This article was contributed by Hollister Boy Scout Troop 436.

Local Scouts from San Benito County will be hosting their annual Christmas tree collection service for Hollister, San Juan Bautista, and some of the outlying areas of San Benito County over the first two weekends of January 2021.

Scouts will be on patrol within our community to pick up Christmas trees on Jan. 3, Jan. 9, and Jan. 10 of next year. To have your tree collected, please have it curbside by 9 a.m. on these days. A donation of  $10 per tree is suggested, but not required.

To help restock the shelves of our local food bank after the holidays, scouts will also be conducting a food drive in conjunction with the Christmas tree collection. If you are interested in donating non-perishable food items, please leave them bagged or boxed alongside your Christmas tree. The troops will be happy to collect and deliver these much-needed supplies to the Community FoodBank of San Benito.

Our local troops are dedicated not only to community service, but community safety as well. Given the nature of our current health crisis, all efforts are being made to ensure that this annual service is being held “contact free.” Scouts will be abiding by strict social distancing guidelines and safety protocols. In an endeavor to minimize contact with the community, scouts this year will leave an envelope on the porch or door to facilitate donations both safely and conveniently. Both mail-in and online payment instructions will be provided on each envelope for those who wish to donate.

For more information, contact Lindsay Swanton, committee chair, at [email protected].