A local Marine who recently returned from an overseas tour visited Freeland Elementary/Middle School Friday morning to speak to the students who helped collect items for a care package through CAN DO and the Freeland American Legion.

Marine 1st Lt. Jeff Broyan received a care package through “Operation: CAN DO,” a drive organized by CAN DO’s Student Action Committee and coordinated through the Freeland American Legion to provide entertainment, personal hygiene and food items to servicemen and women serving abroad. Freeland Elementary/Middle School’s Builders Club is among the groups across Greater Hazleton that collects items for the troops.

“This is the sixth year that the Student Action Committee has organized the Operation: CAN DO drive. Over the years, the students have gotten letters from several of the men and women who received care packages through Operation: CAN DO, thanking the students for thinking of them,” said Charles Burkhardt, Student Action Committee co-adviser and a teacher at Freeland Elementary/Middle School. Nancy Stasko is also a co-adviser to the Student Action Committee.

On Tuesday, Broyan, who attended Freeland Elementary/Middle School, visited the school to speak with students and express his gratitude. He spoke to the students about Afghanistan, its culture and the Operation: CAN DO care package he received last fall and shared with the Marines in his unit.

“We were very grateful for the package, which contained many items that made life easier and reminded us of home,” Broyan said.

Broyan served in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, where he worked on security patrols and supervised more than 50 Marines and more than 60 members of Afghani forces. He praised the “exceptional” job the Marines under him did, saying, “They lived up to and exceeded anyone’s expectations. They truly deserved the items in the care package.”

CAN DO Chairman John Spevak said, “The community has been consistently supportive of our soldiers through Operation: CAN DO. We appreciate all the donations from individuals and businesses throughout Greater Hazleton.”

The CAN DO Student Action Committee is involved throughout the year in helping to coordinate several community events such as the Operation: CAN DO and the annual CAN DO Community Christmas celebration. The committee consists of area high school students who are appointed to serve as non-voting representatives to the CAN DO Board of Directors.

Student Action Committee members Stephen Senick, Hazleton Area High School; Matt Caccese, Weatherly Area High School; and George Gera, MMI Preparatory School, served as co-chairs of Operation: CAN DO. Members of the committee are Adam Hauze, Jocelyn Hinkle, Katelyn Mantz and Stephen Senick, Hazleton Area High School; Jonathan Hall and Yanira Paulino, Immanuel Christian School; George Gera and Nicholas Triano, MMI Preparatory School; and Susan Funk and Matt Caccese, Weatherly Area High School.