Boys begin annual Scouting For Food campaign Saturday

By CHRIS CLINE
Daily Journal Staff Writer

Published: Saturday, November 21, 2009
Updated: Sunday, November 15, 2009 4:09 AM CST

PARK HILLS — The Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts waged war on hunger Saturday as the annual Scouting For Food campaign kicked off. Local Boy Scout troops and Cub Scout packs spent Saturday going door-to-door distributing bags. The scouts will return to pick up the bags on Nov. 21.

The Park Hills Boy Scout Troop 417 and Cub Scout Pack 417 met at 9 a.m. at the Esther United Methodist Church to pick up their bags. About 18 scouts along with their parents handed out the bags. John Fingerhut, a leader of the local troop and pack, said about 3,000 bags were distributed just in the Park Hills area.

“Each town has their troop or pack,” he said. “We will be coming back around at about 10 a.m., next Saturday to pick up the bags. Then we will take everything we collect to the Elvins Food Pantry.”

This is the 25th anniversary of the “Scouting For Food” campaign. More than 30,000 Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts are expected to participate in this year’s campaign.

During the 2008 campaign scouts collected 2.2 million cans of food -- 6 percent more than the previous year's drive. The Greater St. Louis Area Council-Boy Scouts of America collected more 39.4 million cans of food during the 24-year history of the drive.

It’s estimated that “Scouting For Food” accounts for about 15 percent of area food pantries’ yearly supply.

The Boy Scouts of American has identified what is considered to be the perfect bag. It consists of two cans of hearty soup, stew or chili; two cans of tuna, chicken, salmon or luncheon meat; one can of fruit; one can of 100 percent pure fruit juice; one can of vegetables; one can of tomato or pasta sauce; one canned meat; one can of beans; and one can of evaporated milk.

Chris Cline is a reporter for the Daily Journal. Contact him at 573-431-2010, ext. 114 or at ccline@dailyjournalonline.com.

 

Archives Web Site Marketplace Obits Babies Jobs