Scout still sharing bright idea about saving energy
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<p align="justify">Toluca's tireless "Tin Can Scout" is continuing his efforts to place energy-efficient lightbulbs in the hands of area residents for whom they could save both energy and money.
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<p align="justify">Tayler McGillis, 13, had hoped to hand out one of the spiral fluorescent bulbs last Saturday at the local American Legion post to each of the 576 households that have Toluca water service. The lightbulb giveaway is the latest in a list of environmental and conservation-related projects he has devised while achieving increasingly higher Boy Scout levels and receiving awards from other organizations.
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<p align="justify">After Saturday's ice storm limited turnout at the Toluca Legion to about 100 people, Tayler spent several hours going door-to-door that evening and on Sunday to hand out more of the 700 bulbs he had purchased with funds raised through another project.
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<p align="justify">"The people were just shocked. They said, 'You're out (in this weather)?' " his mother, Denise McGillis, said. "He'd say, 'Yeah, and I'm delivering lightbulbs.' "
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<p align="justify">More than 400 of the bulbs have now been distributed, and Tayler is hoping to pass out many more this weekend, she added. From 6:30 to 8 p.m. today, he'll be handing them out to customers at the Wooden Nickel, a family-friendly bar and grill in the nearby community of Rutland, she said.
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<p align="justify">In addition, he'll be taking bulbs to a local bank this morning and is hoping to finalize arrangements to give them to members of a Toluca church Sunday morning, she said.
<p align="justify">More information can be obtained by calling the family home at (815) 452-2968.
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<p align="justify">"Hopefully, this will get everyone to think more about recycling and saving energy," she said. "That's the most important thing."
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<p align="justify">Tayler initially got involved in environmental efforts by collecting aluminum cans to be recycled and donating the proceeds to Habitat for Humanity. He has collected more than 22,000 pounds so far, his mother said.
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<p align="center">Reach Journal Star reporter Gary L. Smith at (309) 686-3041 or state@pjstar.com.
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