When the going gets tough, the Cub Scouts get going.

Toward the top of the all-time list of activities kids hate has to be going into neighborhoods and knocking on strange doors.

Unless its Halloween.

But on a recent Saturday, 16 stout fellows from Cub Scout Pack 4050 fanned out into the South End neighborhoods of Useless Bay, Mutiny Bay and Holmes Harbor to do a good deed.

In just under two hours, they collected 389 pounds of food for the Good Cheer Food Bank in Bayview. They dropped off the goods that very afternoon.

“The overall response was tremendous,” said parent Darla Lawless. “The people we saw were friendly, giving and supportive.”

She recalled getting a bag of food from one household, then moving to another street.

“The man from the first house chased us down and gave us another bag,” she said.

Loyd McMahon, who owns Besta’ Round Pizza in Freeland, didn’t have any spare cans of tomato sauce around the house, so he donated $20.

“It’s a worthy cause and I know the money will go where it’s needed,” he said.

Thomas Lawless, 9, described how he and his fellow Cub Scouts made their pitch.

“We knocked on the door,” he recalled. “I told them my name and asked if they would like to donate to the food bank. People were nice to us.”

Parent Angi Roberts said the boys weren’t done, either.

“On Dec. 2, they were at Good Cheer as volunteers to help stock the shelves,” she said.

“It was amazing how generous people were, especially considering the challenging economy,” said Cubmaster George Henny. “But this is exactly the time when people need to give what they can to help others in greater need. Our Cub Scouts were thrilled to help Good Cheer, who will help those in our community who need it most.”

They can certainly use the help.

According to executive director Kathy McLaughlin, 3,595 people used the food bank this year through October. That number indicates Good Cheer is putting food on the tables of 1,285 children.

In October 2008, the agency served 708 families, a 147-percent increase over last year.

McLaughlin said Good Cheer ordered 600 turkeys for Thanksgiving and December holiday meals one year ago. This season, it ordered 1,400 turkeys with the hope that it won’t run short. She added that this is just an example of the need of one item for two days of the year.

To help, send a tax-deductible year-end gift to PO

Box 144 Langley, WA, or make a secure donation at www.goodcheer.org.

If you have food to donate, call Roberts at 331-5257.

“I’d be happy to come over and pick it up,” she said.