Posted on 05/07/2006 8:31:27 AM PDT by SandRat
Don't tell the Scouts of the W.D. Boyce Council in Central Illinois that you can't build an entire house from aluminum cans. They know better because they've done it—and a displaced New Orleans family who lost everything in the ravages of Hurricane Katrina last August has a brand-new home as proof.
Approximately 2,000 Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts collected more than 3.5 million aluminum beverage cans worth more than $50,000. The money was presented to local Habitat for Humanity organizations.
In mid-November, volunteer workers from Habitat for Humanity Greater Peoria (Ill.) began building a local Scout-sponsored house for a New Orleans father and his two young daughters.
"While construction was going on, our boys went to the site regularly on Saturdays to provide refreshments for workers and help pick up trash related to the project," said SuZan Severson, marketing specialist for the council.
"Habitat has a rule that workers have to be at least 16 to do actual building, but several of our older Scouts did qualify for painting, landscaping, and other duties. And by going to the site, the younger Scouts could see firsthand what their cans were accomplishing."
Scouts who achieved personal can collection goals were recognized with patches and personal congratulation cards signed by Scout Executive Fred Wallace.
"It's a true honor to see the Scouts' hard work recycling cans translate into a home for this Katrina-affected family," said Fred Kowalske, director of the Peoria Habitat group.
"Our hope," added Aluminum Association spokesperson Patrick Kelly, "is that when other organizations see what one dedicated group of youth was able to accomplish, it will inspire them to get involved and allow us to build more homes across the country—one can at a time."
As part of a councilwide project for the BSA's Good Turn for America (www.goodturnforamerica.org), Scouts in the W.D. Boyce Council began participation in November 2004 in the Cans for Habitat program (www.cansforhabitat.org), a national partnership between the aluminum industry and Habitat for Humanity International.
"[The council] has quickly become a leader in the program because of its tremendous efforts in recycling aluminum cans," said Cans for Habitat spokesperson Jennifer Goodman.
cool.
Citizenship in the Nation and the Community at its BEST.
And a small child shall lead them.
Wow. What badge did they recieve?
May God continue to bless the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts of America.
May He protect them from the villains of the ACLU.
Nice story..and that is a nice-looking badge.
Did you click on the badge? It's an active link to Good Turn for America.
I urge everyone to go out and contribute to BSA and Cub Scouts whenever you can!
I'm trying to find some time with my schedule, but it is indeed something worth giving back to. Especially after all it did for me on my path to Eagle.
"On my Honor, I will do my best
to do my Duty, to God and my Country;
to obey the Scout Law;
to help other people at all times;
to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."
Congratulations FOS contributer and Eagle. Your local District is always looking for Merit Badge Counselors, Committee staff, someone with a specialty to teach/talk about, related to Scouting at the Monthly Dist Roundtables. Look 'em up and give 'em a call.
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