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Girl Scouts donate over 50 items to food shelf

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Orleans/Barton Girls Scout Troop #51286 recently contributed over 50 items to the Orleans food shelf and learned how the program works. Brownies, pictured in the top row, from left to right, are: Madison Tinker, Bella Lamonda, Natalie Lawson, McKenna Rowell, and Brooke Wells. Daisies, in the bottom row, from left to right, are: Alaina Graves, Melanie Wells, Leah Wells, Ruth Lawson, Mia Tinker, Ava Roberts, Sienna Shatney, Lydia Atwood, and Amelia Drown.

Orleans/Barton Girl Scout Troop donates over 50 Items to Orleans food shelf program

On November 15, 14 local girls and their families came together to donate over 50 canned goods and non-perishable items to the Orleans Foodbank. The Orleans/Barton Girl Scout Troop #51286 was enthusiastic to learn about the food shelf program, how it works, and exactly how their food donations would be distributed locally. This project was a lesson designed to teach the young girls the value of sharing, caring, and the importance of helping their community.

Eleanor Willis, the Orleans volunteer foodbank coordinator, came to the troop’s bi-weekly meeting on Wednesday night to talk to the girls about the Orleans Foodbank and how it helps the community. She educated the girls about how the food is shelved, distributed, and used by local families.

Ms. Willis explained to the troop how 25 to 30 families access the food shelf on a bi-weekly basis, and how some of the families have several children, pets, and a significant need for food to feed their families. She shared how Orleans is one of the only local food banks that allows families to choose and shop for their own items, instead of bagging packages of donated items to give to the families. She talked about how this way, families would choose items that they actually will put to good use, and creates less food waste overall. The girls learned that not only food items can be donated, but also much-needed things like toilet paper, toothpaste, shampoo, toiletry items, and pet food.

The Orleans food bank is a resource that doesn’t discriminate — any community member or family who finds themselves in need can access this resource. To find out more information about the Orleans food bank, call the Orleans Federated Church at 754-6486.

Anyone can donate to the food shelf, as well. Food is particularly needed this time of year, because of Thanksgiving and the holiday season. Canned goods, non-perishable items, and general household items can be dropped off at the Orleans Federated Church in Orleans at any time.

The Orleans/Barton Girl Scout Troop #51286 was established in September of 2017. The group consists of girls from Orleans, Barton, Derby and surrounding areas, and serves girls ages five to nine years old. Currently, the troop consists of five Brownie members (grades two and three), and nine Daisy members (grades kindergarten and one).

Troop leaders and mothers Laura Lamonda, Laura Lawson, and Linsay McCargar volunteer their joint efforts to teach the girls about being strong members of their community, while living by the Girl Scout Law.

The troop has many future plans, including participating in the annual Turkey Trot fund-raiser on Thanksgiving day in support of cystic fibrosis research. The troop has also joined with The Friends of the Jones Memorial Library and the Orleans Recreation Committee to support the first annual Orleans Christmas tree lighting ceremony on the green in front of Ethan Allen Manufacturing on Main Street in Orleans on Sunday, November 26, at 5 p.m. All families are welcome to enjoy the tree-lighting ceremony, Christmas caroling, and delicious cookies baked by the Girl Scouts and fellow community members at the Orleans Fire Station following the event. — submitted by Alice Pitman Drown

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