Arlington Boy Scouts Holding Toy Drive For Teens In Need

ARLINGTON, MA — Boy Scouts of America Troop 306 is holding its seventh annual "Troop 306 for Teens" holiday gift drive to benefit Arlington teens in need. The local co-ed troop is collecting items for nearly 200 teens served by the Arlington office of the Department of Children & Families.

"This program is one of the many things we do in the community. Through this drive, we collect and distribute items to teens who are in difficult situations and who greatly benefit from the community’s support during the holidays," Scoutmaster Scott Barvick said in a statement.

Suggested items to donate include: winter hats/gloves, socks (sports/warm), art supplies/coloring books/journals, refillable water bottles, personal hygiene items, wet hair brushes, scrunchies, nail polish, reading lights, face masks, decks of cards, decorative duct tape, candy (holiday, gum, mints), puzzles or brain teasers, and school supplies. Gift cards are also accepted and can be securely dropped off at Leader Bank.

Donations will be collected at the following locations until Dec. 10: Fitness First (471 Mass. Ave.), Gold’s Gym (30 Park Ave.), Leader Bank (141 Mass. Ave.), St. Camillus (1185 Concord Turnpike), Ottoson Middle School (63 Acton St.), Stratton School (180 Mountain Ave.), Thompson School (187 Everett St.) and Scout family homes at 3 Wheeler Ln (near Stratton), 15 Richardson Ave (near Ottoson), 62 Margaret St (near Hardy), 324 Park Ave. (near Rt. 2 in Heights), and 118 Ridge St. (near Bishop).

Established in 1917 and sponsored by the First Baptist Church, the troop welcomes both boys and girls in grades 6-12. It recently awarded its 99th Eagle Scout, the highest rank attainable and achieved by just 6 percent of scouts in the U.S. Scouts BSA program.