HOLMDEL – The members of Boy Scout Troop 131 in Holmdel have been busy helping the community during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic.
The 37 scouts who comprise the troop range in age from 11 to 17. During June, the young men jumped into two philanthropy projects to assist their community.
The scouts collected more than 1,000 pounds of food that was donated to the Fulfill food bank in Neptune, which serves individuals and families in Monmouth and Ocean counties. They also participated in the Holmdel and Monmouth County Clean Communities project.
“We thought it would be a good idea for the kids to be outside and for them to help out the community in some way,” Assistant Scoutmaster David Gestrich said.
To solicit collections for the food drive, the scouts walked around their neighborhood and dropped off letters they had written asking their neighbors for donations of food.
“We thought having the kids writing their own personal letter asking for donations would be a nice touch,” Gestrich said. “This was a good deed for the troop to help out those in need.”
Individuals who chose to donate food were able to reach out to the scouts to express their interest in supporting in the food drive. The members of Troop 131 collected 1,045 pounds of food and the donations were delivered to Fulfill during the weekend of June 6-7.
On June 13, the troop members conducted a trash pickup around Holmdel as part of the Clean Communities initiative sponsored by the township and the county.
The scouts, their family members and their patrol leaders ventured around their neighborhoods and nearby parks to pick up trash and clean those areas.
Gestrich said more than 50 bags were filled with trash.
“It was a community effort by our troop members and their families. Everyone came together to help clean up areas in our town,” he said.
Gestrich said the scouts are planning to conduct community service projects in the fall. The troop’s Scoutmaster is Darryl Liedel.