Sikeston scouts help community

SIKESTON - The Cub Scout motto calls on boys to help other people. Last Saturday they began an effort that will help lots of other people.

On Saturday Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts fanned out across Sikeston and neighboring communities with "Scouting for Food" plastic bags. Next Saturday they will return in hopes of collecting those bags filled with food to feed the needy in Southeast Missouri.

"It's fun," said Cub Scout Benjamin Steelman, who raced with other cubs door to door to hang the bags on the handles.

Troop leaders say while it is a fun activity for the youngsters, they also are learning an important lesson.

"Community service and citizenship to the community are the two themes that we try to teach with this service project," said Lynn Hasty, Scout Master of Troop 59 in Sikeston. "They are citizens of the community and they can serve and help others. Those who donate are giving back to the community and they are important part of that."

It is a landmark year, too, for the Scouts. Hasty noted Boy Scouting is heading into its 100th year and this is the 25th year for the Scouting for Food.

Hasty said in the past 24 years they have collected a total of 39 million cans of food. Last year in Sikeston alone, the Scouts collected over 8,000 items.

Hasty emphasized while this is a nationwide effort by Scouting and Scouts throughout the local Cherokee District take part, all the food collected stays in the local community.

"If it gets collected in Charleston, it stays in Charleston. Here in Sikeston we take ours to the Sikeston Food Bank," Hasty said.

On Nov. 21 Scouts will begin collecting the bags filled with canned goods and non-perishables from the doorsteps. Hasty suggests those donating have the bags out by 9 a.m. After the items are collected the Sikeston Scouts will head to the Food Bank where they will sort and box the food for later distribution.

Roger Woolsey, volunteer coordinator/pantry manager, smiled as he described the scene that day as "organized chaos.

"It is neat to see. Especially when you see the little kids grabbing sacks upon sacks and bringing them in. You see the joy in their faces," he said.

Thanks to the Scouts effort, the pantry is able to help those in need.

This year, Woolsey added, the need is even greater.

"I'm signing up five new people every day that I'm open," he said. "I think it is combination of the economy, the lack of jobs and that the people have become aware of us. This is the greatest need I've seen and I'm going on my third year."

For those individuals who are not contacted by the Scouts or missed during food drive, they can still take part.

Hasty said the Scouts are working with the area churches, where bags of food can be left on Sunday. The church pastors will then contact the Scouts to pick up the food for delivery to the Sikeston Food Bank.