Scouting Week In Review – November 5th, 2010
Thanksgiving Day is still three weeks away, but now is the time to start planning on how you can help those in your community who are in need at this time of year.
Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks – and what better way to do it than to give back to your community. There are several things that you or your Troop can do to help the people in your community for Thanksgiving. Below, we discuss a few of them and give you some great examples of Scouts who made the news by getting it all planned, set up and ready to go.
If you haven’t decided on a Thanksgiving project for your Troop, then make sure to think about all the ideas below. If you have an idea that’s not mentioned, then please leave a comment and let us know! The more caring and support that we can spread around, the better the entire holiday season will be for everyone.
5 Great Examples Of Thanksgiving Projects for Scouts
Food Drive
As we near the holiday season, it is easy to forget that some folks out there cannot afford a turkey dinner, some not even a special meal. The fact is that there are a lot of families right now that are having trouble simply putting food on their table.Holiday food drives are certainly nothing new, but they are just as important now as they ever have been. Whether you hand out collection bags, collect food in front of a local store, or collect from your local churches and organizations, food drives can make a huge difference in the lives of hundreds of people.
Here’s how the Troop in Frederick County, Maryland are getting ready for their annual food drive – Frederick County Scouts gear up for food drive. Great job guys!
Blanket, Coat and Clothing Drive
As usual, it’s starting to get pretty chilly in some parts of the U.S., and before long it will be downright cold all over the country. Just like some people cannot afford to put food on their tables, others cannot afford coats and blankets to keep them warm during the cold months.
Having a coat and blanket drive is another great way to help those in need. You could even open it up to all types of clothing and shoes as well. Here is a great resource to help you get started – Five Easy Steps to a Successful Coat Drive.
Some even make this a yearly event, like the St. Micheal’s Cub Scout Pack in New Jersey. Keep it up, gentlemen!
Don’t Forget The Kids!
It is heartbreaking to think that some children will have to spend the holidays in the hospital. There are also children in orphanages who will not get a turkey dinner, much less a simple hug from a caring person like you. Someone has to remember these children and give them the love and support that most of us take for granted.
Volunteer your time and create a holiday pack for these children who won’t be able to spend time with family members. Visit them, talk to them, listen to them – and you will be giving much more than you could imagine.
Get together with your fellow Troop members and come up with a way to make the holiday season for children in need bigger, better and brighter than ever before.
Check out what these Scouts did for their local children’s hospital in Chicago – Boy Scouts Make Activity Kits, Visit Local Children’s Hospital.
Help Serve A Thanksgiving Meal
Every year, thousands of food banks, churches and other organizations prepare and serve Thanksgiving dinner for those who cannot make it on their own. And there is a LOT of work involved.Because of the work involved, volunteers are in high demand. And that could be you and your entire Troop! Your best bet is to call your local Salvation Army, but if that is not an option then you can usually find something by calling local churches in your area.
Here’s an awesome story we found this week about several Troops in San Bernardino, CA getting together to help feed the hungry. These guys really mean business! – Boy Scouts Helping Salvation Army.
Remember Our Soldiers
Another group of people that have it tough during the holidays are the soldiers who are away from their homes, their family and their loved ones.
It is important for us all to remember that our soldiers are away from their families right now because they are risking their lives, fighting for the very freedom that we enjoy on days like Thanksgiving Day. And that is definitely something to be thankful for.
If you have a military facility nearby, you might want to contact them and see if there is anything your Troop can do to help our soldiers have a better holiday season. And here’s a short list of other things some companies are doing for our soldiers – This Thanksgiving Day Remember America’s Soldiers.
Well, that’s it for this week. As usual, we encourage everyone to leave a comment below with your thoughts and comments. Or, if there is a story we missed, you can let us know too.
Tell your friends about us and have a great week!