Fellow Scouters,

The Holidays are quickly approaching and so many families dread this time of year because they do not have the means to provide the normal items that help to provide cheer, happiness, and family unity. We can help these families and we should help these families, because this it what scouting is all about.

I am currently contacting our local charities for this years general information and dates for their programs. Here is the information I have received from the Sharing Center.

The Sharing Center, 262 997-0783

Contact Liz Peyton or Karen Rasmussen.

Drop off dates are Nov 25th and Dec. 17th at Marino's in New Munster. Between 6am and 9am in the morning.

I will provide additional contact info as I receive it.

Here is what you need to do:

- Contact the charity and receive the information for your family or families

- Send me the information on what you are doing

- If you are already set up to participate with a charity, send me the information on what you are doing.

- If you have a charity contact, send it to me and I will add it to our list. The other two that participated last year that I am waiting on info for is Love, Inc and St. Vincent DePaul.

Here is how are troop handles this:

- We ask the boys the make a $5 voluntary donation, truly voluntary

- Each patrol den is assigned a member of the family to go a buy for. This involves the boys

- The boys wrap the gifts and label them

- We gather all of them at a troop meeting and deliver

Additionally, all of the food pantries are really low right now. Consider running a food drive from your troop or pack. Remember this is what scouting is all about!

Yours in Scouting,

Ben Manning

Troop 385