LETTERS: DONATIONS WERE LACKING

To the editor:

I would like to comment about the recent Scouting for Food canned-food drive sponsored by the Boy Scouts. I learned through your paper that the drive was a big success. I would like to share a personal story regarding that event.

My son is a 7-year-old Scout who anxiously participated in this year's drive. His particular den was assigned to an affluent area of West Cape Girardeau. After meeting at our checkpoint, we took off to our assigned homes. From the eight or so houses in our section, my son collected nothing. That's right. Nothing. After the second stop, he commented, "Nothing here either." When we finished and reported to our collection point, he had the honor of saying, "We didn't get anything." He was disappointed, and I was furious.

I realize that this season brings a bombardment of charity requests that some may find overwhelming, but in this case a very negative message was sent to an impressionable young boy. Have these people forgotten that the Boy Scouts are a local organization that strives to instill a strong sense of community pride and service (at a time when our youth are struggling to do the right thing)?

As we drove home through our own modest neighborhood, my son pointed out how so many bags were awaiting collection. I explained to him that some people are neglectful, but many are not, and he should be proud of his neighbors who took the time to help.

I hope that those who did not take the time to donate will do a better job next year.

NANCY GLOVER

Cape Girardeau