'Project Little Soldier' toy drive under way
BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer

MELISSA KARSH Ronnie Micciulla displays the Army Civilian Commendation Medal she received in recognition of her work in support of U.S. troops.

RED BANK - The scene was an Army deployment at Fort Dix where 16 National Guardsmen, surrounded by family, close friends and volunteers, were about to embark on a journey to Afghanistan.

Also in attendance was unsuspecting Red Bank resident and executive director of American Recreational Military Services (ARMS) Ronnie Micciulla, who has worked at deployments and homecomings with the group since 2003.

Micciulla was surprised to receive the highest civilian honor, the Army Civilian Commendation Medal, at last week's deployment.

"It's hanging on my wall," said Micciulla, Harding Road, of her award, which includes a framed medal and certificate. "As I come down the stairs every day it's the first thing I see in the morning."

She added, "It's hard for me to display things like that. It's great getting this [award] and it's wonderful but I don't do it [volunteer] because of this. I don't do it to get that. I do it because they [the troops] are in need, desperately in need. You do it because you want to [help]."

Micciulla and a few other volunteers founded ARMS in 2003 in the hopes of providing services to soldiers and their families throughout New Jersey. The group's mission statement is "We will support all military personnel and their families and give them the quality of life they deserve," according to Micciulla. Also on the nonprofit's Web site, Supportarms.org, it states "ARMS' goal for this year is to provide a care package for every tristate service member."

Micciulla said around 600 packages a month, costing between $300 and $500, are sent overseas to troops, supplying them with much-anticipated necessities like clothing, food, toilet tissue, calling cards, tools and other entertainment items such as DVDs, CDs and books.

"I always tell them other than a plane ticket home, I pretty much can send them anything," said Micciulla of the items ARMS provides to soldiers in the packages from home. She said the most expensive item to be put in a package and shipped overseas was a commercial drill and one Easter, 500 pounds of salami, pepperoni and cheese were sent out.

Micciulla said it all depends upon what the soldiers ask for as to what is sent overseas.

Micciulla has always had a penchant for the patriotic and ran Fleet Week in Staten Island, N.Y., for 10 years before retiring and then volunteering through ARMS.

"After 911, you have to be a part of something, and I reached out to some of the people that worked with me at 911, and we decided to be there for our military," said Micciulla.

Micciulla ran a rescue center during and after Sept. 11 for 103 days in Staten Island, and she said the New Jersey National Guard was housed at the rescue center.

"We already set up a rapport with them [National Guard], so when the war came, they reached out to us to ask to help them," said Micciulla.

The charity also helps the families of the troops with a food pantry located in Toms River, which is also the location of the warehouse, by supplying food and refreshments at the deployments and homecomings and by supplying Christmas gifts for the children of those who have been deployed.

"We beg, borrow and steal," joked Micciulla about how the charity comes up with the money to support all the initiatives. She said 100 percent of what goes into the charity goes back to the military.

Micciulla said the annual Christmas toy drive, called Project Little Soldier, is already under way this month.

She said it takes three months to put the whole project together and 400 letters were sent out recently to ask people to either make a donation or send a present from a list that the soldiers' children have provided to ARMS. Micciulla said each child receives three gifts but that there are always children who could use more.

"Two years ago we supplied 10,000 Christmas gifts," said Micciulla. "I mean truckloads of toys were coming - it was amazing."

Along with Project Little Soldier, the group visits local armories' Christmas parties with a Santa Claus and gifts in tow.

"I get thank-you cards from the kids all the time," said Micciulla. "The most rewarding [part] is seeing a whole unit go out and seeing a whole unit come home safely - that's top notch. That just makes it all worthwhile."

Micciulla said the most touching moment in her experience was watching her first unit come home. She remembers watching two little girls, ages 3 and 5, run up to greet their father, who had just returned from overseas.

"They threw their legs around him and knocked him down to the floor and were just hugging him and kissing him from head to toe," said Micciulla.

She added, "People don't know how much it affects the families."

As for Micciulla, ARMS and supporting the troops is a family operation that her three adult children are involved in as well.

Micciulla said that in addition to her family, the ARMS staff includes 25 volunteers and, depending on the event, that number can increase to anywhere from 50 to 250 volunteers.

"You don't need to support the war, you need to support the warriors and their families," said Micciulla. This statement has become somewhat of a personal mantra for Micciulla.

She added, "What your thoughts are on the war, that's yours, but we need to support these troops and their families."