West Dundee Boy Scout earns award by helping food pantry

Andrew Trulock of Boy Scout Troop 32 in West Dundee recently organized and led a food drive to stock the FISH Food Pantry in Carpentersville. The food drive is a service project that Andrew is completing in anticipation of earning his Eagle Award which is the highest award that can be attained in Boy Scouts.

Andrew divided his project into two phases. In the first phase, Andrew collected food items for the FISH Food Pantry. He worked with Marilyn Mack of the pantry to determine the best time for the food drive, and compiled a list of frequently needed items. Andrew and volunteers put together more than 900 packets that contained a donation bag and listed the requested items.

On Dec. 5, Andrew and 11 Boy Scouts and leaders distributed the packets to neighbors in Carpentersville in the area north of Randall Oaks Golf Club. Donation boxes also were set up by Andrew at several locations. Eighteen scouts, leaders, and volunteers returned to the area on Dec. 11 to pick up the donations. There was overwhelming participation by the neighbors. Several hundred bags were collected, and almost 2,300 individual items were delivered to the FISH Food Pantry in time for the holiday season.

In the second phase of the project, Andrew is collecting cash donations from local businesses. These donations will be used to buy additional food and supplies after the holidays when the pantry will again be low on items. Andrew has already collected more than $500 for this part of the project.

The FISH Pantry is in the Meadowdale Mall in Carpentersville. Boy Scout Troop 32 is located in West Dundee and has been serving local communities for almost 70 years.