The CAN DO Student Action Committee marked the 25th anniversary of CAN DO Community Christmas when the annual celebration was held Wednesday at Christ Lutheran Church in Hazleton.
The free event was designed around a theme of “Come Celebrate the Arts” and featured musical performances by students from schools throughout Greater Hazleton, refreshments, a Letters to Santa table where children wrote their Christmas wishes and a visit from Santa Claus himself.
This year’s performers included the MMI Preparatory School Chamber Ensemble under the direction of Tina Lizbinski, the McAdoo-Kelayres Elementary/Middle School Mustang Chorus under the direction of Sandra Hoppey, the Hazleton Area High School Chamber Singers under the direction of Kim Sharonoff, the Hazleton Area High School Jazz Ensemble under the direction of Joseph Stefanko and the Heights Terrace Elementary School Third Grade Chorus under the direction of Rachel Brimmer.
CAN DO Community Christmas was coordinated by co-chairs Corrin Dagostin of Marian High School, and Jakob Schwabe of MMI Preparatory School, under the direction of co-advisers Nancy Stasko and Charles Burkhardt. Additional Student Action Committee members are: Michael Kulish, Stephanie Mazurek, James “JT” Vozar and Francine Lamasko of Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences; Alexandra Rentz, Mark Abdelmalek, Angelina Joseph and Vincent Damiano of Hazleton Area High School; Christopher Danishefsky and Saraiha Rossi of Immanuel Christian School; Isabella Schwabe and Grace Mussoline of Marian High School; Morgan Long of MMI Preparatory School; and Jillian Bartel and Nikki Polivka of Weatherly Area High School.
An hour-long version of the concert will be rebroadcast on WYLN-TV 35 on the following dates and times: Wednesday, Dec. 13 at 12 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 14 at 3 p.m., Monday, Dec. 18 at 4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21 at 8 p.m., Friday, Dec. 22 at 9 a.m., Sunday, Dec. 24 at 1 p.m. and Monday, Dec. 25 at 9 p.m.
Sponsors for this year’s event included Gottstein Corporation, Humboldt Industrial Supply, Keystone Job Corps and WYLN.
