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A number of Eagle Scout projects covered in this paper have been for the local benefit-- community billboards, wooden benches encircling a park firepit...but, scouts may also opt to undertake projects that benefit the global community. That’s the case for Rob Monson, a 17-year-old senior at Chisago Lakes High School, who is pursuing his Eagle Scout rank.

Monson is organizing a collection of dental goods to be shipped to the Ukraine. He has hooked-up with a 10-year-old organization called the Coordinating Committee to Aid the Ukraine, a not-for-profit group that is helping newly independent Ukraine with various needs.

By the end of this year Monson plans to send enough toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste and mouthwash to the Ukraine via the relief group to supply about 1,000 children in an orphanage and school in Lviv, Ukraine.

Since becoming an independent state in 1991 the Ukraine is still struggling with everyday living standards and economic decline.

In 1993 Darryl Terho, a friend of Monson’s father, started working with American Friends of the Ukraine an educational, humanitarian and environmental-oriented group with connections in western Ukraine. Terho made his 11th trip there in 2002. The group has an apartment in Rudki, Ukraine and an automobile for their use.

One of the goals identified early on was promoting dental hygiene and educating youngsters about tooth and mouth care.

Monson said he was talking with terho about his experiences and they thought the concept would be a great Eagle Scout effort for Monson.

Monson asks that cash donations, or donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, etcetera be dropped off here at the Chisago County Press offices, in Lindstrom.

He’ll need about 4,000 of the items to distribute to the youngsters he hopes to aid. “This way they’ll get enough supplies to keep them going for awhile,” Monson thinks.

He plans to ship the donations with members of the organization visiting the Ukraine the first part of January 2005.

Monson has already lined up some corporate donations of dental hygiene items but nowhere near what he needs to achieve the goal of helping the 750 children in the school in Lviv and the 250 orphans.

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