Back in March the Scouts collected over $600 for the Initiative. Michael Braeuninger picked up the donation from Charlie Dienstbach, Brandon Long, and Austin Yuan.

Yesterday, International Services hosted a visit from the Boy Scouts who helped me with preparing materials for the Chocolate Roses. While the actual making of the roses is still a ways off, we want to have all the raw materials prepped and ready to go. This includes trimming the wire stems, cutting leaves from the plastic ‘vines’; and the most maddening task of all, cutting a 40 inch by 100 foot strip of cellophane into individual 5 inch squares. For those who witnessed my first attempt at this by myself, you will recall how we almost needed a search and rescue team to dig me out of the mountains of tangled cellophane.

But this time, in just over three hours, we cut over a thousand wire stems, at least as many leaves; and very effectively and efficiently turned at least half of the cellophane roll into the requisite five inch squares. Today I spoke with troop mother, Susan Long, who volunteered to take even more materials home with her for the boys to work on in their own home.

This is the same group of Scouts who, after learning of the Measles Initiative at a Merit Badge activity fair that I spoke at earlier this year, organized a ‘dress down’ fundraiser at Ascension grade school. In just over a week they raised $600! I have been continually impressed by this group of Scouts and their troop leader and am looking forward to their continued involvement and support of International Services.

Michael

Michael Braeuninger is theInternational Services Supervisor for the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.