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Scranton mechanic leads toy drive effort

All the toys Marc Pane collected, as well as a few dozen bicycles he bought with the proceeds from a raffle, will go to families in need for Christmas.

SCRANTON, Pa. — There's no room for cars in this part of Pane's Garage in Pinebrook.

"This morning's count was 81 boxes," said owner Marc Pane.

He collects Toys for Tots donation boxes he put out at dozens of area businesses starting in October.

All the toys, as well as a few dozen bicycles he bought with the proceeds from a raffle, will go to families in need for Christmas.

"A friend of mine had passed away, and his wife asked me if I would pick up the ball, and that was 12 or 13 years ago now," Pane said.

This has been the biggest year yet.

Pane says he can't help but feel like a kid with his garage filled with toys.

"I had a couple friends stop this week who have been having issues, it's the holidays and stuff. I said, 'come on with me.' I brought them in here and showed them around, they were like, 'oh my God.' I said this is what it's about, it's the kids, helping people, this is what it's about," he said.

Pane knows his efforts wouldn't be possible without the businesses who took boxes and the customers who helped fill them. 

"It tells me that this is an unbelievably great community that we live in. It doesn't matter if you're red, you're blue, you're black, you're white, people help," he said.

The Marines will come to collect the toys later this week, and they're probably going to need a tractor-trailer. 

Credit: WNEP

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