News
Local Logistics Company Comes to Rescue of 2004 Scouting for Food Drive
Army Reserve Company That Has Transported Donations for 19 Years is Mobilized in Support of Operation Iraqi Freedom
St. Louis, Date, 2004 - Planning for the 20th Annual Scouting for Food drive encountered a serious snag when the The Greater St. Louis Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America learned that the 892nd Transportation Company (Medium Truck Cargo) U.S. Army Reserves would be unavailable - called to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The unit has provided tractor trailer units and volunteer drivers for 19 years to transport donated canned goods - approximately 2 million cans in St. Louis and St. Louis County - from collection points at area fire houses to the St. Louis Area Food Bank.
The Council office spent most of October scouring the region for a volunteer replacement. The outlook for the drive was looking dire when Sunset Transportation Inc. of Sunset Hills came riding to the rescue.
Sunset has agreed to step in for the deployed Reservists, providing vehicles, equipment and volunteer drivers - and those of additional volunteer trucking companies - and coordinating logistics for the food collection.
Jim Williams, CEO of Sunset Transportation, said, "When I heard that the Scouts needed transportation, I said 'Absolutely. Call the Scouts. We will make it happen. Period.' " Sunset is a third-party logistics company, arranging transportation by other trucking companies to meet its clients' needs.
Terry L. Schwarck, Scout Executive of the Greater St. Louis Area Council, said, "This is a very significant contribution to a critical service for our area's needy, involving not only very generous donations of time and equipment but also considerable high-priced diesel fuel."
Major David Ling, Unit Commander of the 892nd Transportation Company, said the Army Reserve regretted its inability to participate in this year's campaign. "We're very proud to be able to contribute to the Scouting for Food program for all these years," he said. "I'm not from around here, but I am impressed by the love the Company has for this community."
The collection will take place Nov. 20. A week earlier, on "Bag Out Day," more than 40,000 Boy Scouts and 20,000 parents and volunteers will canvass the streets of St. Louis delivering more than one million bags to residences across the area. On "Bag In Day" a week later, Scouts will retrieve the bags filled with non-perishable canned goods for distribution and transport them to area fire houses, where other volunteers will box them and prepare them for loading on trailers. Within 48 hours of the Scouts' pick-up, the first donations are on food pantry shelves, ready to feed the hungry.
The St. Louis Area Food Bank serves more than 480 agencies in the area. In addition, donations gathered by Council Boy Scouts outside St. Louis and St. Louis County will go directly to other food pantries in those areas.
For more information about Scouting for Food, visit www.scoutingforfood.com. To learn more about the St. Louis Area Food Bank, visit www.slafb.org.
