Bryce Perry is an 11-year-old Maxwell Elementary School student who spends his afternoons collecting other people's used cell phones — and he thinks you should do the same.

"It's called 'Cell Phones for Soldiers,' and we are looking for drop-off places to leave used cell phones," Bryce said.

The Cell Phones for Soldiers program was created four years ago by Massachusetts siblings Brittany Bergquist and her younger brother, Robbie.

Since April 2004, the two have raised almost $1 million in donations, distributing more than 400,000 prepaid calling cards to soldiers serving overseas.

They say their goal is to raise more than $9 million in the next five years to expand their program to include services such as video phones.

"It's good," Bryce said. "We're getting some donations, and I like helping people."

There are two drop-off locations for used cell phones in Colusa County: Louie Cairo's (restaurant) in Williams and the front office at Maxwell Elementary School.

Cell phones also can be collected by any Maxwell Elementary School 4-H member or donated in person at the next 4-H Club meeting in March.

"Bryce is a very committed (4-H member) and is always very active and involved with all our community services projects," said Dawn Brown, a Maxwell 4-H leader.

Bryce has been involved with the 4-H Club for three years. He has been an officer for two of those years, and this year he is the chapter reporter and committee chairman for the cell phones program.

"Bryce was very involved with our Toys for Tots Christmas project," Brown said. "We helped collect about 60 toys in our chapter because we have so many kids like Bryce that are really gung-ho and a very supportive group of parents."

Bryce's mother, Diana Perry, the group's other leader, said her son first heard about the program while opening Christmas presents last year.

"There were some donation request forms in one of the packages, and he immediately became interested in that so many of our soldiers overseas can't talk to their loved ones," Perry said.

She said her son was particularly impressed by the fact that the program was started by two youth roughly his age.

Donated phones are sold to ReCellualr, a Michigan-based recycling company, and the money from the sale is used to purchase calling cards for soldiers serving abroad.

For technical and security reasons, no cell phones are sent directly to soldiers, only the calling cards.

The registered nonprofit organization also accepts financial donations on its Web site or via check or money order sent directly to the program's fund account at the South Shore Saving Bank in Norwell, Mass.

There are dozens of letters from grateful soldiers on the Web site. U.S. service members, not only in war zones but around the world as well, say they would not be able to communicate with their husbands, wives and children without the calling card donations.

Brown said her son, Brad Rudolph, 20, of Maxwell, went with his National Guard unit to Afghanistan.

"He's with the National Guard and they're taking him anyway, so, I think it's a really great program," she said.

Cell phone info

- For local info on donating cell phones, call 438-2589

- For more national program information, visit the Web site www.cellforsoldiers.com

- Check or money order donations may be sent to: South Shore Saving Bank, 400 Washington Street, Norwell, MA 02061.