Alabaster Scouts collecting canned goods during Christmas parade
Published 10:51 am Wednesday, November 4, 2009
More than 100 Cub Scouts will be marching for a cause during next month’s Alabaster Christmas parade, as they seek to initiate a communitywide charity event.
The city’s Cub Scout Pack 220, comprised of about 110 first-through-fifth graders, will be adding a new twist to its traditional role in the Dec. 5 parade, said pack leader John Willis.
“The theme for this year’s Christmas parade is ‘a time for giving,’” Willis said. “The Scouts have to get a certain number of community service hours each year, so we decided to give back to the community while marching in the parade this year.”
Each year, the pack usually walks in the parade while throwing candy to spectators. But this year, the Scouts also will be collecting canned goods from the parade watchers to donate to the Salvation Army.
“The pack usually walks and pulls wagons and throws candy and things like that. We are still going to throw candy, but we are also going to collect canned goods from parade viewers,” Willis said. “It’s just a different way for them to give back to the community.”
Willis is urging everyone who attends the parade to bring canned goods to give to the troop, who will then cart the donations to the Salvation Army.
“The boys are really excited about it. They always decorate their wagons and really get into the Christmas spirit,” Willis said. “The mayor has given us his blessing, and we’ve even talked about how great it would be if we got 10,000 or 11,000 people to donate.”