During the past four months, the Boys Scouts of America in Area 2 — an area comprising 220,000 Scouts in four western states including Utah and Idaho — spearheaded a community-wide service project to assist farmers in Haiti by gathering tools and seeds.

When volunteers assembled Feb. 17 to bundle and prepare materials for shipping, more than 10,000 tools had been collected. These materials will now be donated to the people of Haiti with the hope that improved farm implements will improve their ability to raise crops and care for families.

Donations included 300 machetes, useful in clearing farm ground, as well as other contributions from several national companies. Another company fabricated and donated wooden benches, all of which will be assembled after they are delivered to Haiti. The shipment also includes a dozen pallets of agricultural seed.

Many wards and stakes in the Salt Lake Valley and Bountiful, Utah, as well as many local businesses, joined the project by donating tools and supplies.

This service project by the Boy Scouts stirred the imagination of the members of the Cottonwood 17th Ward, Salt Lake Big Cottonwood Stake, a young single adult ward, when it was suggested in November 2000 by Bishop Joseph B. Wirthlin Jr.

Early in January, the 17th Ward was asked to extend their collection effort to include school supplies. The ward service committee held a special home evening where members were given a golden dollar and asked to multiply their talents. They applied the teachings of the parable and were able increase the number of donations.

A group of approximately 40 volunteers gathered recently at the storage unit which had been donated for the collection of material and finalized the Utah portion of the project for shipping.

"We could have used more people to pack the tools, but we had exactly what was needed. It was really a blessing," said one participant.

Without being there, said Amy Quintinal, "people don't realize all the good the Church does. Members just don't see the blessings without participating."

Representatives of the Boy Scouts of America are planning to go to Haiti to assemble the benches that were donated and assist in the delivery of all the tools and school supplies.