Mentor Center will be on the hunt for food Saturday morning

Mentors and the young people they help will go door to door Saturday in Carson City seeking items on a list for their first Scavenger Hunt.

Ruth Gordon, director of the Mentor Center, said teams of four - two mentors and two youngsters - will leave the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada at 10 a.m. in search of items they will eventually donate to Advocates to End Domestic Violence and Friends in Service Helping.

"They will hand the list to the people at home, and ask if they have anything on the list (for donation)," Gordon said.

"They get so many points for each item and the team with the most points will get a gift certificate to the Pizza Factory."

Gordon said the list has information about the Mentor Center, and the donor is welcome to keep it and read about what the center does.

Also, if people want to donate but will not be home, they can leave a message before 8 a.m. Saturday and arrangements will be made for a donation pickup.

"They can call my office number, 445-3346, and we'll come by their house."

Gordon said each fall the center tries to do something as a group, such as a service project.

It gives the mentors an opportunity to spend more time with the youth.

Mentors are adults age 18-older; the mentees are from 6 to 17 years Gordon said there are 43 or 44 youth in the program and many on a waiting list to be matched up with a mentor.

"Our oldest mentor is in his late 70s," she said. "We have doctors, business owners and retirees. We're always looking for mentors - please call. The kids hang out and pay attention to their mentor. They do it to build trust and hang out with them. We only ask they (mentor) dedicate one hour a week, so they're not just another adult in their life."

The scavenger hunt teams will try to hit to as many neighborhoods as they can in just two hours.

At noon, all teams will meet at the Pizza Factory to go over their items and points earned.

"It's such a neat thing to do," Gordon said. "This is the first year we've tried door-to-door. I think the people of Carson City are pretty generous. I hope they're home Saturday morning."

n Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.

If you go

What: Scavenger Hunt

When: 10 a.m.-noon Saturday

Where: Carson City neighborhoods

Call: 445-3346

Items needed

ADVOCATES TO END DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE

• After-school snacks - small juices, fruit cups, apples, oranges, general "dry" snack items: 10 points

• Personal care Items - hand soap, hairbrush, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpaste, Kleenex, toilet paper: 20 points

• Home care Items - paper plates, napkins, paper towels, dish soap, SOS pads or similar, cleansers: 20 points

• School supplies - pencils, pens, lined paper, erasers, markers, backpack, binder: 20-30 points

• Miscellaneous (on a "wish list") - first-aid supplies, thermometers, new mittens, batteries, children's videos: 20-30 points

• Special items - laundry soap, fabric softener, diapers, baby wipes: 50 points

• Cash contributions - per $5: 25 points

FISH

• Canned or jarred food - fruits, vegetables, beans, applesauce: 5 points for average size, 10 for large

• Dried foods - Top Ramen, Noodle Roni, macaroni & cheese, small packages of pasta and rice: 5 points for average size, 10 for large

• Protein foods - peanut butter, canned meats, tuna: 10 points for average size, 15 for large

• Juices, cereals, cookies, crackers, flour, sugar: 15 points

• Frozen turkeys: 50 points