Girl Scouts Project Helps Those in Need

Bright green bags were found hanging on front doors across the area this weekend, waiting to be filled with items like soap, shampoo, toilet paper and toothpaste; necessities most people take for granted but simple luxuries for others who may be struggling.

To help fill this need, area troops, including those in Brentwood and Maplewood, are taking part in the Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s 14th annual April Showers Personal Care Item Drive. Empty bags were delivered to area homes last weekend, and Girl Scouts will be out on Saturday to collect the bags filled with new, unsused personal care items.

Girl Scouts from Troop No. 801, made up of home-schooled and fourth-graders from , were out on Friday dropping off their bags. The 14 junior scouts take pride in giving back to their community.

“The girls love doing this, running the bags around and collecting the items,” said Kirstin Blase, leader of the troop, along with co-leader Donna Baudendistel. “Their enthusiasm is contagious, and they enjoy helping people.”

Once the bags are collected and the items are counted, they will be donated to the food pantry at .

“Last year, people were very generous, and the girls collected 1,000 items,” Blase said. “They hope to collect even more this year.”

This is a way the Girl Scouts can help take care of a real need in our community, Blase said. They have been told that 99 percent of personal care items donated to food pantries and shelters are provided through April Showers.

“This is a time of the year that pantries don’t receive a lot of donations, unlike the holidays and when the Boy Scouts hold their annual canned food drive in the fall,” she said. Because personal care items cannot be purchased with food stamps, many people go without these essentials.

Samantha Short, a senior at , has been volunteering with the Brentwood troop and has been a Girl Scout for 13 years.

“We’ve been doing April Showers for many years, and it really helps the community in a big way,” she said. “I love these girls and helping them with projects like this.”

One of the younger scouts, Lainie Jones, 10, summed up what April Showers means to all the girls: “I think it makes people feel joyful to give, and it makes me feel like a good person. It’s good to donate to people who are less fortunate.”

To support this effort, Schnucks Markets is offering $10 pre-packaged bags of personal care items for sale in their stores. Those who miss the April 16 collection day or would like to contribute additional items may deliver these to any Dierbergs Market in Missouri between April 14 and May 7.

Editor's note: Know kids or teens accomplishing great things in the community? Nominate them as . For more information, e-mail editor Ryan Martin at ryan.martin@patch.com