Good citizens
<p>Tyler Rieken, left, watches his behind-the-back shot go toward a bin as he and Brennan Jorgensen and Ryan Hinman, all 12, help sort potatoes Monday at the Community Action Partnership food bank in Coeur d'Alene. The trio was part of Boy Scout Troop 201 which volunteered a day of their spring break vacation to help out at the food bank cleaning, sorting and helping move items through the warehouse.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - The Boy Scouts of Troop 201 power-washed carts, unloaded boxes and sorted bread at the Coeur d'Alene Food Bank on Monday.
They learned a few lessons about hard work and serving their community, too.
"I never knew how many people would come here to get food," said Vernnan Jorgensen, a 12-year-old scout.
Hundreds of people receive goods from the Coeur d'Alene Food Bank every weekday, according to warehouseman Kelly Chadderdon. Some folks are short on cash, mired in a stretch of bad luck. Some can't find gainful employment.
Many are parents, with a family to feed at home.
The slow-to-rebound economy hasn't done anybody any favors.
"I've been here four or five years now, and this place is much busier than when I started," Chadderdon said.
The new volunteers had plenty of jobs to do.
Rummaging through 50-pound sacks, they picked out rotten potatoes and tossed them aside - a smelly process, the boys said. When a bag arrives at the food bank, there's always a few bad spuds mixed with the good ones, Chadderdon explained.
"So I had them open up all the bags, and take the rotten ones out," he said.
Some of the older lads, helping bank patrons who needed a hand, carried foodstuffs out to vehicles in the parking lot. Other crews placed desserts into containers, or stocked the food bank shelves.
"It just sort of feels good helping people," said 10-year-old Logan Horrocks.
Despite the tough jobs, the boys had a good time at the bank.
"Power-washing ... that was definitely fun," said Khristian Paul, 13.
Working toward their Citizenship in the Community merit badges, the Scouts will return to the food bank today. Chadderdon said they'll probably shop-vac the floor, among other jobs.
The merit badge is all about teaching Scouts to be good citizens at a local level, explained Blaine Horrocks, assistant scoutmaster and merit badge counselor.
"I think that hard work teaches quite a few lessons," Horrocks said. "Teaches them to be better citizens. Teaches them to give help to those who need it."
In addition to volunteering at the food bank, the scouts will soon visit the Coeur d'Alene juvenile courthouse, another component of the Citizenship badge. They'll meet with a judge, ask questions and see what could happen if they make the wrong choices.
"I think the kids are a little bit intimidated," Horrocks said, "but I think it'll be good for them."
One of many Boy Scout merit badges, the Citizenship in the Community patch is one more step on the trail to Eagle Scout - a rank the boys hope to attain one day.