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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 25, 2005 Eric Neilson was able to call his daughter in California on Christmas Eve thanks to free phone calls at the Medford Gospel Mission. Neilson learned during the call that he is a grandfather. Mail Tribune / Roy Musitelli Free calls let homeless connect U.S. Cellular has provided cell phones since the early 1990s so people can call loved ones for the holidays By CHRIS CONRAD Mail Tribune Eric Neilson’s daughter has just told him he’s a grandfather. It is the first time the two have spoken in three years. "It was good to hear her voice," Neilson said. "We kind of lost touch." Past drug problems have left Neilson homeless. He said he came to Medford last year trying to get his life back together. On Saturday, he went to the Medford Gospel Mission at 125 W. Jackson St. to make a free call on cell phones provided by U.S. Cellular. Since the early 1990s, the wireless provider’s nationwide program to allow free phone calls for the homeless has allowed many people to reconnect with family and friends during the holidays. U.S. Cellular employees volunteered their afternoon, helping track down other people’s lost loved ones all across the country. "Most of the people here don’t have the means or know-how to get in touch with relatives," volunteer Mike Shaw said. Advertisement Lloyd Leverette, who hasn’t been home to North Carolina in six years, wasn’t able to get hold of family members, so he called his childhood next-door neighbor. "It seems like whenever I lose my family, I can always call my neighbor," Leverette said. "We grew up together." Leverette told his childhood friend to give his family a message: He is doing fine. Seven phones were distributed to the small crowd gathered at the mission. They were passed back and forth, changing hands many times as people ran into busy signals and voice mail. "Everyone’s been respectful when using the phones — no one’s been hoarding them," said Bea Ryan, a U.S. Cellular supervisor. Ryan spent a Christmas in a homeless shelter with her family when she was a little girl, she said. "Society has a tendency to look at people who are down and out and think they’ll never amount to anything. That’s just not true," Ryan said. Ardis Garza spoke briefly with her sister in Montana, who told her about her new baby. Garza showed up for the Mission’s church service Saturday morning not expecting to find a cell phone- laden table waiting for her. "I didn’t have the money to call her before," Garza said. "She’ll call the rest of my family and tell them I’m all right." "I’ve been missing for two years," Garza added. "Next time I talk to her it’s going to be in person." The volunteers work patiently, helping people navigate the airwaves in order to find information services all across the country. By 3:30 p.m. the phones had logged 122 calls. Korean War veteran Norman Mortenson breaks out a small brown book stuffed with names, phone numbers and addresses. The Minneapolis native hasn’t been home in 30 years. He dials the numbers but gets no answers. "These numbers I got don’t work any more," he said. "After 30 years things change." He tries one more time to get his brother. Again, no one picks up. "Probably out doing last-minute shopping," Mortenson said. Reach reporter Chris Conrad at 776-4471, or e-mail Free calls let homeless connect ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Student Loans Online Pharmacy tcg student loan consolidation Online Casino Reviews Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Discount Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Salvia Divinorum Online Casino Advertisement s