Scouting for food to help Great Falls

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kristina Overton
  • 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office
Airman 1st Class Kristina Overton --  Cub Scout Pack 43 and Boy Scout Troop 43 from Malmstrom collected more than 2,500 lbs. of non-perishable donations for the Great Falls Community Food Bank March 20 for their 16th annual Boy Scouts of America Food Drive.

"The food drive was very successful," said Master Sgt. John Ross, 819th RED HORSE Squadron and Troop 43 Scout Master. "We had a lot of volunteers come out to help support the Scouts. At last count, we were told the Boy Scout Troops and Cub Scout Packs in the Great Falls area had collected and turned in more than 17,000 lbs. of food. That is awesome."

Items that were donated included nonperishable canned food items, personal hygiene products such as toothpaste and deodorant, dry goods, paper products and baby items.

Cub Scout Pack 43 collected 1, 371 lbs. of food and personal items from on-base residents for the food drive. Overall, the pack had 22 Cub Scouts participate, plus parents and volunteers.

"They did a terrific job," said Sherry Moad, Cub Scout Pack 43 committee chairperson. "It taught them a lesson in giving back to the community and working towards a goal they can see the results of. They actually got to go in, unload, and sort the donated items and see the impact they were making on the shelves."

After the completion, the Cub Scouts were awarded 2010 Food Service Strive patch from the Boy Scout council.

Boy Scout Troop 43 collected 1,216 lbs. of items for the food drive as well. The Boy Scouts gathered donations from off-base residents.

"Malmstrom volunteers were extremely helpful in distributing and collecting donations with the troop," said Char Ross, Boy Scout Troop 43 committee chairperson. "We had more than 20 volunteers from the 819th RHS help out, active duty and their spouses and children."

The Boy Scouts charter organization, the Air Force Sergeants Association, also came out to do their part in the effort. With 19 volunteers, they collected 469 lbs. of nonperishable items for the Great Falls Community Food Bank.

The Cub Scouts are open to boys, ages 7-10 and the Boy Scouts to ages 11-17.

To learn more about the Cub and Boy Scouts at Malmstrom, or to find out how to be an adult volunteer, visit the Web site at www.scouting.org or call Sherry Moad at 727-2264 or Char Ross at 771-1210.