Hurricane Relief

This week my problems and challenges seem pretty insignificant in comparison to the hardships in the southern states after hurricane Katrina. Sending prayers and donations is a great help but being an active bunch of scouts like we are, we felt the need to do more.�
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Fortunately for us, a wonderful local television station Fox 9 Hurricane Relief Drive organized a relief drive and put out the request for volunteers. I got the notice at our Roundtable meeting last night (good thing I attended!) and sent email out to all the patrol leaders about the need. I left it up to them to organize their patrols and do a Good Turn as they saw fit.�
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At noon today I got a call at work from my son (Tenderfoot rank) saying his patrol would be participating today from 1 to 5 and I was needed to drive. What a good excuse to get out of the office! I zipped home, got on my scout t-shirt, and we were off on an adventure.�
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It's now 6 hours later and after 4 hours of unloading bottled water, diapers, food, and supplies from cars pulling up, then stacking everything onto pallets and loading it onto semi trucks, I feel great! We filled 2 semis that are now on the highway heading south - I'm told its about a 20 hour haul from Minnesota to Louisiana. I figure we loaded 75,000 bottles of water so that should help someone a bit.�
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I sure wish we hadn't needed to do this, but I'm proud of the troop for stepping up and its a lot better than sitting and watching the news.�
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We have more patrols pitching in throughout the weekend and help is needed as long as the cars keep driving up.�
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Scout On!�
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