R.J. Lombardi, of Boy Scout Troop 10, put it simply. “I was looking to make a difference,” he said when asked what gave him the idea for his Eagle Scout project
Lombardi said that he met Don Adams of Peace Community Chapel last year and learned about his supplies drive the homeless.
“I heard about the drive and how effective it was, and it gave me the idea,” Lombardi said.
On Saturday about ten boys from Troop 10, led by Lombardi, assembled drawstring backpacks full of toiletries, snacks, hats, socks, gloves, scarves and rain ponchos around the kitchen island at Diamond Hill Church.
Adams said that for the last year and a half, Peace Community Chapel has been collecting supplies on a regular basis and taking them to New Covenant Center in Stamford. The center is open every day to the public and provides three meals daily to anyone hungry. They also have a food pantry program that distributes bagged groceries to individual and families every Tuesday each month. New Covenant Center is the only soup kitchen in the greater Stamford area.
Lombardi’s troop numbers around 3o teens from Cos Cob. In fact, many of them have participated in Greenwich Scouting since Cub Scout days.
A senior at Greenwich High School, the 17-year-old said his efforts are all the more meaningful when he can meet the recipients in person. “Seeing their faces and knowing the impact it makes on their lives is what makes it so worthwhile,” he said.
Lombardi said Diamond Hill Church is the charter organization for Troop 10. “We keep our supplies here, and in turn, we help at the holiday fair and volunteer to clean up the grounds in spring and fall,” he said, gesturing out the kitchen window to the lawn. Lombardi said Troop 10 used to hold their meetings at the church, but these days they hold our meetings at the St. Lawrence Club.
On his end, Adams, who we interviewed last month, said his project to raise funds to purchase 50 new sleeping bags and 100 coats to bring to Pacific house for men and women’s coats to St. Luke’s Lifeworks – both in Stamford said most of the funds have been raised. Watch this space for a follow-up story on that effort!
See also:
Tennis Pro, Standup Comedian, Pastor: Greenwich’s Don Adams
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