Valley Elementary/Middle School students in the Junior National Honor Society and Kiwanis International’s K-Kids service organization collected numerous boxes and bags of items for “Operation: CAN DO,” an annual project to collect food, entertainment and hygiene products for servicemen and servicewomen with ties to Greater Hazleton who are stationed abroad.

Those items will be added to donations from other schools, area businesses and individuals to create care packages that will be sent to troops in time for the holidays. All items will be delivered to the American Legion Home Post Association 473 in Freeland. Legion members will then make care packages and ship them to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. This is the 11th annual “Operation: CAN DO.”

Students at Freeland Elementary/Middle School, Drums Elementary/Middle School, Hazleton Area High School, MMI Preparatory School, Immanuel Christian School and Weatherly Area High School also take part in “Operation: CAN DO.”

Several students took a break from classes at the Valley school on Thursday to pack up the items for delivery to CAN DO. Students spent the past month collecting the donations under the direction of National Junior Honor Society adviser Donna Grobelny and K-Kids adviser Monica Weidick.

Grobelny said the project was very beneficial for the students and taught them about helping others. “The National Junior Honor Society and K-Kids are both service organizations so we promote to the students a sense of thinking beyond themselves and helping others in school, their families and the community. This project taught them that there are others that need our help and we should give our efforts to those worthy causes,” she said.

“It was a joy to do this project, especially because it is helping the troops. Our hearts go out to the service members who are away from home and don’t have the comforts of home. We’re happy to contribute to them,” Grobelny said.

Local residents can still have a care package sent to their family member or friend serving anywhere abroad. They can submit names and delivery information to CAN DO Director of Administration Nancy Stasko at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 570-455-1508.

“Operation: CANDO” is a project of the CAN DO Student Action Committee. The committee coordinates several community events including the annual CAN DO Community Christmas celebration. The committee consists of area high school students who are appointed to serve as non-voting representatives to the CAN DO Board of Directors. Stasko and CAN DO board member Charles Burkhardt serve as advisers to the committee.