The Show Must Go On: Tech Donation Helps a Popular Vancouver Charity

    VANCOUVER, BC, July 09, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Electronic Recycling Association (ERA) has been supporting charitable organizations in Vancouver through the donation of refurbished IT equipment and other electronics for a decade, and on July 15th 2016 will donate 16 computers to the Vancouver Fringe Festival.

"This donation is extremely exciting for us," says Bojan Paduh, founder and president of ERA. "It's so rewarding to see equipment used by the group responsible for an event that positively impacts so many people. People may not realize that Vancouver Fringe Festival is a charity - 100% of proceeds from ticket sales from the festival are passed on to artists - so they don't have a budget for computers. We are happy to step up and fill that need."

The Vancouver Fringe Festival is an annual celebration of all kinds of theatre that occurs for 11 days in September. With over 500 volunteers supporting 700+ performances and attracting over 40,000 attendees, the Vancouver Fringe Festival is consistently voted Vancouver's Best Arts Festival.

"Donations from ERA help keep our organization running. These donations ensure that more money goes into the pockets of the artists and toward enriching the Vancouver cultural community," says Shantini Klaassen, managing director of the Vancouver Fringe Festival. "They also allow us to employ more up and coming arts managers in the community and begin new projects like Theatre Wire. ERA helps lift the burden of worrying about big-ticket hardware expenses, which makes an incredible difference to a small non-profit like the Fringe."

ERA collects unwanted equipment from local organizations, many of which cycle out computers and laptops after as few as three years. Instead of taking these operational computers apart and recycling them for metals, plastic and glass, the ERA removes data, cleans and tests them, and then updates software systems so they are immediately ready to be reused.

Media representatives are invited to attend and cover this story as ERA presents the donation.

Date: Friday, July 15th 2016

Time: 10:30 AM

Location: Vancouver Fringe Festival
203-1398 Cartwright St
Vancouver, BC V6H 3R8

Attendees: Shantini Klaassen, managing director, Vancouver Fringe Festival
Nil Singh, director of sales, western Canada, ERA

About the Electronic Recycling Association (ERA)
Established in 2004, the ERA is a non-profit organization directed to reduce the environmental impact of improperly discarded toxic electronic waste by offering accessible services to help corporations and individuals manage their retiring IT assets. With reuse being the ERA's top priority, every item that is received is examined for any remaining productive life and refurbished for reuse. True end of life items are transferred to accredited recyclers where a nil landfill contribution can be assured. The ERA is committed to supporting local charities and individuals in need through the provision of electronic equipment to charities and individuals alike.

About the Vancouver Fringe Festival
The Vancouver Fringe is a celebration of all kinds of theatre. Produced annually by the First Vancouver Theatrespace Society over 11 days in September, with over 500 volunteers supporting 700+ performances and attracting over 40,000 attendees, the Vancouver Fringe Festival is consistently voted Vancouver's Best Arts Festival by Georgia Straight readers.

Media contacts:

Kristi Gartner
Marketing and Communications Manager
Electronic Recycling Association (ERA)
604.215.4483
[email protected]

Shantini Klaassen
Managing Director
Vancouver Fringe Festival
604.257.0350 ex. 106
[email protected]

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