Windsor Intermediate School now has a Blessing Box for those in need, thanks to Scouting Troop 416.
The troop, which is based at the school at 6208 Hwy. 61-67 in Imperial, installed the Blessing Box on Oct. 6.
Dawn Faulstich, the school’s assistant principal, said she was delighted to learn of the project.
“If you aren’t familiar with a Blessing Box, it is a wonderful box placed outside our entrance containing nonperishable food and personal necessities,” she said. “Community members can take items and leave items.”
Faulstich said the Blessing Box is something that could impact people’s lives.
“The Blessing Box was created to support members of our school community who may need extra help,” she said. “Anyone from our community who is in need is welcome to take what they require, and donations from families are appreciated and can be placed directly into the box 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“They can take what they need or donate to the box.”
Faulstich said school officials appreciate the Scouting project.
“We sure are thankful for our (Troop 416) for building it for us and installing it,” she said.
Kendall Meloy, the Troop 416 committee chair, said the 10 boys in the unit worked on the project over a number of months.
“We started in March,” Meloy said. “We had to do the planning process. We had building days.”
Meloy said it was the troop’s first Blessing Box, although completing projects to benefit the community is nothing new.
“We’ve built two lending library boxes,” she said. “One is at Windsor Elementary, and the other one is next to the Blessing Box at Windsor Intermediate. We try to do a community project every year.”
Meloy said the troop raises funds for its projects.
“The Blessing Box cost about $400 for materials,” she said. “We hold fundraising events for our projects.”
Meloy said working on such projects is part of what it means to be in Scouting.
“It’s the way of life for Scouts,” she said.
Faulstich said the Book Box and Blessing Box at Windsor Intermediate are proof of the school’s commitment to the community.
“We care about one another and fostering a sense of community beyond the classroom is so important to Windsor,” she said. “We aren’t just a school, we are family.”