Penn’s Woods Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Girl Scouts of Talus Rock Council have once again teamed up for this year’s Good Turn Food Drive.
This is a program designed to collect canned and packaged foods for area neighbors in need.
This Saturday, local Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts will invade area neighborhoods, armed with bright yellow door hangers explaining to residents how the food drive works.
It’s simple.
The hangers contain information about the Good Turn Food Drive and includes a detailed list of items the scouts are hoping to collect.
Then, on Nov. 22, the scouts will be back out, this time arriving in trucks, vans and station wagons in hopes of picking up loads of donated food items. All will benefit the Tyrone Area Food Bank.
“This single drive alone accounts for about 1/3 of what we use all year,” said Rev. Vance Clark, coordinator of the Tyrone Area Food Bank. “Those young people do a terrific job.”
According to Clark, the food bank has seen an increase in visits over the past couple of years. He said a normal Thursday would see between 15 and 20 families or individuals come in. Last year at Thanksgiving, nearly 100 families showed up.
Although the food bank has committed and dedicated volunteers, Clark said they are still appreciative of what the scouts do in terms of helping after everything is collected.
“The scouts take care of everything,” said Clark. “Not only do they spend a weekend announcing the event, then another collecting, they also sort the items, box them and prepare them.”
Items needed include: Canned meats, cereal, canned vegetables, baby formula, peanut butter, canned potatoes, baby cereal, canned fish, powdered milk, macaroni, beef stew, packaged food, canned fruit, canned soups (chunky style), paper products, canned milk and boxed mixes.
Nothing perishable, frozen or in glass can be accepted.
The scouts ask those donating to the program can place the items in a paper or plastic bag and leave outside by the front door by 9 a.m. on Nov. 22.
The Tyrone Area Food Bank is located at Wesley United Methodist Church in Tyrone. It is normally open on Thursdays from 9-10:30 a.m.
It will have special opening days near Thanksgiving and Christmas. On Nov. 25, the food bank will be open from 8-11 a.m. and again on Dec. 23 from 8-11 a.m. The food bank will not be open between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts from troops sponsored by Church of Good Shepherd, Bald Eagle United Methodist Church, Warriors Mark United Methodist Church and St. Matthew’s Roman Catholic Church will be working together to perform this most needed community service.
