Cub Scouts collecting on July 4

Cub Scout Pack 3634 will help Trinity Lutheran Church collect non-perishable food items this year during Waupaca’s July 4 parade.

This will be the fifth annual “Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation” food drive to benefit the Waupaca Area Food Pantry.

The Cub Scouts meet at Trinity.

Cubmaster Nick Reinke contacted the pantry and told Kathy Jenner, its volunteer operations manager, the pack was looking for a service project it could do in June or July.

“The only thing I could think of was they could help with the Fourth of July food parade,” Jenner said.

The Cub Scouts will march in their uniforms.

They will help collect food items and will also carry canisters to place monetary donations they receive from those watching the parade.

Rev. Bryan Robertson, one of Trinity’s pastors, will drive the tractor in the parade.

Kim Miller, Trinity’s youth programs and communications coordinator, will march with the Scouts.

“It’s a good fit,” she said. “We will also open it up to the youth in the church.”

While the food pantry received a record breaking 10,107 pounds of food from May’s U.S. Postal Service food drive, Jenner said the pantry is still in need of condiments, such as mustard, pickles, relishes, ketchup and barbecue sauce.

“Beyond that – jams, jellies, pancakes mixes, syrup and frosting, because we have a lot of cake mixes right now,” she said of the pantry’s needs. “After a highly successful postal drive, we have a lot of the basic food necessities.”

Jenner said soup and crackers are also good ideas for the food drive.

She encourages those going to the parade to not bring glass items to donate to the pantry.

Miller said Trinity’s focus is on serving the community.

“Sometimes we get wrapped up with summer activities and vacations, but their need is year around,” she said of the pantry. “This is just a great way to keep the food pantry in the forefront.”

Miller said it also a way to increase awareness that there is a food pantry in the community.

Jenner said the pantry continues to average 200 families per month.

“There’s still a need,” she said.