes to securing or erasing data on your cell phone, you are best served by a quick google search on how to do it yourself.

Most recycling firms (Cells for Cells included) have a generic policy along the lines of “We recommend that you erase all personal information before recycling your phone with (INSERT recycling company name). (Insert recycling company name) takes reasonable efforts to remove any personal data/information from phones collected through our recycling program before we refurbish, reuse or resale your device. However, to fully protect your privacy, it is best for you to remove all personal information before donating your phone.”

Cells for Cells is now pursuing a relationship with a third party that offers certification for the destruction of non-reusable cell phones. [Those are the cell phones that are very old or very damaged that can not be refurbished and put back into use.] I’ll post updates as they occur.

If you happen to own a Blackberry 7100 (or any Blackberry) that you are prepping to donate, here is video showing how it takes less than 5 minutes to clear all of your personal information.

Black & Veatch Partners with Cells for Cells to Help Families Battling Cancer

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Black & Veatch Partners with Cells for Cells to Help Families Battling Cancer

Black & Veatch joins Cells for Cells in the 2009 One Million Cells Campaign to recycle 1 million cell phones and raise $1 million dollars for families battling cancer.

Recycling cell phones for three years, and a Cells for Cells partner since early 2008, Black & Veatch has extended their local participation to professionals in over 40 of their US offices.

“Most people still have three or four old cell phones in their home,” says Jason Clements, co-founder of Cells for Cells. “When Black & Veatch professionals bring in their old cell phones from home, they make a big difference very quickly.”

And that falls in line with Black & Veatch’s mission of Building a World of Difference.

That difference just might be felt close to home, as part of the One Million Cells Campaign is to search for inspirational stories of families that have battled cancer and reward them with what Jason Clements calls “an Extreme Medical Bill Makeover-style” giveaway.

Participation in the Medical Bill Makeover giveaway is open to any U.S. resident who is battling or has battled cancer. The details are available at the www.cellsforcells.com and www.cellsforcells.blogspot.com.

Clements remembers glancing at his grandfather’s medical bills back in 2005. “Just one dose of one of my grandpa’s medicines was almost $1,000!”

“And, I know $500 is not going to change the world or change anyone’s lives in a significant way right now. But it is THE start of how and, more importantly, WHY we recycle.”

For the month of March, the giveaway is $500 to apply to medical and related expenses. Cells for Cells defines related expenses as include pharmacy bills, co-pays, travel or gas for the car, or even flowers for your loved one.

Shawnee, Kansas-based Cells for Cells recycles cell phones to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to help families battling cancer.

For information contact Jason Clements jason(dot)cellsforcells(at)gmail.com