The Santa Squad’s Gary Worosilla assembled over 120 bicycles to be handed out for Christmas 2023 on collection day.
                                 Tony Callaio file photo | For Sunday Dispatch

The Santa Squad’s Gary Worosilla assembled over 120 bicycles to be handed out for Christmas 2023 on collection day.

Tony Callaio file photo | For Sunday Dispatch

<p>Hundreds of Christmas bags filled with five gifts for 1,600 children on the Angel Wish List are lined up on the floor of the former Seton Catholic gym, currently occupied by the Greater Pittston Santa Squad in 2023. Members of the Santa Squad collect toys, log them in, and bag them for pick-up day in December.</p>
                                 <p>Tony Callaio file photo | For Sunday Dispatch</p>

Hundreds of Christmas bags filled with five gifts for 1,600 children on the Angel Wish List are lined up on the floor of the former Seton Catholic gym, currently occupied by the Greater Pittston Santa Squad in 2023. Members of the Santa Squad collect toys, log them in, and bag them for pick-up day in December.

Tony Callaio file photo | For Sunday Dispatch

PITTSTON — Even though this weekend is the first weekend of autumn, the Greater Pittston Santa Squad is already gearing up for the 2024 Christmas campaign.

GPSS has set up registration dates for children in the Pittston Area and Wyoming Area school districts for children in need.

All sign-ups will take place at the former Seton Catholic gym, 53 William St., Pittston.

This year there will be a change in the age requirement, the GPSS will be accepting names of children from the ages of 14 and under.

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“It’s a little early for Christmas spirit, but it’s a necessary evil,” Anthony Marranca, creator of the GPSS, said. “People aren’t in the Christmas spirit so many months from Christmas and we understand it’s so early, but for us to get to the kids we need to get to and do what we need to do, we need to get lists out and toys back from people who adopt children quickly.”

Last year, GPSS helped over 800 children from both school districts combined in making Christmas dreams come true.

The sign up dates are as follows:

• Thursday, Oct. 3, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Sunday, Oct. 6, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Wednesday, Oct. 9, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

• Saturday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Marranca asks parents or guardians to bring a birth certificate of the child/children as well as personal ID and proof of residence to the sign up.

“There’s so many steps to this process,” Marranca added. “Between parents signing up kids, getting lists out to families who want to help, to getting toys back and logging all the toys, registering the toys, and finally getting toys bagged and out to the gym floor for December 7, pick up day,” Marranca added.

For further information on GPSS or to keep updated, Marranca asks to check out the organization’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/greaterpittstonsantasquad.