CAN DO, the economic development organization serving Greater Hazleton and beyond, announced that its Student Action Committee for the 2015-2016 school year has initiated the planning process for its two signature events, Operation: CAN DO and CAN DO Community Christmas.

Student Action Committee members will help collect items and assemble care packages for troops stationed in the Middle East through Operation: CAN DO for the 11th year. The packages will be delivered in time for the holiday season to troops who have ties to Greater Hazleton in cooperation with American Legion Home Association Post 473 in Freeland. The students will be mailing letters seeking food, personal and entertainment items and monetary donations and setting up collection centers at their schools.

The 23rd annual CAN DO Community Christmas will be held Wednesday, December 2 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in Hazleton. Student Action Committee members are planning this year’s celebration around the general theme of Come Celebrate the Arts. The evening will feature performances from student musical acts such as jazz ensembles, chamber orchestras and chorus groups. Committee members are working to design a T-shirt for this year and will coordinate refreshments, a Letters to Santa table and a visit from Santa Claus during the event.

Student Action Committee members are: Morgan O’Hara, Monica Abdelmalek, Natalie Alcantara, Lauren Pataki and Jerry Gasser, from Hazleton Area High School; Dominic Yannuzzi, from Hazleton Area Academy of Science; Anthony Kimsal and Pemely Guzman, from Immanuel Christian School; Dominic Mussoline and Jenna O’Donnell, from Marian High School; Brendan Drusda, Kayla Leonard and Joshua Narrow, from MMI Preparatory School; and Trent Dempsey and Samantha DeSpirito, from Weatherly Area High School.

O’Donnell and Kimsal will serve as Operation: CAN DO co-chairs and Mussoline and Abdelmalek will co-chair CAN DO Community Christmas. Nancy Stasko and Charles Burkhardt are the Student Action Committee advisors.