A group of young Maple Ridge kids are doing what they can to help families struggling in their community during the COVID pandemic – and they’re doing it from the safety of their own homes.
“The 1st Albion Cubs have been hard at work giving back to their community… scouting at home,” said scouting leader Kristin Wickens, sharing news of the troops’ latest fund and foodraising endeavour.
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Casting around for what’s being dubbed Scouting at Home projects, one of the ideas 1st Albion Cubs undertook was creating thank you cards for healthcare workers at Ridge Meadows Hospital, explained Maria Carter, another cub leader.
After the cards were crafted and delivered, the next suggestion revolved around a food drive – but there was some question about what that would look like, and how it could be done, Carter said.
“ I suggested that a food bank donation drive would be a good project, and (fellow leader) Kristin, with her son Karter, started [with] a food bank donation box on her porch and showed the other cubs… it seemed to take off,” Carter said.
Five of the 17 cubs have since placed boxes for donations on their home porches, and are encouraging people in their neighbourhoods to donate non-perishable food that are earmarked for the Friends In Need Food Bank, Wickens explained.
“The hope is that the community will become more aware of the needs of the food bank during these times. We invite the community to join us in giving to the food bank,” said Carter, Wickens interjecting: “We would love for the community to join us and do the same thing. Or, perhaps if people see a box, they can make a donation.”
In addition to Wickens’ own 10-year-old son, Karter, the other four cubs (10-year-olds Jayden Penner and Matthew Carter, as well as nine-year-olds Axel Zakaria and Josh Brown) kicked off the collection efforts on April 24. They plan to carry on through until the end of the scouting year at the end of June, at least, Carter said. And given their keen interest, a few might extend their efforts into the summer.
Cubs are part of the Scouts Canada movement, and this group is aimed at children ages eight to 10 years old. These kids, who dropped off their first donation of about 250 pounds of non-perishable donations to the food bank Tuesday, will ultimately receive badges for their Scouting at Home activities, said Carter.
But it’s about more than that for these kids who are excited just to be helping others in need, she said.
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