by Dennis Dalman
Sartell Troop 11 Boy Scout Evan Olson-Drake is fast approaching – pound by pound – the acquisition of his Eagle Scout badge.
His self-chosen mission is to collect 1,000 pounds of donated non-perishable food items for the St. Cloud-based Salvation Army Food Shelf. So far, he’s collected more than 200 pounds.
A Scout member since he was 5 years old, Olson-Drake, who will be a junior next school year, is the son of Nancy Olson and Steve Drake, Sartell. Camping has always been his favorite scouting activity, he said during an interview with the Newsleaders.
Olson-Drake has set up multiple drop-off boxes to collect donated food items at four places: the two Coborn’s grocery stores in Sartell, the Coborn’s store in St. Joseph and the Boy Scouts of Central Minnesota headquarters building at 1191 Troop Drive, located just to the west of Pinecone Road S.
Last year, in mid-school year, Olson-Drake conceived the idea of a food drive as his community project aspect of earning his Eagle Scout badge. He was aware often Boy Scouts will choose to do community improvements such as installing park benches or planting trees to earn the Eagle Scout honor. Olson-Drake, however, decided to do something different – to gather and donate food items for people who may need them. And that is what he started doing earlier this summer.
Olson-Drake said he intends to go to a vocational school after he graduates high school to become an auto mechanic.
Sartell Troop 11 Boy Scout Evan Olson-Drake is collecting food items to be donated to the Salvation Army building in east St. Cloud.
Sartell Troop 11 Boy Scout Evan Olson-Drake delivers a big box of food items to the Salvation Army building in east St. Cloud.