North Reading Scouts Support Treats for Troops

The Tiger Cub Scouts of Pack 729 in North Reading started Treats for Troops so they could donate candy to troops overseas. They collect candy in North Reading and then turn it over to Operation Troop Support based in Danvers so they can ship the treats to service men and women overseas. 

This is the sixth year that the troops have been collecting candy in town to benefit Operation Troop Support. Drop off your candy between Nov. 1 and 8 at the following locations: 

• E.E. Little School
• J.T. Hood School
• North Reading Fire Department

Or, if your students attend the Hood or Little Schools, send them to school with candy. At both schools, student council members meet students in the lobby each morning to collect donations. The scouts work really hard to collect the donations each year, scout mom Christie Perrone said.

"The Hood community really enjoys seeing the donations add up and we try to encourage the students by weighing the daily donations and announcing over the school intercom how many pounds of candy have been donated. Barbara Jones is the Hood School parent (and Scout leader) who is collecting the donations at the Hood School," Perrone said.

According to Scout Leader Jodi DeCleene, last year the scouts collected over a ton of candy.

Companies collect candy for the scouts as well. BAE systems of Burlington is one of the participating businesses. If you would like to collect candy donations at work, the troops will schedule a time to pick the candy up from your business. Contact Jodi DeCleene at JDeCleene@verizon.net or Barbara Jones at barbara_jones@verizon.net for more information.