January 24, 2005 — A California-based company is hoping to make good use of your old digital cameras. 30MinPhotos.com has launched a campaign to collect 10,000 digital cameras for United States military families. The company expects most of the cameras to come from consumers who have upgraded to newer models, but is also collecting donations from manufacturers, including Kodak and Olympus. Used cameras will be refurbished so that all of the digital cameras are in good working order.
“These digital cameras will go to military families here [in America] so they can take pictures of their families and send [them] to their loved ones overseas,” said Mitch Goldstone, owner and co-founder of 30MinPhotos.com. “I want people to open their appliance drawers, pull out their older digital cameras and share them with the families.”
The campaign began last year and hopes to wrap things up by Valentine’s Day — in three weeks! The project has been a labor of love for Goldstone, who hopes the families will use the cameras to share moments and communicate through an online photo service. For those who donate, Goldstone is offering a $25 online gift certificate to his online store.
The digital cameras will be distributed by Operation Home Front, an organization that provides assistance to families of deployed military members. If you are a member of a military family and would like to be considered for a camera, please e-mail info@30minphotos.com.
If you would like to contribute to the cause, please e-mail the above address for questions or send your used digital camera to Operation Photo, c/o 30 Minute Photos Etc., 92 Corporate Park Plaza, Suite B, Irvine, CA 92606. Please include your name, home address, and e-mail address for the gift certificate and tax deduction receipt.
