The start of school usually signifies expensive new clothes and Jaeger Bauer hopes to help offer a cheaper alternative.
The 15-year-old Boy Scout, who is working on his Eagle Scout award, is spearheading a clothing giveaway in early August. The giveaway will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, and from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, at the Bella Vista Baptist Church.
The church had previously hosted such an event, and when Bauer learned no one had picked up the event since, he thought the idea sounded intriguing -- and helpful to the community.
He adapted the blueprint in place and set to work.
"Clothes cost a lot of money," the Troop 3410B Bella Vista member said.
He hopes anyone who needs clothing will be able to take advantage of the event.
Bauer chose to hold the giveaway in early August to help parents preparing for the start of school. He also wanted to host the event on the same weekend as Arkansas' tax-free weekend but will be out of the country then. Instead, his event will take place on the Missouri tax-free weekend, which he believes will benefit local parents. He also plans to reach out to surrounding communities -- such as those who live in the McDonald County area -- who might need free clothing.
Clothing ranges from youth small to adult XXL. Many hours have been spent folding and organizing the clothing. The clothes are sorted, then folded, then boxed so volunteers could inventory the items. He currently has several 14 x 14 x 14 moving boxes full of clothes, categorized by size, he added.
Bauer has learned about the scope of such a project, from the small details to the bigger picture of the operation.
He's making flyers and distributing them, spreading the word about the event. He's organized a large-scale project into a manageable one.
One of the biggest challenges has been recruiting volunteers in the summertime, he said, because availability sometimes can be tough.
Though he doesn't mention how hard he's worked, the Boy Scout has put in a great deal of work on the project, said his mother, Brandi Bauer.
"I have already seen him work very hard for his Eagle project as he's preparing for the giveaway day. He had many volunteers that have helped him each step of the way. So far he has worked with little over 20 volunteers getting ready for the big day," she said.
Brandi Bauer said Jaeger actually volunteered at the clothing giveaway when he was little, though he probably can't remember doing so.
She said he chose the giveaway because he wanted to make sure the community could benefit from the project.
"As Jaeger was making his decision on an Eagle Project, he was very insistent on it helping the community," she said. "Jaeger knows there is a need for clothing. He wanted to do the clothing drive this year because he knew many families had been impacted financially by covid. He hopes that those who need the clothes the most can be blessed that day."
Anyone who wants to donate clothing may still do so by calling the church office, Jaeger said.
The church office can be reached at 479-855-3748 and is located at 50 Lancashire Boulevard in Bella Vista.
