([ Portland], [Or], [11/22/04])–The Cascade Pacific Council, Boy Scouts of America, will conduct the annual Scouting for Food drive on Saturday, December 4. The Scouting for Food drive (also known as Walk-N-Knock in Washington) is recognized as the last major food drive of the year for northwest Oregon and southwest Washington area emergency food agencies. It is anticipated that 10,000 local Scouts will go door-to-door to collect an estimated 500,000 pounds of canned goods and other non-perishable food for those in need.
Scouts, well known for community service, will kick off the food drive event by serving meals at the Blanchet House of Hospitality ( 340 NW Glisan St., Portland, OR 97209) to the homeless on Wednesday and Thursday, December 1 and 2. The dinners will be served from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with more than 800 people expected during the two-night effort.
Throughout the day Saturday, Scouts will collect food from local residents, then take donations to nearby drop-sites where items are distributed to local food agencies. In some neighborhoods Scouts may drop off a white bag a week prior to Saturday, December 4 to allow more time for residents to fill bags with food donations. However, Scouts may simply show up at doorsteps and request donations on Saturday morning. Items most needed are non-perishable canned and packaged foods such as meat, soups, stews, fruits, vegetables, pasta, rice, cereal, beans, lentils, peanut butter, tuna, and baby food.
“ This food drive is so critical because Oregon remains among the top states in the nation in hunger,” says Jim Hill, Cascade Pacific Council, Boy Scouts of America program director. “ We count on the generosity of Oregonians to donate food, we count on the Scouts to collect it, and local food agencies to dispense it to those in need,” he adds. “The project is a collaborative effort that is challenging and demanding, but most of all rewarding .”
Community service was a primary tenet on which the Boy Scouts of America was founded 92 years ago, and it remains a primary focus today. Scouting’s early founders established the Scout slogan, encouraging Scouts to “Do a Good Turn Daily,” a tradition thriving today, especially through a national Good Turn for America service campaign ( www.goodturnforamerica.org). Scouts in Cascade Pacific Council have provided over 7,500 hours of community service this year.
“ The fact that over 500,000 pounds of food is collected each year for this event is a strong testament to the giving nature of Oregonians,” said Cascade Pacific Council Scout Executive, Ron Garland. “This event allows us to teach Scouts the valuable lesson of community service in a unique way,” he adds.
*Scouting for Food sponsors include: Boy Scouts of America, Colamette Construction, Fred Meyer, and Salvation Army.
Live Broadcasts and weather forecasts welcome
Dinner- Wednesday and Thursday, December 1 and 2
- Interviews and photograph opportunities with local Scouts, Scout leaders, event organizers will be granted as feasible at the dinner between 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Reporters/videographers are encouraged to call and make an appointment.
Scouts canvassing neighborhoods -Saturday, December 4
- Interviews with local Scouts, Scout leaders will be granted as feasible in a requested neighborhood. Media representatives may follow Scouts door to door. Simply call to request what neighborhood you would like to cover no later than Tuesday, November 30.
To set up an appointment, contact Tammy Krieger, Cascade Pacific Council, at 503-225-5726 or tkrieger@cpcbsa.org
Boy Scouts of America - Connecting youth with communities and families.
This page last modified
December 3, 2004
