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Lady Patriots spread holiday cheer with random acts of kindness throughout Greater Pittston

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Second Presbyterian Church in Pittston hosts Blue Christmas service to assist those who are grieving during the holidays

<p>PITTSTON &#8212; City resident Sgt. Hannah Bacon has chosen to pursue a career serving her country as a Marine. During this time of year, the fight she focuses on is making sure all children have toys on Christmas.</p><p>Bacon is a manager of the Toys for Tots warehouse at the CenterPoint Commerce and Trade Park in Pittston. This is her first year being part of the Toys for Tots program. She accounts for all toys donated to the warehouse by taking inventory of the shipments. She also takes orders from non-profit organizations.</p><p>&#8220;I have great helpers that help me count and sort them (the toys),&#8221; she said about the volunteers. &#8220;They (the toys) are all separated by gender, age and what types of toys like games, puzzles, art and crafts and stuff like that.&#8221;</p><p>Bacon credits not only the organizations who give donations but those who help the cause in other ways. Bekins A-1 Movers picks up the toys from the warehouse and delivers them and Diamond Recycling Company helps by collecting cardboard boxes and plastics, in which toys and games are wrapped.</p><p>&#8220;Any way that they can help, they do help us,&#8221; said Bacon.</p><p>The Toys for Tots program starts collecting donations in October and finishes in either late December or early January. Off season, Bacon trains reservists for deployment. She is also a supply Marine, which means she maintains inventory for military equipment and gear.</p><p>Originally from Laurinburg, North Carolina, Bacon started her career as a boot camp private at Parris Island, South Carolina in January 2011. In April of that year, she joined the U.S. Marines and has been deployed in various countries with expeditionary units, such as Spain and Israel, currently serving an E-5 sergeant.</p><p>Bacon is also a mother with a 10-month-old daughter, Charlotte. Her husband, Andrew, is a retired Marine. He is currently a fitness trainer in Trumbull, Connecticut.</p><p>&#8220;I love serving the country,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I have a great purpose in my job. I&#8217;ve met some of the greatest people being in the Marine Corps. I get to participate in a great program like Toys for Tots helping the community, and you&#8217;re never going to feel the brotherhood elsewhere like you would in the Marine Corps. Not only am I mentored and affected by other Marines, I also lead and guide my fellow Marines, as well. It&#8217;s the greatest job.&#8221;</p><p>The Toys for Tots program is primarily a reserve function all around the United States. It is part of the I &amp; I (inspector &amp; instructor) program.</p><p>Staff Sgt. Louis Cortes of the U.S. Marine Corps oversees the Toys for Tots operation. He believes serving the country is not just fighting battles but also giving underprivileged children and families a sense of hope, especially for the holidays. In fact, he calls the Toys for Tots program &#8220;Boxes of Hope.&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re for the people,&#8221; he said. &#8220;It&#8217;s not just fighting battles abroad, but fighting battles at home, including poverty. We&#8217;re a people&#8217;s Marine Corps. Ninety-seven percent of what we do goes to the cause.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Sgt. Hannah Bacon, center, of the U.S. Marine Corps, poses with members of the Juanita Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, Nora Freda, left, and Worthy Matron Nancy McLain. Bacon is a manager for the Toys for Tots program, to which the Juanita Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star donated. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_toys-for-tots.jpg</photo0><caption0>Sgt. Hannah Bacon, center, of the U.S. Marine Corps, poses with members of the Juanita Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star, Nora Freda, left, and Worthy Matron Nancy McLain. Bacon is a manager for the Toys for Tots program, to which the Juanita Chapter of the Order of Eastern Star donated. </caption0><photoCredit0>Submitted photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Pittston resident, Marine integral part of local Toys for Tots donations</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ben Freda</p><p>For Times Leader</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach the Times Leader newsroom at 570-829-7242 or on Twitter @TLnews</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Marine Sgt. Hannah Bacon, of Pittston, is an integral part of Toys for Tots donations