Since Halloween, the seventh-graders of one Bethel Park South Girl Scout troop have been collecting new and gently used Halloween costumes for charity.

"It sounded like the perfect opportunity to help out our local community, and the timing was perfect because Halloween was occurring," said Kathy George, leader of Cadette Troop No. 50678.

Over the past two weeks, they've collected between 100 and 150 costumes, Mrs. George said, including costumes for princesses, Transformers and pea pods, in sizes ranging from infant to teen.

"You name it, we have it," Mrs. George said.

Their goal is to collect 400 costumes, she said, and donate them to South Hills Interfaith Ministries in Bethel Park.

The troop decided on the service project after learning that parents of some children in the community couldn't afford to buy Halloween costumes for them.

"It was heartbreaking to know that there were children whose parents were really struggling, and they didn't have anything to wear as far as Halloween was concerned," she said.

The bulk of the collection will be done this month, but the troop will accept donations all year. After members receive the costumes, they will clean, repair, package and label them, then turn them over to SHIM.

The cadets hope to earn their silver stars, the highest Cadette Girl Scout award, at the completion of the project.

Costumes can be dropped off at collection boxes at all five Bethel Park elementary schools, Neil Armstrong Middle School, Bethel Park Children's Library, John McMillan Presbyterian Church and Bethel Park Community Center.

Another group of Bethel Park cadettes, Troop No. 51234, collected leftover Halloween candy for troops stationed overseas, exceeding their goal of 1,000 pounds by 5 pounds, troop leader Becky Robert said.

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