Freedom Calls for Mother’s Day in Ohio

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jim Vincent, Technology Integration Specialist
Stark/Portage Area Computer Consortium
2100 38th St.N.W.
Canton, Ohio 44709
330-492-8136
jim.vincent@email.sparcc.org



Freedom Calls for Mother’s Day in Ohio

Mother’s Day is a special family time where sons, daughters and husbands celebrate the most important woman in their lives. For families having loved ones serving in the military in Iraq, this day will have a special meaning. On May 9, 2008, families across Ohio will have the chance to see, hear, and talk with their soldiers who otherwise would not be with their mothers on Mother’s Day. Soldiers who are stationed in 5 camps in Iraq--Camp Taji, Camp Fallujah, Camp Taqaddum, Al Asad Airbase, and Camp Victory in Baghdad--will connect to their mothers and other family members to tell them how much Mom means to them.

The below locations in Ohio will host these 30-minute visits on Friday, May 9, 2008 beginning at 8:00 AM EST and ending at 4:00 PM EST. With Iraqi time being 8 hours ahead, it will be midnight before some of the soldiers go to bed. Only soldiers at the 5 camps mentioned will be able to connect through the Freedom Calls network. This is free of charge to the families and soldiers. Any costs incurred will be absorbed by the Freedom Calls Foundation and the public schools and support agencies as a way to show the soldiers that they are appreciated. Families will be able to visit with their soldiers in private rooms big enough to hold family and friends.

Those wishing to connect to soldiers in any of the camps listed must contact the location closest to them to make arrangements. The families must make sure that their soldier will be in camp at the time of the connection.

Freedom Calls Foundation http://freedomcalls.org is a type B not for profit entity incorporated in the State of New York. Its mission is to build a communications network independent of military networks employing state of the art Wi-Fi, VOIP telephony, Video Conferencing and Satcom technology to enable our troops to communicate free of charge from their base camps with their families at home by internet telephone, instant messaging and video conference.


Locations that will host families for the Freedom Calls event:

Canton
Stark Portage Area Computer Consortium
2100 38th Street NW
Canton, Ohio 44709
Contact: Jim Vincent
jim.vincent@email.sparcc.org
330-392-8136

Cincinnati/Dayton
SOITA
150 East Sixth Street
Franklin, OH 45005
Contact: Bob Stricker
bob@soita.org <mailto:bob@soita.org>
937.746.6333

Cleveland
WVIZ/PBS ideastream
1375 Euclid Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Contact: John Ramicone
jramicone@ideastream.org
216-916-6360

Columbus
Instructional Technology Services of Central Ohio
2400 Olentangy River Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210
Contact: David Hayward
david@itsco.org
614-247-8834

Lima
Allen County ESC
1920 Slabtown Road
Lima, Ohio 45801
Contact: Linda Sakemiller
linda@allencountyesc.org
419-222-1836 x107

Lorain
Lorain County ESC
1885 Lake Avenue
Elyria, OH 44035
Contact: Dave Miller
440 324-3172
miller@lcesc.org

New Philadelphia
Tuscarawas-Carroll-Harrison ESC
834 East High Avenue
New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663
Contact: Michele Carlisle
michele@tchesc.org
330-308-9939

Piketon
South Central Ohio Computer Association
175 Beaver Creek Road
Piketon, Ohio 45661
Contact: Melissa Higgs-Horwell
melissah@scoca-k12.org
800-634-8828

Sandusky
NOECA
219 Howard Dr.
Sandusky, OH 44870
Contact: Aaron Morgan
419-627-1439x225
video@noeca.net

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