The Killbuck Girl Scouts Troop 777 warms up the season for area families through their winter drive
Members of Killbuck Girl Scouts Troop 777 begin the process of separating items during their inaugural winter drive collection.
It is not uncommon to see people helping people throughout Holmes County. However, it is especially heartwarming to see area youth taking steps to make others’ lives a little more enjoyable.
Recently the young members of Killbuck Girl Scouts Troop 777 went to bat for local families in need with its inaugural winter drive, an undertaking that saw them collect new and gently used clothing, products, toys, winter wear and more for area families.
The Girl Scouts set about connecting with people they knew to bring in as many items as they could. Troop leader April Parks said the girls had a blast collecting the items, and they were amazed as they watched the enormous pile grow as they continued to bring items in.
“We collected for one month, and the girls felt that rather than sponsoring a family or two through this process, they would rather help many families, so we decided to do the winter drive,” Parks said.
The girls collected winter clothing, shoes, boots, toys, blankets, hats, gloves, baby items and a variety of household items. Parks said some of the items were new, donated by people throughout the area, while other items were gently used but still in great shape. She said the girls went through their own homes and visited family and friends in collecting the items.
The collected items will be distributed through Love INC and will go to several different area churches that specialize in a particular area of helping families find what they need.
“Love INC works well for the distribution because they work with four or five different local churches who have distribution center ministries,” Parks said.
Millersburg Christian Church will distribute all of the baby items; Faith Bible Church will take the linens, blankets, boots and shoes; the Clothing Closet will hand out all of the clothing; and Berlin Mennonite is set up to distribute all of the winter hats, gloves and other winter wear. Parks said the toys collected through the drive also will find a home through Love INC.
While they collected the winter items specifically for those in need, the Scouts will never truly know where the items went and to which families they now belong. They only know they are doing something special to help families in need, and that is enough.
“They won’t know where it goes, and they are OK with that,” Parks said. “They know it is going to help someone this winter, and they enjoy doing service projects that help others. That is one of the biggest things we try to promote with the girls: to be active in their community and to have a happy, giving heart.”
Parks went on to add that by simply scanning the mountains of clothing and other items collected at the Killbuck Methodist Church, the girls can take great satisfaction knowing their effort will have a big impact.
“With this being our first time doing a winter drive, it went far beyond my expectations,” Parks said. “The girls did an amazing job, and with the success and fun we had doing it, it will probably become an annual event for us.”