Yuma Scout collects water for Crossroads Mission
A local Scout answered the call for water at the Crossroads Mission by collecting hundreds of bottles of water.
Aaron Mourik, who is 17 years old and attends Gila Ridge High School, said he first heard of the organization’s need for water over the radio. Currently, Mourik is working on his Eagle Scout rank, which requires a Leadership Service Project.
“I’d been looking for a project for a while, and it just seemed like the right fit because they really needed it,” he said. “It was something I could actually do, and I think it’s really great to actually do something nice and see how it makes a difference.”
According to Barbara Rochester, community affairs director at the Crossroads Mission, the shelter was in dire need of bottles of water as part of their Heat Relief program.
“We were almost out of water,” she said. “We were just down to our last case — about 32 of them when he called and he said he’d love to do an event for us.”
“We are a drop off point for water,” Rochester added. “If anybody — the homeless or people who are just walking to work need some water, they can stop by here and we will give them a bottle of water. We are with the Heat Relief program. The Crossroads Mission Thrift Store and Crossroads (Mission) are relief places where they can come and cool off and get some water.”
During Mourik’s collection period, he collected 71 cases of water and $1,030 in cash, which allowed him to purchase more water and bring the total to 351 cases of water for the Crossroads Mission. According to Rochester, the donation will help keep the mission’s Heat Relief water supply stocked for about a month.
“We are just so proud that since we are going into the hot months we won’t have to deny anybody water to take with them,” Rochester noted. “We are also so proud of what he (Mourik) has done. He commented that he didn’t realize that Yuma was such a giving community. When there is ever a need, Yuma always steps up.”
Initially, Mourik said he had been planning to bring his project to fruition since the end of February. However, he struggled for about a month to find a business that would allow him to set up a collection booth at their establishment.
It was not until the local Sam’s Club granted him permission that he was able to actively collect cases of water as well as the funds to purchase water. A member of Troop 007, Mourik said he enlisted the help of his fellow Scouts to make the collection possible.
Mourik said that he, along with his volunteers, took shifts manning the booth for four hours each day from March 20-22.
“It was good for this young man to see what our community is like in a hands-on way,” Rochester said. “He came down and did a tour of the mission, and I think he was really impressed with everything that goes on at a mission.”
Rochester noted that the Crossroads Mission accepts water donations throughout the summer. The shelter is located at 944 S. Arizona Ave.
For more information or to arrange a tour of the mission, call (928) 783-9362.