GLADSTONE — Scouts with BSA Pack 471 will hold their annual Scouting for Food drive the week of April 15, with a main collection date of Saturday, April 22 throughout the City of Gladstone.

“Scouting for Food is an annual food drive sponsored by the BSA. It is part of our program that emphasizes the slogan, ‘Do a Good Turn Daily,'” said Howell, Cubmaster of Pack 471. “Scouting for Food is one of two annual food drives our Pack does to benefit St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Bank.

Part one, Scouts will be hanging 1,000 door flyers around the city of Gladstone starting April 15.

Part two, Saturday, April 22, the Scouts will be going back around collecting anything left out at those homes.

The final stage of this year’s Scouting for Food event will take place at Pat’s Foods in Gladstone on Saturday, April 22 from 1 to 6 p.m. Customers entering Pat’s Food that day will be invited to purchase items most needed by St. Vinnies food pantry and donate those items as they leave the store. Scouts will hand them a list as they enter the store and accept the donations at the store exit. There will also be a donation jar for customers who wish to give monetary donations to St. Vincent de Paul.

“The needs of our community pantries continue to increase as food insecurity is affecting more and more families,” said Howell, “We encourage shoppers to come to Pat’s Foods to participate in this effort and help enable St. Vincent de Paul’s Food Pantry to meet the needs of our friends and neighbors.”

Since 1988, Scouts nationwide have carried out the Scouting for Food drive. Annually, Cub Scout Packs and Scouts BSA Troops in the Bay Lakes Council have consistently collected food that benefits community food pantries across the Upper Peninsula and Northeastern Wisconsin.