York Town News
Eagle Scout project helps in the local fight against hunger
By Melissa Wood
Kevin Higgins hopes to earn the highest distinction in Boy Scouts, the rank of Eagle Scout, before his 18th birthday. Pictured here, Kevin volunteers at the York Community Food Pantry, helping to stock shelves with items collected during a volunteer food drive he organized this past weekend.
Photo by Melissa Wood
YORK - Last fall, the shelves of the York Community Food Pantry were so bare that Directors Fran Koerschner and Marianne Quinn sent out a plea for help.
In a letter published Sept. 13 in The Independent they explained that the pantry's funds were at an all-time low and help was desperately needed in order for the pantry to continue its mission of providing free food to between 30 and 40 families per week.
Around that same time, York High School student Kevin Higgins, 17, was trying to decide what community service project to complete in order to earn the rank of Eagle Scout. The highest distinction a Boy Scout can earn, the Eagle Scout rank must be attained before the scout turns 18 and is automatically no longer a scout. A community service project is one of the last steps a scout takes before earning the distinction.
"Once you turn 17, it's oh jeez, I've got to start working on my project," Kevin said.
Kevin's dilemma became part of the food pantry's solution. Today the pantry's shelves are stocked high, thanks to the generosity of the York community and to Kevin, who saw the plea for help and organized a food drive for his Eagle Scout community service project.
"The response has been great, especially this drive," said Koerschner, as volunteers stacked shelves high at the pantry on Saturday, Jan. 20.
The timing of the drive was also important as Kevin decided to hold the drive after the holidays because he had heard donations typically dropped dramatically after the holiday season.
"Just past Christmas is the slowest time for donations," said Kevin, who added the York Community Food Pantry fills "a year-round need."
The pantry provides free food to York families who meet income guidelines that are on a sliding scale starting at $13,470 annually for an individual and increasing by $4,710 for each additional family member.
Koerschner said families can find essentials at the pantry that can't be bought with food stamps, such as deodorant, soap and toilet paper.
Kevin's food drive was no small effort, bringing in a total of 1,580 items, including 79 cans of coffee, 341 boxes of pasta and 62 cans of beef stew, among many other things, and Koerschner said Kevin has pulled off all the work tremendously well.
"He's been very organized and communicative," she said, adding, "I wasn't expecting this many people."
Kevin organized volunteers to help hand out flyers the previous weekend and then collect and tally the items this Saturday for a total of 119 volunteer hours. These hours do not include the considerable amount of time Kevin spent coming up with the project and working out the initial details.
"It's tough coordinating the volunteers," Kevin said.
One of those volunteers was Matt Wagner, 17, a member of the Dragon Patrol Troup along with Kevin. Matt earned the Eagle Scout honor in December. His community service project was moving all the second-grade classrooms from Coastal Ridge to Village Elementary School and painting outside railings right before school started this summer.
Matt said the group of scouts have been together since day one and are volunteering for each other's community service projects.
"All the scouts help with each other's Eagle projects," he said.
Kevin has already earned all of his required merit badges. The final step will be meeting with a board of review who will determine if he's earned the Eagle Scout distinction.
In the meantime, the food pantry's shelves are far from empty.
"Obviously he's got it all together," said Koerschner. "This drive is amazing."
Donations to York Community Food Pantry can be dropped off on Thursdays between 7:45 and 11 a.m. The pantry is located on Woodbridge Road, behind Fazio's Restaurant.
