A North Scranton church’s donation drive aims to make a splash with kids at city pools this summer.
The Mary, Mother of God Parish is in the midst of its annual Summer Swim Drive — a donation drive that collects hundreds of new beach towels, flip-flops, bathing suits, goggles and sunscreen to distribute to children and their families at Scranton pools every summer.
Team leader of the Community in Service Coordinating Team Jennifer Pitts holds up flip flops in the foyer of Mary Mother of God Parish at Holy Rosary Church in North Scranton Tuesday, June 24, 2025. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The parish at 316 William St. first held its Summer Swim Drive in 2018, said Jennifer Pitts, team leader of the Community/Service Coordinating Team.
Pitts’ daughter, Claudia Pitts, first had the idea for the swim drive while working as a lifeguard at Weston Park and noticing kids arriving without swimsuits.
Today, it has become a churchwide donation drive, and a team of close to 10 volunteers will set up tables lined with the donated items to give out at the pools at Weston Field, Weston Park and Connell Park, her mom said.
“It’s just a volunteer opportunity for our parish that is sustainable,” Pitts said. “We do it every summer, and everyone knows it’s going to happen, and everybody’s out there doing their shopping, getting their bathing suits and towels.”
She expects to go out to the pools within the next few weeks.
“It’s such a great day. We love it,” Pitts said. “We have a blast because everyone is so happy that receives a new suit or a new towel.”
The tables are set up to allow people to peruse the inventory, just like if they were shopping, she said.
However, as the parish gets ready to distribute the items, they still need some additional donations.
As of now, the parish still needs beach towels, flip-flops of all sizes and swimsuits in the following sizes:
Girls: 7/8, 12/14, 16/18Boys: 4/5, 6, 6X, 7/8, 10/12, 14/16Women: L, XL, 3XMen: M, L, XL, 2X
Monetary donations are also accepted, with volunteers using the money to buy the needed items.
The Rev. Cyril Edwards, pastor of Mary, Mother of God Parish, said he is always proud and impressed with how the people of his church respond to the call for help.
“For years, in going to the pools, we’ve seen kids swimming in attire that is not appropriate — wearing jeans instead of a bathing suit,” he said. “Sometimes you’ll see a kid who doesn’t have a towel.”
The parish collects items in every size to give out, he said. Edwards also plans to give out ice cream cones to kids during the swimwear distributions.
“I think our people recognize that you’ve got to put the gospel into action and help other people, especially kids, who don’t have the money to go out,” Edwards said. “The kids are thrilled. … It does my heart good to see the kids get excited about a nice, new beach towel or a nice, new suit or flip-flops that they never had.”
With a new pool at Weston Field, which is set to open this month, Edwards said he expects more kids to be swimming this summer.
“We will need every suit we have, I think, because the pool looks beautiful and should be very popular, I hope and pray,” Edwards said.
To donate to Mary, Mother of God Parish’s Summer Swim Drive, items can be dropped off in the children’s pools setup inside the church, 316 William St., or at the rectory if the church isn’t open.