Name: Gary Martinez
Age: 44
Neighborhood: Village of Lindell
Job: Cell phone dealer
What he read: A recent story in the Community News about a pilot program that will provide free cell phones to DART paratransit riders so they can check on the status of the buses.
Why he cared: Martinez owns a MetroPCS dealership on Kirkwood Highway across from a bus stop and sees the challenges paratransit riders face daily. One day, a wheelchair-bound man came into his office and asked to use the phone because he had missed the paratransit bus. That man ended up waiting an hour for the next bus.
What he’s doing: Martinez contacted the Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council and Rep. Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear), who spearheaded the pilot program, and plans to donate 20 to 25 Metro PCS cell phones for paratransit riders each month.
Why it’s noteworthy: Unlike the phones provided by the pilot program, which only allow users to contact the paratransit service, Martinez’s phones provide users with unlimited calling to anyone. Each phone is a $40 value.
Quotable: “It’s just a matter of helping out a little bit, I guess. I can’t afford to do it, but I can’t afford not to do it.”
What else: Martinez is looking for other groups in need of donated cell phones. Interested individuals can email him at garym@cellularpromotions.com.
