SCRANTON, Pa. — Toys are piled beneath the tree inside the Scranton Police Department, but soon, they'll be wrapped up under someone else's tree.
This is the 17th year the department has hosted its toy drive to collect new and unwrapped toys for students in the Scranton School District.
"This year, we're doing three schools, possibly four," Melissa McCafferty said. "We call the schools, they give us the families, the gender of the children, and their ages."
McCafferty spearheaded this effort with Scranton police to make Christmas a bit merrier for families in need. McCafferty says they usually get lots of toys for younger kids but don't want the older kids to be left out.
"For the older children, we're hoping maybe people could give us gift cards. They'd like McDonald's, Sheetz, Dunkin' Donuts, things like that for the older children."
The lists get bigger and bigger each year as families need extra help during the holidays. That's why Scranton police turn to the community. These "elves" say there is always a last-minute effort to collect donations.
"That's where we really tried to reach out to the community. Could you please help us do this? We need this and this and this to add because a lot of them have specific wish lists, and we like to get exactly what they asked for," Jennifer Menichini said.
There is also an event Friday night to benefit the toy drive at Lace Works Tap & Grill starting at 5 p.m.
"We just ask people to bring a new, unwrapped toy. There's going to be specialty prices and beverages and food. We're going to have a DJ, there'll be a 360-photo booth there, so it's going to be a lot of fun," McCafferty said.
You can drop off toys or gift cards in the lobby of the Scranton Police Department on South Washington Avenue until December 11.