SMITHVILLE – Needy families will have a chance to get blankets and coats at two locations in Chenango County, thanks to a service-oriented Oxford teen.

John Lee, a Life Scout with Boy Scout Troop 79 in Smithville, has undertaken the endeavor as part of his Eagle Scout project.

Lee, a junior at Oxford High School, has been collecting items in donation barrels placed at locations in Oxford, Smithville and Norwich since Dec. 1. He plans to distribute the goods to local families after Christmas.

While many prospective Eagle Scouts do their service projects outside, Lee wanted to do something a little bit different.

“I read the news a lot,” the eleventh grader explained. He said he had observed the high fuel prices and realized that some people in the community would struggle to heat their homes this winter. The goal of his blanket and coat drive, he said, is to help those families stay warm through the winter months.

Lee had to have his idea approved in order for it to count toward his Eagle Scout project. He traveled to Norwich to present the concept to a panel of scouting leaders.

“They really liked it,” he said.