Nashville, TN (1888PressRelease)
December 18, 2007 - Cheryl Collum is an affiliate of Helloworld, a company which provides the capability to send streaming video via the internet. In August of 2007, with the second deployment of Alpha Company to Iraq looming in the near future, Collum decided that she would spearhead a campaign to enable the soldiers and their families more frequent and better communications during the holiday season.
When she heard spousal liaison of Alpha Company, Laura Pigott, and her husband speak at the People’s Church in Franklin, Tenn., Collum decided that a simple “Thank you” would not suffice.
“After they spoke and asked church members to pray for the soldiers," Collum said, “I went up and told Laura that I wanted to provide web-cams and 15-months of free service for all the families of soldiers from their company.”
It has taken several months to generate enough capital to implement her plan. Affiliates of Helloworld from all over the country who wanted to show their appreciation for the sacrifice these soldiers and their families are making for this country began donating web-cams and/or subscriptions for the Helloworld service.
“Web-cams can cost between $60 and $70, so they’re not cheap, but at the same time, they’re not terribly expensive, either,” Collum said. “Some people donated money for both the web-cams and the subscription; others donated brand-new cameras for us to send to the families.”
In Iraq, the soldiers have a Communications Trailer which houses seven computers with internet access. Helloworld got behind Collum’s movement, which she calls “Cameras for Soldiers Campaign,” by donating a web-cam for each of the computers.
“Just last week, I got a call from my church, the People's Church in Franklin [Tenn.], and they said they wouldn’t let the last $1,200 cause soldiers and their families not to be able to share a second Christmas,” Collum said.
“It was a wonderful moment when,” Collum remembers, “I told [Laura Piggot] what my company does and the technology available. She got big tears in her eyes as she said, ‘You have no idea what this means to the families.’”
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