Anthony Marranca, left, creator of the Greater Pittston Santa Squad, stands with Tony Ranieli, Pittston Township Firefighters Association and president of the Jenkins Little League, will be planning the second annual Greater Pittston Santa Squad tournament.
Tony Callaio | File photo
Anthony Marranca, left, Greater Pittston Santa Squad, chats with West Pittston Salvation Army’s Lt. Gavin Yeatts in front of more than 150 toys collected to help his Corps branch’s Christmas toy drive.
Tony Callaio | File photo
Volunteers of the Greater Pittston Santa Squad stand alongside hundreds of toys donated to the West Pittston Salvation Army for the 2019 Christmas campaign.
Tony Callaio | File photo
For the second year in a row, the Pittston Area Girls basketball team donated to the Greater Pittston Santa Squad in 2019.
Tony Callaio | File photo
PITTSTON – Christmas in July is a popular event for summertime parties or many merchants selling Christmas items halfway to the holiday. For the Greater Pittston Santa Squad, Christmas is every month of the year.
In 2018, Anthony Marranca created the Santa Squad out of the necessity when he heard the West Pittston Salvation Army toy drive was lacking toys. He didn’t want to see a child left behind without a Christmas gift, he came up with a fundraiser that was so successful, he decided to create a 501(c)3 nonprofit.
During the first full year as the Santa Squad, Marranca and his team created a few fundraisers including a softball tournament and a tournament party along with the original fundraiser during the annual Turkey Bowl game where people get together to play touch football at Thanksgiving.
Last year’s softball tournament was very successful headed by Tony Ranieli. The tournament included several area softball teams and raffle baskets. As a result of that effort, the event yielded $3,000.
The year, the Santa Squad is still on course to hold the second annual softball tournament in August. Officials are staying positive the event can be played amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are anticipating that our numbers stay low, and we are hoping for the best,” Marranca said. “It’s just one of those hoping for the best and life will go on. We’re going to have our meeting and go full steam ahead. We have to plan like we can do it, and it’s easier to cancel everything than amp it up in a week or two.”
Marranca said last year’s tournament was held in August and this year it may be in August or September.
The Turkey Bowl is also on schedule for 2020. In 2019, the Santa Squad held a standing room only fundraiser party the night before the game.
“We love the formula we have now with the football game with the party the night before,” Marranca said. “Maybe we can have a turkey buffet after the game this year.”
According to Marranca, the worst-case scenario for 2020 is the total shutout of any or all events due to COVID-19.
“Worst-case scenario is we will make and take toy donation boxes and spread them out all through Pittston,” Marranca added. “We will still be taking PayPal donations, and people can always donate cash or toys. We’re still in the toy business, we’re not going to hide from this, and we’re going to do everything we can, obviously.”
Marranca believes with 2020 being a down year for many said, “My anticipation is less people may not donate and more people will be in need, so we can’t leave any stone unturned. It’s definitely will be a test for us.”
The Santa Squad donated toys primarily to those in Greater Pittston, followed by outside agencies in need of toys.
“We had approximately 2,000 toys last year,” Marranca said. “It’s important to us to show transparency because people want to see where their money goes. The West Pittston Salvation Army received 900 toys.”
Other than donating to Greater Pittston organizations, Marranca said they donated to the women’s shelter, Pittston, Children and Youth, Catholic Social Services, Women’s Domestic Abuse Center, the Scranton Children and Youth.
“The important thing I want to get across is, we donate to Greater Pittston first; that’s our most important target,” Marranca said. “After all we gave away last Christmas, we still have about 75 toys left over and about $3,000 in the bank so that’s a good start for 2020.”
Coming into the third Christmas for the Santa Squad, Marranca estimated the group donated 2,400 to 2,500 toys.
CrossFit Anthracite gym, Pittston, will be holding a Christmas in July toy drive spearheaded by Kathy Healey, time and day has yet to be announced.
The Santa Squad will be holding a mid-year meeting to finalize all plans for the rest of 2020.
