Members of Girl Scout Troop 4186 pose after working at the MAD Pantry in Mt Olive. Photo courtesy of Tracy Ginn.

By Scott Cole

To the delight of parents everyone, school is just around the corner. And while teachers are getting their classrooms ready, there are many area students that do not have the supplies necessary they will need during the school.

Enter the Girl Scouts of America.

Lenoir County Girl Scout troops, part of the North Carolina Coastal Pines District, are conducting a supply drive to help local kids out. The scouts are doing a series of school drives starting on Saturday.

Tracy Ginn, the troop leader for La Grange 4186 and the media coordinator for the Girl Scout service unit of Greene and Lenoir Counties, said her group took donations last year to give care packets to soldiers in the hospital over the holidays. They've also collected food for local food banks and had a food and toy drive for the SPCA.

“We work really hard to teach the girls and show them the right ways to be leaders in their homes and in the communities," Ginn said. "We’re helping them realize they can start with something small and yet it has big impact. The girls have worked at food banks at Mt. Olive and in La Grange. They have worked at soup kitchens. It shows that there is a need in our community to do good deeds and that, more importantly, they can be the ones to impact it.”

The scouts are looking for pens, paper, pencils, backpacks, markers, folders and anything that can help a student in need succeed at school. On Saturday and again on the Aug. 11, the Girl Scouts will be at the Piggly Wiggly on Hwy 258 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Aug. 18, they will be collecting donations at the Dollar General at The Plaza on N.C. 58.

All donations collected will be given out to kids in need so they can have a great year at school.

The beginning of the school year also starts the new year for the Girl Scouts. September is when they begin their big kick-off drive. If you’re interested in more information about Girl Scouts or on how to join a troop in your area visit nccoastalpines.org.