Thursday, February 8, 2018

One Stop Donation Drop + Blood Drive

Spreading the word about this worthwhile event. If you live in the Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota, this is a fun and meaningful way to spend your day. 

Second Annual One Stop Donation Drop and Blood Drive

One Stop Donation Drop:

The One Stop Donation Drop will be hosted by the Forest Lake-Scandia Leo Club. Our purpose is to collect a variety of donations for non-profits locally and globally that will benefit both people and animals.

This year, there will be 26 non-profits that are either attending in person, will have a collections bin present, and/or are doing a hands-on service project at the event.

Date: Saturday, March 3, 2018
Where: Scandia Community Center
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

Help Support these Non-Profits by Bringing Items:

- African Library Project: New or gently used children's books. Financial gifts also are needed to help ship the books and/or purchase ones to meet our 1,000-book goal to establish a library in Malawi, Africa.

- The Baby Blanket: Diapers, baby wipes, children's clothing sizes newborn to size 6, or maternity clothing.

- Bridge for Youth: DVDs (rated PG or PG-13), hand soap, towels, pajama pants and pajamas (for teens), shower curtains, slippers, flip flops, boys/girls hoodies (S-XXL), boys/girls socks, sports bras (S-XXL), and bed in a bag items (duffle bags, new twin sheet sets, new comforters, and new pillows).

- Children's Hospital: All items need to be new. Games (Sorry, Memory, Headbanz, Connect 4, Trouble, Jenga, Cribbage, Sequence, Yahtzee, Apples to Apples, Guess Who and Monopoly), Duplo kits and small Lego sets,  Hot Wheels, deck of playing cards (Uno, Skip-bo and Phase 10), fleece blankets, adult coloring books, harmonicas in the Key of C (Brand: Hohner Kids), and egg shakers for music therapy.

- Christian Community Home (nursing home/assisted living in Osceola): All items need to be new. Items for welcome baskets for new residents (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, soap, combs, brushes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, non-slip fuzzy socks, simple puzzles (50-100 pieces), activity books (e.g., word finds, crossword puzzles), inspirational book, and inspirational/pretty items to decorate a nightstand.

- Community Homestead: Plain, gently-used, washed t-shirts (any color) that will be used with rug-making by adults with developmental disabilities. 

- Forest Lake Lions Club: Used ink cartridges.  

- Northwoods Humane Society: Canned and dry cat/kitten food, soft dog treats, clay cat litter, and medium and large exam gloves.

- Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota: All items need to be new. Any styles, colors, patterns, are ok with the exception of anything depicting owls since owls are a symbol of death in the Lakota culture. 

The OST Child Protective Services at PRR needs bedding and blankets (twin/full/queen), blank journals for writing, kids pillowcases (home-sewn are welcome), children’s socks, underwear, and sleepwear, stuffed animals, or dolls.

Backpacks, duffel bags, sports bags, diaper bags, or drawstring bags also are needed so the children can carry their belongings in something other than a trash bag.

- Scandia-Marine Food Shelf: Non-perishable food. 

- Scandia-Marine Lions Club: Eyeglasses and hearing aids.

- Wildlife Science Center: White office paper, carabiners, metal poop scoops, 32 gallon heavy duty garbage cans, paper towels, garden shovels (spades), 3 mil contractor bags (black plastic), bleach, spray bottles, scouring pads, and 5 gallon buckets with metal handles.

Help Support these Non-Profits by Purchasing Items:

- Community Homestead: A variety of handmade craft items that were created by adults with developmental disabilities will be available for sale along with organic baked and canned goods. Also, there will be information and the opportunity to sign up for receiving fresh, organic produce, canned goods, and baked items through the CSA.

- Lions International:  Purchase a variety of snacks, food, and beverages. The proceeds benefit One Shot One Life, a program of Lions International that provides vaccines against measles with the hope of eradicating the disease.


- Scandia Farmers Market/Green Grocery Shares: Learn about the Green Grocery Shares program and ways to support it. 

- Scandia-Marine Lions Club: Super Saver Books will be available for purchase. These books have discounts at 99 businesses; and the proceeds help support scholarships for high school seniors going to college as well as other community projects.

Help Support these Non-Profits by Signing Up to Volunteer:

- Feed My Starving Children: Participate in a Mobile Pack at Hosanna Lutheran Church that will be held April 19th-21st. Learn more about ways to volunteer to create nutritional meals that will feed children who are malnourished and hungry throughout the world. 

- Gammelgarden Museum: Learn about the many ways to share your time and talents during the summer season by becoming a tour guide; selling items in the Butik; preparing and serving food at events; and helping with building and grounds maintenance.

Blood Drive:


In addition to the One Stop Donation Drop, we are partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive. Our goal is to collect 18 units of blood. One unit or pint of blood has the potential to save 3 lives!

This time of the year is when blood shortages are the most common. With the flu going around, blood donations have dropped even more. Please schedule your appointment today by clicking on the link and entering LEOS into the search box.

Health Fair:


- National Marrow Donor Program: Sign up to become a bone marrow donor and help those  - including children - who have leukemia, lymphoma, and other life-threatening diseases. Learn how someone in Scandia who had leukemia received a bone marrow transplant that saved his life.

- Lions Gift of Sight: Learn how you can sign up to be an eye, tissue, or organ donor; and give someone the gift of sight.

- Minnesota Lions Diabetes Foundation: Learn about what the Lions are doing within Minnesota to help raise awareness and prevent diabetes.

- Osceola Medical Center: Learn about diabetes prevention as well as living with the disease. Talk with medical professionals about oral health, eye care, and foot care as it relates to diabetes.

Service Projects:

- Plant milkweed seeds in containers with Butterflies from Janie to nurture until the Spring and plant in your yard to attract monarchs. (10 a.m. - 12 noon)

- Make no-tie hats for pediatric cancer patients at Children's Hospital.

- Crochet mats for the homeless using plarn (plastic yarn made from plastic bags) under the guidance of volunteers from Christ Lutheran Church. (9 a.m. - 12 noon)

- Color-a-Smile: Color pictures that will be sent to Color-a-Smile who then sends them to seniors who are homebound or in nursing homes; veterans; and those in the military. 

- Knit hats for babies born at Fairview Lakes Medical Center using a round loom.

- Make fleece-tied blankets for a child and teenager through Project Linus

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