An army of volunteers collected, boxed and trucked food for needy individuals and families Saturday.
And the collective effort in the annual Scouting for Food drive in the Great Salt Lake and Utah National Parks councils put smiles on the faces of those who operate the Utah Food Bank and pantries across much of the state."We are incredibly happy. We think it was a tremendous effort on all levels, from those involved in Scouting, to the Utah National Guard and volunteers at the food bank who made it happen," said Dixie Burbidge, development director at the Community Services Council facility on Salt Lake's west side.
"We were out of canned goods, so we really needed it to fill emergency food boxes," Burbidge said.
The Utah National Guard supplied dozens of personnel and many pieces of equipment to haul boxes of food, to work at the food bank and other sites.
The Utah Food Bank bank supplies emergency food to more than 60 food pantries statewide, and that does not include agencies served by the Community Action program in Provo,
The Salt Lake food bank warehouse was bustling with activity as dozens of volunteers, including forklift operators, moved pallets of boxes of food throughout the warehouse at 1025 S. 700 West.
Youths and leaders in the Great Salt Lake Council alone collected and boxed nearly 600,000 items (cans and packages of food), a substantial increase over that collected last year, said Paul Tikalsky of the Great Salt Lake Council professional Scouting staff.
He said 95 percent of that council's Scouting districts brought in increased amounts of food this year.
Paul Sabey of the Utah National Parks Council staff said collections of about 600,000 items in that council were up 5 percent over a year ago.
More than 15,000 boys and 5,000 leaders in that council volunteered Saturday, Sabey said. The Great Salt Lake Council said more than 14,000 boys and 5,200 leaders in nearly 1,800 units joined in the food collection effort.
Fred Dietrich, a volunteer Scouter and chairman of the food drive for Salt Lake's Evergreen District, said the district goal was 1,000 items per Scouting unit. It appeared that the district, which used the Rosecrest LDS Ward cultural hall as a collection point, would achieve most of its goal.
The majority of the Scouting units in Evergreen District are sponsored by LDS wards. But the district also is supported by seven community or other groups that sponsor Scouting units.
Larry G. Hunter, Scoutmaster of Troop 410, sponsored by Christ United Methodist Church, said 22 boys and 13 leaders from that troop joined in boxing food at the LDS ward hall.
"It's a great project. The boys see a giving attitude of the community. They are willing to give," Hunter said.
Larry R. Taylor, Holladay, also of Christ United Methodist and Evergreen District chairman, said the "level of giving has improved tremendously" in Scouting for Food.
Troop 410 members, William Elliot, 15, West Valley City, and Josh Weibel, 14, Murray, said they were happy to participate.
"I really like doing it. I got to see my friends and to help out. I did it last year, too," said Elliot, a first-class Scout.
"Knowing you are helping people" is a good motivator, said Weibel, who was joined by his father, Ron.