Alanna Morera
Owls Patrol
The Owls Patrol completed a heartfelt community service project at Westside Food Bank for its Good Turn Trip, spending the day on November 9 assembling Thanksgiving food boxes for families experiencing food insecurity in Los Angeles. The experience showed us that even small hands can make a big difference, and that kindness is strongest when it comes from the heart.
When we arrived, Shaun Dyer, Community Engagement Manager, welcomed us into their warehouse and explained how donations are sorted, inspected and carefully packed before they reach the families who need them most. We learned that Thanksgiving is one of the most important times of the year for the food bank, because families deserve to feel supported, cared for and celebrated during the holidays.
Before anything else, we sat down together to create handwritten cards for the families who would receive the Thanksgiving boxes. The cards were filled with love—drawings of hearts, smiling turkeys, pumpkins, fall leaves and messages like “You matter,” “Happy Thanksgiving” and “We hope this makes you smile!” Each card was unique, colorful and personal, because we wanted every family to know that someone was thinking about them.
Once the cards were finished, we started packing the Thanksgiving boxes assembly line-style, like a moving conveyor belt of kindness. Each scout had an important job. Avery packed the Jiffy mix. Juniper packed the cornbread mix. Sophie packed the canned cherries. Caroline packed the canned pumpkin. Grace packed the canned green beans. Olive packed the turkey gravy.
After each box was filled, other volunteers gently placed our handwritten cards on top—so when families opened their boxes, the first thing they would see would be love, art and care.
While the boxes moved down the line, I jumped in wherever help was needed, keeping things organized and making sure every box was complete. When we finished each batch, I broke down the cardboard and recycled it, helping keep the space clean and moving smoothly.
As we worked, we started imagining the moment these families would open their boxes—seeing ingredients for their meal, then pulling out a handmade card and smiling at the drawings. Maybe the turkey doodle would make a little kid laugh, or a heart drawing would make a parent feel seen. We realized we weren’t just packing food—we were delivering hope, comfort and a reminder that someone cares.
We want to send a huge thank you to the adults who supported us. Thank you to my mom, Carolina, for bringing donuts and fresh fruit as a reward for all our hard work. And an extra special thank you to Kate, Sophie’s mom, for staying by our side all day, guiding us, encouraging us and supporting the Owls Patrol with such kindness and leadership.
By the end of the day, we helped pack more than 150 Thanksgiving boxes, each one holding more than just food—each holding warmth, support and love from our patrol. As we walked out, we realized something important: Service doesn’t just change the community. It changes us, too.
The Owls Patrol will continue to serve, lead and help others with open hearts. Because kindness isn’t just something we do—it’s who we are.
Phineas Hsiao
Falcons Patrol
My name is Phineas Hsiao, and I am a scout in Troop 223, based in Pacific Palisades. I am the patrol leader of the Falcons Patrol out of eight patrols in the troop.
I recently planned a Good Turn Trip for my patrol, in which we help out in the community. For our Good Turn Trip, we helped the American Legion Post 283 with fire relief efforts at their distribution center.
The trip was on Saturday, October 11. Rev. Dr. S T Williams Jr, American Legion Post 283 chaplain, is in charge of the distribution center, and assigned us four rooms to organize and clean, making it easier to find things. The rooms had travel supplies, bags, baby supplies, furniture and household supplies.
I led the patrol, but everyone was very motivated to help out. We worked all morning and early afternoon. The patrol also really liked the mop, which could spin like a salad spinner helicopter to dry the mop.
The American Legion Post 283 Distribution Center is a place where families in need can get supplies, such as toiletries, bags, household goods, furniture, etc. They are also open to donations. It is located at 6221 Bristol Parkway in Culver City, and will remain open through the end of 2025.
Chaplain Williams was super nice and showed us how we were able to help. He also mentioned that he can use a lot more help at the distribution center, as it’s still very active and people are coming there all the time.
I am a 13-year-old at Paul Revere Charter Middle School. In Troop 223, I was elected the patrol leader of the Falcons, and I learned many valuable leadership skills with the amazing leadership program the troop has. These skills include managing a budget with spending money on patrol expenses, organization, planning trips and campouts, sending out many emails to adults, and leading a group of eight boys.
For more information about the distribution center, visit alpost283.com/news/2025/9/10/post-283-distribution-center-grand-opening.
Photos courtesy of Alanna Morera
Alanna Morera
Owls Patrol
On November 18, the Owls Patrol visited the Santa Monica Police Department for a special Career Trip centered on forensic science.
Officers Samuel Cobar and Jacqueline Aguilar welcomed us and led us on a guided tour of the building, showing us various parts of the station and explaining how the forensics team operates. We learned that forensic science plays a significant role in solving cases, and the officers explained how small pieces of evidence can lead to big discoveries.
The main focus of our visit was on fingerprinting and shoe print analysis. We learned how officers dust for fingerprints, how prints are lifted from different surfaces and how each person’s fingerprints have unique ridge patterns that can be used to identify them.
During the hands-on activity, we divided into three groups. One group was Sophie, Olive and Grace. The second group was Alaia, Avery and I; lastly, the third group was Juniper and Caroline.
We examined real fingerprint samples and practiced matching them by comparing whorls, loops and arches. We also looked at shoe prints and learned how the pattern on the bottom of a shoe can connect a person to a location.
The activities gave us a better understanding of how science is used as a tool to solve crimes. The visit was exciting because we weren’t just told about forensic science—we got to try it ourselves. We also saw police cars and equipment used during investigations.
Thank you, Juniper, for bringing cookies. They were amazing! The trip helped us understand how much science is involved in police work and how evidence helps uncover the truth. We are very grateful to Officers Cobar and Aguilar and to the Santa Monica Police Department for taking the time to teach us and show us what real forensic work looks like.
Parents of fifth- or sixth-graders who want to learn more or visit a 223 Troop meeting can contact Greg Frost at frostfamily@frostinvestigations.com (boys) or Scoutmaster
Larry Kirven at lkirven@gmail.com (girls).
