Girl Scouts are collecting them for charity Nov. 11-30

If you've lived in Oregon all your life, you know how cold it can get in the winter. The rain and occasional snow can be pretty harsh, and a lot of people enjoy curling up on the couch with a warm blanket and a nice hot cup of cocoa.

Most people wouldn't think twice about this. But what if you didn't have a comfortable couch or a blanket to keep you warm?

Girl Scouts in Troop 20345 asked themselves this question and have decided to do something about it.

Troop 20345 is a group of teenage girls, led by Meegan Forster and Cindy Moran. In an effort to be more involved in their community, six of the girls are putting on a blanket drive to benefit local shelters and those less fortunate.

"It's going be cold out soon," said Heather Cate, a junior at South Albany High School.

Moran adds that "part of being a Girl Scout is helping in the community and learning to make a difference."

The blanket drive is aimed to help the troop understand that a little better while at the same time helping other people during the winter.

At their Oct. 29 meeting, the troop decorated boxes with brightly colored paper and put some fliers on them explaining the blanket drive.

These boxes are going to various places around the mid-valley, including South Albany and West Albany high schools, the OSU Foundation and Eastgate Veterinary Clinic.

The blanket drive kicks off Tuesday, at the troop's nut booth outside of the Fred Meyer grocery entrance; the booth is open from 2 to 6 p.m., and you can drop off a blanket there, or at the other locations.

All that the girls ask is that you donate clean blankets - big, old, new or small. Anything you can give will help.

The blanket drive will run through November. As the troop's fliers say, "Help keep our community warm!"

For more information, contact Forster at 990-4606 or Moran at 619-3133.

Stacie Struble is a sophomore at South Albany High School.