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Letter to the editor

Fill a bus or two or three to help troops

The PSTA is collecting goodies to send overseas.

By MARY JANE PARK, Times Staff Writer
Published July 29, 2007

Forecast highs in the next few days hover around 120. The lows will be around 90.

That's in Baghdad, where American troops are looking for comfort, even if it means new T-shirts, underwear, socks and fluffy towels.

Brutal as the heat feels around here, it's worse in the desert.

Starting Wednesday, the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority will begin collecting items from Tampa Bay area residents to send to service members overseas.

The campaign started with Gabrielle Donaldson, 26, PSTA's marketing and sales coordinator. Her friend Ryan Davis is at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. The 30-year-old staff sergeant expects to be deployed later this year and was talking about the things that top soldiers' wish lists.

Donaldson's idea was to tell colleagues, put a few collection boxes in break rooms at the transit authority and hope for the best.

"It started out so small," she said. "I was, like, okay, let's see if anybody else in the department wants to participate."

Did they ever.

"It just kind of snowballed," PSTA spokesman Bob Lasher said. "Everybody liked the idea and was on board, so we wanted to see how far we can take it."

The hope is to fill several buses with items for men and women in the military and deliver them to MacDill, where base personnel will send them to the troops.

Fast Facts:

What's needed

Insect repellent, sunblock, lip balm, breath mints, disposable cameras, batteries, stationery, stamps and prepaid phone cards, paperback books and magazines, microwave popcorn, instant oatmeal and coffee, tea bags and powdered hot chocolate. Please note: Home-baked goods and alcohol are taboo.

A complete list is available at www.PSTA.net.

Where to donate

Donations may be dropped off during business hours on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekends at these addresses:

PSTA headquarters, 3201 Scherer Drive, St. Petersburg.

Central Plaza customer service center, Central Avenue and 32nd Street, St. Petersburg.

Park Street customer service center, Park Street and Garden Avenue, Clearwater.

[Last modified July 28, 2007, 21:05:34]