By Liz Nolan, Contributing Writer
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Northborough – Seventy hours of planning and organizing, 81 volunteers, and countless donors have all made it possible for Robert E. Melican Middle School eighth-grader Brian Rabideau to be closer to achieving the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts of America.
Rabideau organized and planned a Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event, which was held April 28 at St. Rose of Lima Parish in Northborough. Volunteers of all ages came together and packed a total of 16,848 meals, which will be shipped to Central Africa. The meals are then distributed at schools, orphanages, clinics and vocational centers.
Rabideau belongs to Northborough Boy Scout Troop 101 and has volunteered for the local annual Scouting for Food event benefitting the Northborough Food Pantry for seven years. He said it was that event that inspired him to help people worldwide.
“This meal packaging event not only helps solve immediate needs, but also helps bring awareness to this global issue,” he said.
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Rise Against Hunger’s mission is to end hunger worldwide by 2030. The program is a hands-on international hunger relief program and uses an assembly line method for volunteers to package highly nutritious, dehydrated meals, which include rice, soy, vegetables, and 23 essential vitamins and minerals. Each bag provides a meal for six people. It only takes two hours to pack 10,000 meals. Their local office is in Woburn.
“I learned new leadership skills, the amount of time it takes to do a project like this, and how working together accomplishes bigger goals,” said Rabideau.
After months of planning, he was excited to see it all come together.
“I was amazed at the number of people who showed up to help,” he said.
Volunteers ranged from elementary school students to Rabideau’s 81-year-old grandmother.
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“The great thing about these meal-packaging events is you can incorporate all ages and everyone can help make an impact to stop world hunger,” he said.
The next steps toward earning the Eagle Scout rank are to prepare an in-depth report of his project, complete one more merit badge, and participate in the Eagle Board of Review.
Troop 101 information can be found at www.bsatroop101ma.org and information on Rise Against Hunger at www.riseagainsthunger.org.
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