MARYSVILLE — Two of Marysville’s Mega Camp Fire Clubs collected for the Marysville Community Food Bank at the Marysville Haggen Food & Pharmacy on Dec. 9-10, and while they’re still adding up the pounds of food that they received, they’ll be using the $55 they took in from both evenings to help purchase more food.
Leslie Buell, one of the adult club leaders, reported that the Westwood Crossing and Cedar Grove Apartments Mega Clubs of Camp Fire provided four young volunteers each, who braved the cold and dark as the afternoons quickly gave way to night. While she would have welcomed more kids to join in singing at the front entrance of the Marysville Haggen’s, she acknowledged that a number of Camp Fire kids in both clubs had prior commitments, including a church production that many of them had been preparing throughout the year.
“One of the hardest things is planning an outdoor event that works for everyone’s schedule,” Buell said. “Another challenge is finding enough room in the car for not only the kids, but also a boom-box, a collection crate and a big Christmas tree. Even with two adult leaders, we can only bring so many kids between us.”
According to Buell, both traditional and newer holiday songs proved popular with those who stopped by during the Camp Fire kids’ collection times.
“Having a microphone really helped pick up the children’s voices,” Buell said. “That first day, the Salvation Army lady who was collecting beside us was ringing her bell right along with the kids’ singing, and she even bought a gingerbread man ornament from us, that she hung from her collection kettle.”
Buell explained that the Camp Fire kids had been busy making felt gingerbread men, as well as other felt ornaments, that were displayed on their foil tree at Haggen’s, which were given out in exchange for food or cash donations.
While 6-year-old Cali Glidden had to be reminded occasionally to look at her lyrics sheet, she nonetheless gushed about how much she loved collecting for the Marysville Community Food Bank as part of Camp Fire. Dylan Davis, 9, agreed with Tatyana Alme, 10, that the Food Bank is an especially important charity to support during the holiday season.
“I’m glad to be getting however much we can get, so that people who don’t have as much can have full bellies,” Alme said.
As Buell treated the Dec. 10 group of Camp Fire kids to a promised meal of jojos at Haggen’s after their collection window came to a close, she noted that the two Mega Clubs would also be presenting a seasonal dance performance at the Grandview Village retirement community on Jan. 3 at 2 p.m., delayed from their previously scheduled date of Dec. 27, so that the kids could have more time to practice their moves to songs including “Sugar Plum Fairy,” “Marshmallow World,” “Candy Man” and “Music Box Dancers.”
“In the past, we’ve performed at Windsor Square, and one of the clubs always went caroling at Willow Run for the past three years, so we thought we’d change it up a bit this year,” Buell said. “Our Camp Fire Clubs are very committed to their community, and to giving back. The children that participated in this year’s drive enjoyed the opportunity to help the Marysville Community Food Bank in any way they could, and we only wish we could have done more and stayed out longer.”
Buell pledged that the Camp Fire Clubs would return to Haggen’s next year, with gingerbread man ornaments ready to dispense to those generous enough to donate to the Marysville Community Food Bank.
