Eagle Scout service project offers fun twist on the drive-through donation drive
At the COVID-safe Caravan Carnival & Toy Drive, kids and families from across the region donated toys and participated in games — all from the safety of their cars.
“The purpose is to include kids,” Zoe says. “They like giving to others, and the carnival atmosphere will bring joy during COVID, when little kids are stuck at home.”
To add to the fun, Zoe and her project volunteers built a pair of “toy slides.” Each slide was the height of a car window and gave kids a fun way to donate toys without coming into contact with any other people.
Instead of a parent handing the toy to a volunteer or dropping it into a box, kids got to watch their donated items zoom down a bright yellow slide.
In the end, Zoe gave the hospital 86 packs of Play-Doh, 170 coloring books, 130 boxes of crayons and markers, and 400 toys.
It’s a remarkable achievement summarized perfectly by Zoe’s favorite quote — words she uses in her email signature: “The best way to gain happiness is to give it away to others.”