Wright Center: Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Department Hosting Toy Drive The Lackawanna County Sheriff’s deputies will again ensure local children have a great holiday season by hosting a toy drive benefiting The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement (TWCPCE). Members of the sheriff’s department who participated in The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement (TWCPCE) toy drive in 2024. Front row from left – Deputy Colin Quinn, K-9 Arlo, and Holly Przasnyski, director of TWCPCE. Back row – Lackawanna County Sheriff Mark McAndrew, Lt. John Padula, deputies Morgan Holmes, Matthew Batysko, and Brice Finnerty, Corporal Brenda Goosley, Corporal Kerry McHugh, deputies Lisa Deustachio and David Pascolini, Corporal Joe George, Gerri McAndrew, and Kathleen Doyle, co-directors of TWCPCE. New, unwrapped toys and monetary donations will be accepted by deputies and TWCPCE staff during the Lackawanna Winter Market on Courthouse Square, 200 N. Washington Ave., Scranton, on Saturday, Dec. 6, from 11 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Look for the sheriff’s department transport van near the main entrance to the Lackawanna County Courthouse on North Washington Avenue. Raffle basket chances will also be available. TWCPCE will distribute donated toys to local families and use all monetary donations to purchase toys. TWCPCE advances The Wright Centers for Community Health and Graduate Medical Education’s mission – to improve the health and welfare of communities through responsive health services for all and the sustainable renewal of an inspired, competent workforce that is privileged to serve –by involving patients and communities in transforming primary health care, fostering workforce development, and addressing public health challenges. Focused on education and advocacy, the nonprofit organization assists the region’s most vulnerable populations, including those experiencing poverty, homelessness, food and housing insecurity, limited access to education and job opportunities, lack of transportation, social isolation, and other challenges. Guided by a board of patients and local professionals, it organizes community initiatives, such as health fairs, food drives, and school supply giveaways, while its annual Dr. William Waters Golf Tournament generates essential funding to ensure equitable access to high-quality, whole-person primary health services for everyone, regardless of age, ethnicity, insurance status, ZIP code, or ability to pay.
SWB RailRiders Hosting Salvation Army Toy Drive The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, in conjunction with The Salvation Army, have announced that PNC Field will serve as a drop-off location for the Scranton Citadel Toy Drive. Fans can drop off new, unwrapped toys at the RailRiders Front Office from November 17 to December 12. The Front Office is open from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M., Monday through Friday, though it will be closed November 26 – 28 for Thanksgiving. Donate one new, unwrapped toy for The Salvation Army Scranton Citadel Toy Drive and receive one Zone C ticket voucher redeemable for any 2026 April or May RailRiders game at PNC Field. In 2024, local donations helped The Salvation Army serve 2,279 families, deliver over 2,500 toys and brighten the holidays for more than 700 children in our community. For more information, please call (570) 969-2255.
Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Department Toy Drive Benefits The Wright Center Lackawanna County Sheriff’s deputies will ensure local children have a great holiday season by hosting a toy drive benefiting The Wright Center for Patient & Community Engagement (PCE). Deputies are asking the public to help fill the department’s transport van with new, unwrapped toys on Dec. 2-4 during the Lackawanna Winter Market on Courthouse Square, 200 N. Washington Ave., Scranton. The outdoor market will feature craft vendors, live music, food, and the lighting of the county’s Christmas tree. The drive benefits PCE, a subsidiary of The Wright Center for Community Health, that focuses on improving the health and well-being of residents across Northeast Pennsylvania. Throughout the year, PCE hosts food giveaways at their clinics and provides transportation vouchers to patients who have trouble getting to and from doctors’ appointments. Additionally, PCE distributes backpacks filled with school supplies and hosts school uniform giveaways and clothing closets for needy residents. Last year, sheriff’s deputies held a food drive for PCE, according to Cpl. Joe George. They collected and donated more than 12 cases of nonperishable food. They hope to build on that success with the upcoming toy drive. The Lackawanna County Sheriff’s Association and Sheriff Mark McAndrew have donated $250 each to purchase toys for the drive. “There are a lot of people in Lackawanna County who need a helping hand, and we want to ensure families – especially their children – have a happy holiday season,” he said. Gerri McAndrew, co-director of PCE, also mentioned the deep need in the community, especially during the holidays. “Last year, we helped 60 families at our clinics with toys and clothes, plus we adopt families through the Salvation Army,” she said, adding that PCE serves about 900 children annually. “This drive will enable us to help more families.” While collecting toys for children might not seem as urgent as some other PCE initiatives, McAndrew thinks about her own kids and how they feel at Christmas. “I don’t want any child’s heart to break on Christmas morning,” she said. “They should get at least one present.” Donations of new, unwrapped toys will be accepted by deputies throughout the county’s Winter Market on Friday, Dec. 1, from 5 to 9 p.m.; Saturday, Dec. 2, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sunday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Look for sheriff’s deputies and their transport van near the main entrance to the Lackawanna County Courthouse. For more information on how to donate, contact Deputy Morgan Holmes at holmesm@lackawannacounty.org or 570.963-6719 x 4857. For more information, visit TheWrightCenter.org.
