By AMY ADAMS
news@readthereporter.com
On Saturday, Nov. 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Westfield residents are likely to see Scouts strolling their neighborhoods.
Westfield Scouting America Boys Troop 107 and Girls Troop 1070 will be holding their annual Scouting For Food on Sat., Nov. 2. From 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Scouts will be canvassing Westfield neighborhoods to gather nonperishable food items to stock the critically low shelves of Open Doors of Westfield.
“We have partnered with Open Doors for well over 20 years with a fall food drive and collected thousands of pounds of food each year to be distributed to Westfield families in need,” Troop 1070 Committee Chair Barry Simpson said.
Last November, they collected and sorted more than 4,000 pounds of food. This year, the troops will be joined by Scouts from Troops 1910 and 1920, Venture Crew 451, and Cubs from Packs 107 and 126. They hope to reach even more residents in the community.
Scouting For Food collected more than 4,000 pounds of food last year for residents in the community. (Photo provided)
“This annual Scouting food drive is impactful and aids in donating food at the right time,” said Kurt Wanninger, Westfield City Council member and executive director of Open Doors. “This food will benefit the overall wellbeing of our community in more ways than most realize – the single parent making ends meet, the elderly person who has to decide between buying food for their pet or buying their meds, the child that will not go to bed hungry or go to school hungry and not be able to focus.”
According to Danica Eyler, Troop committee member and food drive coordinator, Scouting For Food marks the second largest collection day of the year for Open Doors.
“It is vital to ensuring their ability to provide holiday meals to our community,” Eyler said.
Signs at the entrances of neighborhoods, including Centennial, Coventry, Oak Manor, and Silver Lakes, will let residents know if Scouts will be in the area. To participate, residents can have food items bagged and labeled “Scouts” or “Open Doors” and ready for pickup by the front door.
Donations will also be accepted at Webster & Garino, LLC, at 209 E. 179th St., Westfield, through Nov. 1 and in the parking lot west of Open Doors at 19360 Tomlinson Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 2.
“One of the best things about volunteering at Open Doors and seeing groups like this doing food drives is the importance of teaching the next generation the value of serving and giving back to their community,” Wanninger said.
Scouting America Troops 107 and 1070 have been serving the community of Westfield and providing character development, leadership training, and outdoor adventure to youth for more than 75 years. They meet on Mondays at 7 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church at 318 N. Union St., Westfield. To find out more, visit troopwebhost.org/Troop107Westfield.
For a list of critically needed items, visit OpenDoorsWestfield.org.