Maine's Capital Area

Chris Bernier, a scoutmaster for the Winslow Boy Scout troop, wants to make sure every Maine boy who wants to be a Scout can be. A new scouting uniform costs about $75, which prevents many boys from being able to scout. Goodwill Industries of Northern New England is working with Bernier to host a uniform drive 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the Waterville store. Any boy who needs a scouting uniform can pick one up at the drive — free.

So far, Bernier and Goodwill NNE outfitted 300 kids in Maine who needed uniforms. Whenever the Waterville Goodwill store gets a Boy Scouts uniform, the store manager sets it aside for Bernier, who then washes every uniform and rips off every award badge by hand before giving it to a Scout in need.

“I’m a one-man show,” Bernier said. “But we're just getting it started. We're working on becoming a nonprofit, we'd like to expand it. We're trying to make it needs-based. We serve kids who can't afford to get a brand new uniform.”

Waterville’s Goodwill collected 1,000 uniforms for Scouts in the last three years. The only requirement for a child to get a free uniform is that he register for scouting. The program also allows for Boy Scouts to trade in their uniforms when they outgrow them or change ranks — when they give back an old uniform, Bernier will give them a new one.

Although Bernier started by serving Waterville kids, he gets calls from all over the state asking to help outfit Scouts in need.

“There are many people who are deserving who can't work or can’t afford a uniform for their child, and that’s what this is about. It’s about changing the future, changing the next generation, helping kids be better than they can be and building a better citizen,” Bernier said.

Anyone who would like to donate a uniform can drop it off at the Waterville store. The drive is 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at the store. Parents should bring their Scout’s registration form as proof that they will use the uniforms for scouting. Scouts will also be able to register at Goodwill during the drive.