There are some residents within the communities that make up Stoddard County who do not have enough food to eat. It's a cold fact, and one that area Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are trying to change.
The 29th Annual "Scouting for Food" collection food drive not only helps provide to those without, but also helps to make the young scouts be more aware of needs in their community. All food items collected by the Scout's efforts will be donated to the Stoddard County Gospel Mission.
On Saturday, Nov. 8, local Scouts will leave bags on area doorsteps. Residents are encouraged to place in the bags non-perishable canned food. Suggestions are nutritious, high protein foods such as canned tuna, peanut butter, beef stew, chili, canned meats, canned vegetables and canned fruits. Perishable food, frozen items and food in glass containers should be avoided, says Stoddard County Mission Director Kim Slavings.
On Nov. 15, the Scouts will return to pick up the filled bags which should be placed where the bags were left. The items will be collected until mid afternoon.
The food may also be dropped off until 4 p.m. on Nov. 15, at the Stoddard County Gospel Mission and indefinitely from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Mission located on One Mile Road in Dexter.
Last year's event brought in approximately 6,050 cans, and hopes are to exceed that amount this year. Reminding the residents in Stoddard County ahead of time will hope to encourage more participation this year, Slavings says.
"This is very important and we urge the community to join in this effort. Scouts all over the nation will be participating as a way of helping the communities which help support Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts like us," states Kyle Gillespie of Troop 200.
Part of the Boy Scout program is to teach boys to be good citizens in the community and one way to do that is to provide a service in the community. It makes the boys aware that there are people less fortunate than them and in some cases, some of the boys who are collecting the food might be in this very situation.
"It couldn't come at a better time", says Slavings. "This time of year when food is needed most as area food pantries are experiencing extreme demands as a result of government cutbacks on food stamps and other benefit programs."
According to Slavings, Thanksgiving and Christmas are very difficult times. "It's when there is such a shortage of food and what the Scouts do is much appreciated at this time of year."
"It's easy to ignore the problem of people being hungry unless it comes to our own household," she says. There are many people right here in our county who face hunger at least sometime during the month and they need out help. Hunger doesn't take a vacation."
Every year the Boy Scouts "Scouting for Food" Good Turn projects helps provide additional food for the food baskets distributed to county residents during the holidays.