This Saturday, Nov. 7, Scouts and Cubs from across the mountain will take part in their 26th annual Scouting for Food community service project.
Since 2001, this event has served as a “Good Turn for America,” bringing together Scouts of all ages to help support Operation Provider, the local food bank, during the critical holiday season.
Each year, Scouts station themselves outside local grocery stores, collecting non-perishable food items and cash donations.
“The Scouts are doing a wonderful annual contribution to Operation Provider with their food drive,” said Holland Lowe, executive director of Operation Provider. “It allows the community to donate and be part of feeding the hungry on our mountain during the holidays. Our donations have been extremely low recently and the need is higher than ever. Through these drives and a few generous neighbors, we’re able to continue serving those in need.”
According to Lowe, the most-needed items this year include holiday-based items such as canned yams, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, soups, mac and cheese, and gift cards or cash to purchase turkeys.
The Scouting for Food project was started 26 years ago by Jim Newcomb, now the local Scout Commissioner, when he served as Scoutmaster for Troop 251 in Lake Arrowhead.
“When we moved to the area, there wasn’t a coordinated community service project,” Newcomb explained. “We had been doing Scouting for Food in Northern California and brought the idea here. We started with one troop in front of Stater Bros. and it’s grown to include Scouts from across the mountain.”
Scouting has been building character and leadership skills for over a century. Since its founding in England in 1909, the program has inspired youth worldwide to become responsible citizens and self-reliant individuals through outdoor adventures, education and community involvement. Locally, Scouting welcomes boys and girls from kindergarten through age 18. To learn more, visit www.BeAScout.org or simply speak with one of the scouts collecting food this weekend.
Troop 89 and Pack 264 will be stationed outside Stater Bros., Jensen’s and Goodwin’s from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Over the past two decades, the Scouts have collected more than 705,000 pounds of food over $30,000 in donations for Operation Provider.
With demand especially high this year, community members are encouraged to stop by a local grocery store on Saturday, pick up a few extra non-perishable items and donate them on their way out. The Scouts will be there to accept contributions and deliver them directly to the food bank.
Be the one to make a difference this holiday season.
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