The CAN DO Student Action Committee is seeking support from businesses and individuals across Greater Hazleton as it plans the 17th annual Operation: CAN DO drive.

Operation: CAN DO is an effort, in conjunction with the Freeland American Legion Post 473, that has its Student Action Committee members create care packages to send to those brave military service members with ties to Greater Hazleton who will be serving abroad during the holidays. The Student Action Committee, who spearheads this annual program with assistance from the Freeland American Legion Post 473, kicked off this year’s campaign by sending letters to area schools and businesses requesting goods or monetary donations for the care packages. The committee is also seeking the names and contact information of service members who would like to receive a package.

CAN DO Community Relations Committee chair and Student Action Committee co-advisor Cal Herring said, “Our Student Action Committee members are working diligently to make this holiday season a special one for our military service members. However, the success of Operation: CAN DO would not be possible without the generous donations from individuals and businesses across Greater Hazleton. That's why we're asking the public once again to help us gather items as well as contact information for our troops so we can honor these military members with a care package this holiday.”

CAN DO’s Student Action Committee is made up of local high school students who are appointed to serve as non-voting members of the CAN DO Board of Directors. Operation: CAN DO is being coordinated by co-chairs Ryan Hastings of Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences and Amelia Bredbenner of Hazleton Area High School.

Additional committee members are: Jayce Sanchez of Hazleton Area Academy of Sciences; Lucy Olander, Ava Ziegler, Mirlenys Rodriguez and Annie Peralta of Hazleton Area High School; Kallen Selby and Jaycol Tejeda of Immanuel Christian School; Walter Pavlik and Mason Mazurkiwecz of Marian High School; Daniella Vasquez and John Schwear III of MMI Preparatory School; and Timothy Maguschak and Jack Nemshick of Weatherly High School.

To share the names and contact information of servicemen and servicewomen with ties to Greater Hazleton, email Dana DeLucca at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mail the information to Operation: CAN DO, 1 South Church Street, Suite 200, Hazleton, PA 18201.

Items for the Operation: CAN DO drive will be collected through October 21 at schools throughout Greater Hazleton and at CAN BE, 103 Rotary Drive in West Hazleton. All donations collected by October 21 will be transported to the Freeland American Legion, where they will later be packaged for shipping overseas.

Individuals and businesses wishing to participate by making a monetary donation or who would like a list of goods to donate, are asked to call CAN DO at (570) 455-1508. Checks for monetary donations can be made payable to Operation: CAN DO and sent to Operation: CAN DO, 1 South Church St., Suite 200, Hazleton, PA 18201. For further information, call CAN DO at (570) 455-1508.