Scouts Request 4,175 Organ and Tissue Donor Cards for Distribution

([ Portland], [Or], [05/04/04])—Currently 4,175 organ and tissue donor cards have been requested for distribution by 167 Scouts from the Boy Scouts of America, Cascade Pacific Council, but more Scout participation is encouraged. Scouts who distribute 25 donor cards earn a Donor Awareness patch.

Over 83,000 men, women, and children in the U.S. are waiting for organ transplants. Of those individuals, 1,800 live in the Pacific Northwest. And sadly, 17 people die each day waiting for an organ donation. In Oregon and southwest Washington at any one time: 120-140 people await kidney transplants

• 125-140 people await liver transplants
• 40-50 people await cornea transplants
• 20-30 people await heart transplants
• 2-10 people await pancreas transplants
• 2-5 people await heart/lung transplants
• 1.4 million Oregonians have a D code for donor on their driver’s license

“This is just one more example of the many service projects Scouts conduct that benefit the community,” says Ron Garland, Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America, Cascade pacific Council.

Contact Oregon Donor Program at 503-494-7888 or 800-452-1369 ext. 47888, or visit www.ordonorprogram.org.

The Cascade Pacific Council ranks among the nation’s largest Scout councils (out of 319) in terms of membership. The Cascade Pacific Council serves more than 47,889 youth in 18 counties in northwest Oregon and southwest Washington, and is supported by more than 15,902 adult volunteer mentors.

Local Boy Scouts of America Accomplishments

This last year (2003) Scouts of the Cascade Pacific Council reached out to the community and achieved the following outstanding accomplishments:  

Goodwill/Good Turn – Scouts collected 362,895 pounds of usable clothing and household goods for Goodwill Industries in 2004. Over the past ten years, 4.2 million pounds have been collected.  

Camping Program – TheCascade Pacific Council has one of the strongest outdoor camping programs in the country, camping 11,000 boys at seven summer resident camps and ten day camps last year.  

Scouting for Food – Scouts collected 519,766 pounds of food for local hunger relief agencies through the Scouting for Food drive in December 2003.

Guy Miller Tree Plant – Over 2,500 youth and family members planted nearly 37,500 tree seedlings in our forests and neighborhoods in support of the Guy Miller Tree Plant program. Since 1977, this program has accounted for the planting of more than 2 million trees.  

Violence Free Spring Break – In partnership with the Portland Police Bureau, the Police Activities League, Multnomah County, Boys and Girls Club, and other organizations, the Cascade Pacific Council has planned, coordinated and staffed special events like “Violence Free Spring Break.” Over 375 youth were served for this event alone. These events use Scouting facilities and curriculums to deliver positive, values-based programs.

Outreach – Over $29,930 in scholarships was awarded to over 536 youth members for summer camp.

Boy Scouts of America - Connecting youth with communities and families.