REDWOOD NEWSMAKERS The 124 Redwood Rangers offers traditional scouting for everyone. They’re here locally in Humboldt County since 2017. There are back to basics scouting movement based on the original principles and methods devised by Scouting’s founder Robert Baden-Powell. Say hello to General Scout leader Dan Bixler of the 124 Redwood Rangers. Hi, Dan.
DAN BIXLER Hello. How’s it going?
REDWOOD NEWS Oh, so far so good. Hey, can you give us an overview of the Redwood Rangers in our area?
DAN BIXLER Yeah. So the 124 Redwood Rangers is our local group. Like you said, a lot of the outdoor service guides and worldwide organization on Baden-Powell Service Association. So we work with kids and adults of all ages. So we teach kids skills, how to live and to service projects and yeah, teach citizenship.
REDWOOD NEWS: Yeah. You have a big service project coming up, very important holiday gift basket program.
DAN BIXLER: That’s right. So the Holiday Gift Basket program has been run by the Arcade, A Presbyterian church, for many years. It’s like 25 years. And they stopped in 2019. And so they asked us this year if we’d be willing to take it on. And our scouts said, Yeah, they’d love to.
REDWOOD NEWS: There are dates for people to sign up if they are to receive a gift basket. Tell us about that.
DAN BIXLER That’s right. So there’s four days; Saturday, November 11th and November 12th. From 1 to 3, they can go to Arcata Presbyterian Church and sign up with an application to receive a gift basket. And also on Tuesday and Thursday, Tuesday 11-14 November 14th, 6 to 8 a.m.. Thursday, November 16th from 6 to 8.
REDWOOD NEWS: What’s in the gift basket?
DAN BIXLER: Oh, in the gift basket is a turkey, fresh vegetables, canned and dried food and gifts for kids. REDWOOD NEWS: So tell us again if people would like to donate.
DAN BIXLER: So if they want to donate, they can go to the Arcata Presbyterian Church. Our secretary Blue is there on Tuesdays and Thursdays. It’s on the corner of 11th and G in Arcata. So we’re also collecting cans, you know, at the local schools and we have a connection through our scouts at those local schools and our parents.
REDWOOD NEWS: And this is for residents of the Arcata, Mckinleyville greater area. DAN BIXLER: That’s right. That’s right.
REDWOOD NEWS What is the role of the 124 Redwood Rangers in this holiday gift basket giveaway?
DAN BIXLER: Yeah. So the 124 Redwood Rangers teaches a lot of things to kids. You know, life skills and citizenship, but also service. And especially this time of year, it’s really important to give back to your community and be connected to the community. So it’s really the kids who are working with the adult Rovers Scouts to like, do this basket program to help out in the community and see, you know, what our community consists of and what it needs.
REDWOOD NEWS: Dan Bixler from the 124 Redwood Rangers, thanks for joining us today.
DAN BIXLER: Thank you.
