By The Informer staff

A group of local Boy Scouts plan to take the lessons they learned after volunteering in Joplin, Mo., to help others in Newcastle, Okla. later this month. They are asking for local donations to help with the effort which they have dubbed “We will be Moore than OK.”

Danny Smith III, senior patrol leader, and Brian Asher, both Troop 614 members, have contacted a troop in Newcastle (just outside of Moore, Okla.) and will travel there June 27-30 to help in the clean-up and recovery efforts. 

Smith helped with recovery efforts in Joplin, so he quickly organized his fellow scouts to help in Oklahoma after learning of the storm devastation there. 

The troop, with members ages 11-18, has secured the use of a 26-foot box truck to transport donations which will be collected through June 26. The drop-off location in Derby is at AutoMasters service center, on K-15 next to McDonalds and a Wichita drop-off point is at Commercial Laundry Sales and Service, 1228 S. Santa Fe.

Cash donations can be made through Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 5701 E. Mt. Vernon, Wichita, Kan. 67218. The Wichita church sponsors the scout organization, but the Boy Scouts are also students in Derby Public Schools.

In addition to the weekend planned in Newcastle, the scouts recently staffed the National Youth Leadership Training, are at summer camp this week in Talihinia, Okla., and they are headed to National Jamboree in Washington, D.C., July 11-25.

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Scouts accepting donations for Oklahoma tornado relief

Accepted at: AutoMasters, 945 N. K-15 Highway, Derby

Through: June 25

Items needed: Totes, bags or suitcases, toilet paper, toothbrush/toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shampoo, washcloths, sunscreen, bug spray, hand sanitizer, trash bags, gloves, eye solution, hair ties, non-perishable food items, bottled water, Gatorade, formula, baby food, canned goods, can openers, granola bars, peanut butter and crackers, pop tarts, stuffed animals, blankets, coloring books, new or gently used clothing, shoes, pet food, kitty litter. 

Monetary donations: via Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church, 5701 E. Mt. Vernon, Wichita, Kan. 67218.

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If you have information on this or other stories, contact Linda Stinnett at linda@derbyinformer.com.