HOWLAND For the past eight years, members of Girl Scout Service Unit 807 in Howland and Vienna have collected items for the local Scope Center which used them for Thanksgiving baskets for area seniors and shut-ins.
Barbara Rosenblum, troop leader of the service unit, said 1,700 items will be donated to SCOPE this yea.
''Many of the scouts have grandparents or neighbors who may benefit from their efforts,'' she said.
Rosenblum said the scouts did the project as part of a Make A Difference Day activity.
She said Troop 159 collected the most items, with 600 brought to be stored at the former Curves building in Howland.
''These scouts feel like they are making a difference for others. They were able to fill a room with donations,'' she said.
Pastor Bob Wissinger, social worker at SCOPE, said SCOPE has used the items for the center's emergency food pantry, and the Thanksgiving Day baskets that will be given out shortly.
''If any of you have grandparents or other elderly relatives or know someone in your neighborhood what you did will help them this Thanksgiving,'' he said.
Rosenblum said in addition to collecting items, the scouts also donated blankets and other items to Someplace Safe.
''I give the scouts a lot of credit for what they have done this year. They know what they have done will help families at Thanksgiving,'' she said.