Eighteen scouts and nine adults participated in Scouting for Food, the 19th annual food drive by Effingham County Boy Scout Troop 295.

“Of all the various service projects the scouts participate in each year, Scouting for Food is certainly one of the most important,” said Frank Patterson, commissioner of the Boy Scouts’ Twin Rivers District. “It is important that we teach and train another generation of young people to do volunteer work.”

Every year, Scout Troop 295 treks door-to-door asking neighbors and friends for contributions to local food banks. Patterson thanked everyone who donated canned food items to this year’s drive.

Though requesting donations door-to-door isn’t always easy, Patterson acknowledged, the food drive serves a dual purpose.

“The first one is, it’s a blessing for those who give and receive,” he said. “Secondly, it strengthens the character of those who participate.”

For Troop 295, the Scouting for Food drive is a yearly reminder of how many people in Effingham County are in need.

“No one should have to do without food or other basic necessities of life,” Patterson said. “All of us know we don’t have to go far to find someone in need. Helping others is always the right thing to do.”