By Anne Marie Amacher
DAVENPORT — Seventy-five Girl Scouts in grades one through six helped package 24,000 meals to send to children in Haiti through Kids Against Hunger.
Ann Metzger, Girl Scout leader for Troop 8324 at John F. Kennedy Catholic School, said girls in the sixth- grade level of Cadette Girl Scouts wanted to do a project that helped others. They are working on their Silver Award, one of the highest levels of awards in Girl Scouts.
“This has been a year in the making,” Metzger said.
Last fall the Cadette scouts invited other Girl Scouts in the school from the Daisy, Brownie and Junior levels to learn about hunger in the world. The Cadettes set out a platter with milk, cookies, an apple and other foods. Girls and adults in attendance received varying amounts of money — from a couple of pennies to a $20 bill — for “purchase” of the food items.
The participants learned the cost of the items and how the majority in the room could not afford to buy even an apple. By pooling their money, they might be able to buy an apple, but would have to share it with many others — and still might be hungry, Metzger said. The girls learned that hunger and poverty exist around the world.
Then the Cadettes decided to make enchiladas and sell them through the school and its parish, Our Lady of Victory, to raise money for the Kids Against Hunger packages.
Girl Scouts from all levels worked various shifts back in November to hand-make enchiladas and wrap them up for pickup at the school.
About 238 dozen were made, Metzger said. After paying off supplies, the troop had a profit of $2,500 to make the Kids Against Hunger meals.
On Feb. 27, 75 of the 86 girls attended a day-long event at JFK.
Metzger said the day included learning about eating well, exercise, manners, Yoga, Mass and a taco bar. Starting at 7 p.m., the girls divided into two groups to make the meals with Kids Against Hunger supplies.
When they originally signed up to do the Kids Against Hunger meals, Metzger said, they were unsure where to send the food packets. Organizations that participate can choose from a list of where they would like the meals to go to.
She said Kids Against Hunger decided that Lifeline Christian Mission in Grand Goave, Haiti, would be the destination. “This was before the earthquake” that the decision was made, she noted.
John Kessler with Kids Against Hunger said Lifeline Christian Mission has worked with Kids Against Hunger in the past “and now have an even greater need.”
