Back Metro-east businesses are collecting personal items to send to troops in the Persian Gulf, but the Department of Defense is discouraging the practice. In Collinsville, US Bank at 501 Beltline Road, began collecting good for soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division. Banker Angie Ronzo said her brother-in-law, 24-year-old Dan Sapaw, is fighting with the division near Baghdad. Ronzo said she and her co-workers have donated items such as toilet paper, crackers, raisins and juice. "They want Kool-Aid because the water is yucky over there," Ronzo said her brother-in-law told her. "We just wanted to show that we support our troops." In Belleville, employees of Harold Smith's Pharmacy, at 1406 W. Main St., are donating goods for Army Special Forces Staff Sgt. Todd Brinson and his troop. Brinson is the son of pharmacy employee Vicki Brinson and her husband Mike. Vicki Brinson said store owner Todd Evers also has enlisted the help of employees from his other three pharmacies - Evers Pharmacy in Collinsville, Allen's Pharmacy in Troy and Dauber Pharmacy in Mascoutah. She said the support has been tremendous. "I appreciate these people so much, and the troops will, also," Brinson said. "They're the best." Brinson said she is collecting everything from cookies to Chap Stick for her son and the 24 soldiers in his troop. She plans to send the care package off as soon as today and will include presents for her son's 31st birthday April 21. However, the Department of Defense is discouraging unsolicited care packages and the collection of items to send to soldiers. The department accepts large shipments only from organizations such as the Red Cross and the United Services Organization, which it entrusts with ensuring the safety of items sent. "We buy the packages directly from the vendors," said Nick Farruggia, manager of the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross Armed Forces Emergency Services. "That's the only way we know to ensure the safety and security of what is being shipped," he said. The military accepts care packages for individual soldiers from family members, loved ones and personal friends, Farruggia said. "But at the same time, they're looking for things that are not overwhelming," he said. "One service person receiving 15 things is not what they're talking about...When they get unsolicited boxes, masses of boxes, and they don't see that it's from someone like the USO or American Red Cross, they have to be concerned." Brinson said this won't hinder her from sending goodies to her son. "No," she said. "We're going to go ahead with it." Ronzo said she hadn't heard care packages were discouraged. "We're still going to send it," she said. Those seeking to support soldiers should consider donating money to the Red Cross' Armed Forces Emergency Services, which coordinates support services for military members and their families nation-wide, Farruggia said. The Red Cross St. Louis chapter covers the Illinois counties of St. Clair, Monroe and southwest Madion. Checks should be made out to: The American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter, P.O. Box 795058, St. Louis, Mo. 63179-0795. This story may be available for an Adobe Acrobat PDF download. Click on the link below to visit the site download center. If a PDF is available, the file will automatically open in your browser.

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