Boy Scout aims to get goods to troops

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Boy Scout Bryce Thornton has set his sights on sending 1,000 care packages to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan by Christmas. submitted photo

EAGLE POINT — Wanting to make sure U.S. troops don't feel forgotten during the holidays, Boy Scout Bryce Thornton has set his sights on sending 1,000 care packages to soldiers stationed in Afghanistan by Christmas.

Motivated by stories of soldiers who receive no mail, the Eagle Point middle-schooler hopes to meet his goal of collecting enough items — and money for postage — by the end of November, so that no one goes without a connection to home.

"My dad has a friend over there who said they don't get a lot of stuff so I just thought it'd be a cool thing to do because they don't get that much moral support," he said.

"It's almost Christmas so I thought it'd be cool to send them a bunch of gifts and show them our support."

Although he just launched the project last week, Bryce already has amassed a big support system among local businesses and community members willing to donate.

Bryce's father, Darrin, said his son was motivated by researching the depressed Kandahar region in which the troops, from various branches of the military, are stationed, and by communicating with a friend from Darrin's days at North Medford High School who is now in the service.

"Bryce looked at pictures and he said, 'That really looks like it sucks over there,' " Darrin Thornton said. "It's pretty much worse than Third World. So he asked what we could do to help."

The father and son team visited two dozen local businesses asking for support and prepared 1,000 letters to be sent to Shady Cove and Eagle Point area residents.

Thus far, Bryce has gathered a couple hundred boxes of items, from Gatorade powder and batteries to beef jerky and movies, and received a slow trickle of cash donations to cover shipping costs that will be $12 per box.

For his boxes, Bryce is collecting a mixture of food, hygiene and entertainment-themed items. Batteries, beef jerky, wet wipes, socks and hard candy top the list while other wished-for items include hot sauce, sunflower seeds, canned oysters, sunscreen, candles, eye drops, dental supplies, music, playing cards and movies.

The Human Bean coffee stands, whose owner also was a classmate of Darrin's, has agreed to donate 1,000 coffee creamers, which were among the most requested items.

Donations can be dropped off at any Grange Co-Op location or Valley Feed & Supply, 1125 Royal Ave., Eagle Point.

Scoutmaster Randy Sell, who leads Bryce's troop, said Bryce had taken on "quite a task" at a time of year when need is great and various other projects are going on.

In recent weeks, members of Bryce's troop, Troop 48 of Eagle Point, also have cut cords of wood for low-income families and begun planning for a national Boy Scout food drive.

"I think in the short timeframe he's going to do it in, I think he's going to accomplish quite a bit," Sell said. "If you reach one person and have one person as a recipient that's a blessing in itself."

"Will he make 1,000 (boxes)? I don't know. He might make 2,000 or he might make 500. Either way, he'll make a difference."

Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at buffypollock@juno.com.

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