Monroe Scout organizes food drive

Herald staff

MONROE — Local Boy Scout Brandon Bowling and his brother and sister have special plans for Memorial Day weekend.

They plan to plant themselves in front of local stores asking patrons to give food donations for the Sky Valley Food Bank in Monroe.

Brandon, 14, began the food collection project in February after visiting with the director of the food bank. He learned that the food bank gave out 383,760 meals in 2000. He also learned of the food bank’s constant need for more food.

So as a Life Scout in Troop 50 of Snohomish, he asked students at area schools, including Frank Wagner Elementary, Chain Lake Elementary and Salem Woods Elementary, to bring in food for the food bank from May 21-25.

Then he got his brother and sister and other Scouts to donate time on Saturday to collect food at Fred Meyer, Safeway and Albertson’s stores on U.S. 2 in Monroe. They will be collecting food from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The most-needed items include baby products, baked beans, canned food, chili, cereal paper products, peanut butter, rice, soups, sugar, flour, tuna and turkeys.

Brandon wants to invite anyone to stop by and make a donation for the Sky Valley Food Bank.