PITTSTON — It might be too early in the season to predict the Pittston Area girl basketball team success but, in the category of acts of kindness, the team is number one.
For the second time this holiday season, team members opened their hearts and found time to give back to the community.
Just a few weeks ago, Head Coach Kathy Healey, staff and team members heard about Pittston Area alumni collecting toys for the West Pittston Salvation Army Toys For Tots campaign. The team decided to jump onboard to help.
The girls on the team bought toys, sports items and clothing to go towards the contribution. On the day of delivery to the Salvation Army, five senior players joined the effort, unloading three trucks full of items collected.
This past week, for the third year in a row, the team gathered on a rainy Dec. 20 at the Tomato Festival lot before distributing gloves, mittens, hats and scarfs for the less fortunate.
The delivery of the items was a bit different than leaving items at a central location. The girls left the items on light poles, posts, and parking meters on Main Street with notes to the recipients.
“I saw it on TV in Williamsport and I thought it would be a great idea if we adopted it,” Healey said of the idea for the donations. “The idea is for those less fortunate that need hats and gloves and scarfs throughout the winter. No questions asked; they can just take them off the poles.”
The note attached says, “Warm wishes, the Lady Patriots.”
Over the last few years, the team has received positive feedback from the donation program.
“A lot of people have said they came and took some stuff and a lot have told us it was a great idea,” Healey said. “We’ve had people that did donate to us towards our donation.”
After a team photo in front of the City of Pittston’s official Christmas tree, the team disbursed to distribute the winter wears.
Pittston Area senior Emily O’Brien donated scarfs and hats in the effort.
“I’ve donated scarfs and hats and I just like to help out in our community since a lot of people don’t have stuff as nice as I do,” O’Brien said. “It makes me feel really good that I can help someone out.”
Junior Emma Coles, who also donated hats and scarfs, was busy finding locations to place the items.
“It’s a great program; doing this really gets us out there, gets our name out there and gets people to support us,” Coles said. “It’s good for us, because we get to get people who don’t have much money get to take scarfs and hats and stay warm even like when it’s raining like today.”
