For the past 25 years, local Scouts have been selling TrailsEnd Popcorn to help pay for tents, equipment and summer camp. Over the years, the products sold have gone from one 3-pound bucket of gourmet popping corn to today with 12 different items that include microwave and caramel corn products.

TrailsEnd Popcorn, sold exclusively by Boy Scouts as a fundraiser for local Scout Councils and Scouting Troops, is known as “America's Best Popcorn.” It is produced by Weaver Popcorn Co., one of the largest producer and manufacturers of popcorn products in the world. An 80-year-old, family owned company, Weaver Popcorn distributes its products in more than 90 countries.

In 2007, Weaver Popcorn started “Operation Popcorn.” And, Scouts across the country along with Scouts here in Cayuga County Council began inviting customers to donate TrailsEnd Popcorn products to active duty military troops and their families. Customers simply checked a box on their popcorn order form to make a military donation.

I'm proud to say that more than 100 members of the community purchased more than $2,500 of popcorn products for our military troops. For our small Council I think that was great.

On a national scale, the impact was heart warming. Nearly 200,000 Americans placed popcorn orders for our troops. To date, 107 tons of popcorn products have been shipped to sailors and marines throughout the entire Pacific Fleet. In addition, 18,000 U.S.O. Care Packages of popcorn were sent to troops around the world. By last years end, 11,000 boxes of popcorn products were also delivered for the holidays to troops deployed in southeast Asia.

The Scouts and Weaver Popcorn Co. have partnered with Support Our Troops.org to make the popcorn deliveries. Support our Troops.org is a non-partisan, non-political civilian organization, welcoming civilians, active duty families, veterans and people from all political parties. Support our Troops.org was founded to offer simple ways for civilians to thank and show support to American troops serving all over the world.

Even troops serving on the front lines are receiving popcorn. Army bases in Afghanistan are receiving 21 loads of microwave popcorn, gourmet caramel corn and chocolatey caramel crunch. More than 6,000 cases of popcorn have been shipped to U.S. Army troops stationed in Iraq including members of our own nearby 10th Mountain Division. Army bases in Kuwait are receiving nearly 2,000 cases and more than 1,300 cases are being shipped to seven Marine bases in combat areas in Iraq. State side military bases in New Jersey, Illinois, North Dakota, Georgia, Maryland and California have also received popcorn.

And by the way, when the Scouts begin its 2008 sale this fall, members will be introducing a new TrailsEnd Trail Mix Product filled with peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, almonds, cashews and cranberries. All TrailsEnd Products have 0 grams trans fat, use no diacetyl flavoring, are a good source of fiber and many are low in fat - except maybe for the Five-Way Chocolate Lovers tin that includes chocolatey caramel crunch, white chocolatey caramel crunch, chocolatey pretzels, white chocolatey pretzels and chocolatey peanut clusters.

But it is good, eaten in moderation of course.

Don Grillo is the scout executive for the Cayuga County Council, Boy Scouts of America located at 7235 Mutton Hill Road in Auburn