COVID stops Scouting for Food bag distribution

With the danger to children going door-to-door during a pandemic, the local office of the Boy Scouts of America will not be distributing Scouting for Food bags in the Cape Girardeau area this weekend — suspending, at least for one year, a long tradition.

The decision not to take up a traditional collection comes, according to the Council’s Facebook page, “after careful consideration of rapidly rising COVID-19 cases, and to ensure alignment with rapidly changing guidelines from health departments and political leaders.”

Calling it a “modification,” the Scouts’ Greater St. Louis Area Council, under which the Cape Girardeau office operates, will ask for canned food and other nonperishable items to be donated differently in 2020.

Ashley Metelski, local district executive with the Scouts’ Shawnee District, said nonperishables may be dropped into outdoor boxes and bins at its office in the Ritter Service Center, 3000 Gordonville Road in Cape Girardeau.

“All food collected will be distributed to local food pantries, including the FISH pantry at 106 S. Sprigg St. in Cape,” Metelski said.

Monetary donations may be made by texting “SCOUTFOOD” to 91999.