Boy Scout food drive coming to Wellman, Keota

In the spirit of the BSA promise to do a good deed daily and “to help other people at all times,” the Hawkeye Council of the Boy Scouts of America will hold its annual “Scouting for Food” donation drive during the third and fourth weekends of October 2021.

Troop 234 of Scouts BSA will be distributing and collecting bags in Wellman and Keota. Items collected will be provided to food pantries in their respective communities.

According to Gallup, one in six Americans struggle with hunger and do not know where their next meal will come from. There are food insecure families in every community.

Scouting for Food is the BSA's nationwide service project to help stop hunger. It began as one Scout’s service project in St. Louis in 1985, and was adopted by the Boy Scout National Organization in 1988.

Scouting for Food will take place on two consecutive weekends. On Oct. 17, Scouts distribute collection bags with information printed on them to let communities know about the drive. On the second weekend, Oct. 23, Scouts will revisit those homes to collect bags full of canned food and other non-perishable items.

The scouts ask that participating households have the food on their front step or other visible location by 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23.

Households that have flags in need of retirement may also set their damaged flags out with the donated food and scouts will pick them up for proper disposal. Scouts are also actively selling popcorn for their program fundraiser.