Boy Scouts get jump on holiday season
Vernon. Boy Scout Troop 283 gathered to assemble Boxes of Joy, which is a ministry of Cross Catholic Outreach, will be sent to five countries in poverty.
Vernon /
| 28 Oct 2019 | 12:41
Project organizer Cheryl Avery explains the plan on filling the boxes. (
)
Empty Boxes of Joy were constructed by the scouts and await being filled. (
)
The boys carefully arrange the items in Boxes of Joy. (
)
Boy Scout Troop 283 has the jump on the Christmas holiday season. About 20 scouts, parents and helpers gathered to assemble Boxes of Joy, a ministry of Cross Catholic Outreach on Oct. 24.
Boxes of Joy target the poorest of the poor, children who have probably never received a gift for the holiday. The 30 boxes promised by the scouts will be sent to five poverty-ridden countries of Haiti, Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.
“It’s the scouts’ mission to help those in need,” said both Senior Patrol Leader Maverick Brendli and Assistant Patrol Leader Jeff Carney.
The boys explained that a shoebox-size box is filled with scout donated items like toys, games, hard candy, toiletries, apparel and school supplies.
“The recipients of the Boxes of Joy are roughly the same ages as the boys in Troop 283, ages 10 to 14,” said project organizer Cheryl Avery.
After all 30 boxes were readied by the scouts, the boys then put one of each donated item into the boxes. Boxes were stuffed and secured. Scout leaders will handle the shipping and the Boxes of Joy will be on their way to those who absolutely have a need.
As the scouts worked on the boxes, they spoke of their upcoming activities. The troop is planning a camping trip this weekend to upstate New York. Troop 283 will also be taking part in the fall clean-up of the grounds of St. Francis de Sales Church, a roadside clean-up in Vernon and the Wreaths Across America program in December.