Goose Creek District Scouting for Food Update October 19, 2007

Plans are progressing for our Scouting for Food drive.  I sense that our planning is ahead of schedule compared to last year.  Frank Ludlow and I are still trying to track down a few packs and troops that have helped out in the past, but otherwise things are going well.  Hopefully, you have been successful getting plans made and communicated within your pack or troop.  Thanks for all of your efforts to date.  I do have a few items that may require your attention.

On Monday, October 21, I'll be issuing a press release to the Loudoun media outlets concerning the Scouting for Food drive.  This year I will list the fixed locations where Scouts will be accepting off-the-street donations on Saturday, November 10, or during the week leading up to that date.  For example, I'll list the collection site run by Troop 1910 at Lucketts Elementary School, as well as the Purcellville collection site at the Loudoun Valley Shopping Plaza.  If your pack and troop has a fixed drop-off site or will be collecting at a specific site on November 10, please e-mail me the location and hours of operation by Sunday evening.  I will add those sites to the press release to help drum up more donations for your pack or troop. 

If you want to obtain any of the Scouting for Food yard signs that I displayed at the orientations, I need to know by Sunday night, October 21.  I am currently all out of inventory, and there are a couple units interested in purchasing signs.  If additional units place orders, then I'll be able to place a bulk order early next week.   The price for each sign/stand combo is $5.00.  This is an inexpensive means to remind your neighborhoods to set out their food donations.

A few packs and troops asked me what to do if they collect any gift cards along with food donations.  That is a good question that deserves a broader response.  The Community Holiday Coalition actively solicits $10 and $20 grocery store gift cards from their donor community.  They distribute roughly $30,000 in grocery store gift cards each season in lieu of perishable food items.  I don't know if LINK or Messiah's Market distribute gift cards to their client base, but they certainly will use them.  So if you collect bags containing a gift card, please pull them out and put them in an envelope.  Don't worry about scouring the bags for gift cards, but do ask parents to glance within the bags to look for gift cards, glass items and perishable food items.  At the collection site, give the gift cards to an in-charge person.  Units collecting on behalf of the Community Holiday Coalition may include $10 and $20 grocery store gift cards on their "requested items" list printed on the bag note.  

If you want to discuss any aspect of Scouting for Food, please give me a call on 703-405-6341, or send me e-mail at brian.shiflett@verizon.net.  Thanks again for volunteering your time to lead the Scouting for Food drive.

Yours in Scouting,

Brian Shiflett
Scouting for Food Coordinator, Goose Creek District
Scoutmaster, Troop 998