Displaying some of the toys brought into Unwind Café & Market in Tunkhannock in December are (from left) Coterra’s Bonnie Morrison, Candy Garrison of GasSearch Drilling Services, and Debbie Tierney from Lake Carey. The toys were collected through Dec. 13, then sorted and wrapped at Susquehanna County Interfaith and distributed to eligible Wyoming County residents before Christmas.
Coterra Energy stepped up its annual drive for new toys and other useful items for area children by partnering with local businesses for onsite collections. On Dec. 5, Unwind Café & Market invited the public to assist in Coterra’s efforts by setting up a collection box next to the Christmas tree inside the relatively new Tunkhannock venue.
The collection at Unwind continued through Dec. 13. But the extra perk for three hours on the first day was that anybody donating a new, unwrapped toy was treated to the beverage of their choice in any size by Coterra. On Dec. 10, donors could choose a small beverage of their choice in exchange for a donation all day.
Café owner Melissa Riscavage was previously unaware of Coterra’s ongoing partnership with Interfaith to provide gift items for families in need but, when contacted by the energy company, thought it was the perfect fit for her business.
“I knew that we wanted to do some type of toy drive or help a local family for the Christmas season,” Riscavage related. “With the toys going to Wyoming County Interfaith, we knew that they would stay local. That was very important to me that we help families in the county we work in.”
Debbie Tierney, recently retired from Northern Tier Industry & Education Consortium (NTIEC), arrived with a baby doll and racing car sets to add to the box. “I always back Coterra with their charitable efforts,” she stated. “They are a great community partner.”
Tierney had participated in Coterra’s endeavors in previous years on behalf of NTIEC and only learned of the Unwind event that morning. She made a quick shopping trip prior to surprising Bonnie Morris of Coterra with an appearance at the Café.
Morris works closely with Cindy Beeman, executive director of Susquehanna County Interfaith, which also serves Wyoming County. They have coordinated the multi-faceted toy drive together for several years now, filling wish lists for a growing number of local families who find themselves eligible after a tough year of juggling expenses like food and fuel in a difficult economy.
Also among those delivering toys to Unwind Café on Dec. 5 were students from the Lackawanna College School of Petroleum & Natural Gas at the Tunkhannock Center that were purchased by faculty members. The Center also helped to promote the event. “Participating in this drive is very important to us as we continuously strive to improve and support the community in which we serve,” said Center director Nicki Morgan.
“Debbie and Nicki and her staff exemplify the spirit of Christmas giving, and we are always impressed and grateful for their support of our community initiatives,” Morris stated. “Their participation is typical of other Wyoming County businesses and residents who help us meet the needs of those less fortunate every year.”
Peering into the boxes, Riscavage was amazed by the variety of toys, which included toy trucks, building blocks, board games, and gifts for older children. Several patrons who stumbled upon the toy drive on Dec. 5 later returned to Unwind Café & Market with something to put in the box.
“Our employees brought stuff in too,” Riscavage noted. “We were very excited to be a part of it this year and hope that it will be even bigger for Coterra and Interfaith because of it.”