Canfield cafe to serve free coffee to patrons who’ll help Marines

By Elise Franco

Peaberry’s Cafe is collecting care-package items for a U.S. Marines company stationed in Afghanistan.

CANFIELD — Loren Cole, co-owner of Peaberry’s Cafe, said it’s important for soldiers to feel appreciated every day.

Cole said the staff of the cafe, 4350 Boardman-Canfield Road, will collect supplies Saturday through May 10 to send to the Fifth Battalion 10th Marines Romeo Company, stationed in Afghanistan.

Customers will be treated to a free small coffee each time they bring an item, he said.

After May 10, he said the cafe will still collect items every day, but the free coffee promotion will be limited to Mondays.

Toiletries, nonperishable food, games, movies, puzzles and supplies such as boot laces and white crew socks are some of the most commonly requested items.

Cole said it’s common to see many care packages sent overseas during holidays such as Christmas and Thanksgiving, but it’s important for soldiers to be remembered throughout the year.

“We think now is the best time to do this,” he said. “A lot of people aren’t really thinking of this now because it’s not a holiday.”

The company left for Afghanistan last week, and Cole said he plans to send care packages every two weeks for the entire 10-month deployment.

“There are quite a few guys who don’t have any support system back home,” he said. “We want to support them, too. We might not know them, but we appreciate them.”

Cole said fliers promoting the supply drive are displayed in the cafe, and customers are showing an interest.

“Hopefully, now that people are coming in and seeing it, we’ll get a big response,” he said. “A few have already said they would come back with something — a toothbrush or a bar of soap or a can of Pringles, whatever it may be.”

Cole said the idea is to bring community members together for a good cause.

“These guys are making a great sacrifice, and we feel this is something we could do to make them a little more comfortable,” he said.

For more information, call Loren Cole or Peaberry’s Cafe at (330) 702-9230.

efranco@vindy.com