Boy Scouts

Boy Scouts of America, Verdugo Hills Council recently celebrated 100 years of service with a Centennial Breakfast Celebration at Scholl Canyon Estates Retirement Community. Boy Scouts ranging from ages 12 to 88 were represented and cheered as they reviewed 100 years of service and dedication to teaching character in young boys. Some of those attending were Steve Smith , assistant Scout executive; Gerald Kam , Life Scout and resident at Scholl Canyon; Marty Silberstein, Scoutmaster and resident at Scholl Canyon; Keith Sorem , Iron Eyes Cody District Boy Scout chairman; Chief Ron De Pompa , Glendale Police chief; Joe Davenport , Verdugo Hills Boy Scout Council board member.

The Delphi Academy's Boy Scout Troop 555 is once again wrapping gifts for shoppers from Dec. 13 to 24 at the Sport Chalet, 975 Foothill Bvd., La Cañada Flintridge. The schedule will be posted at Sport Chalet. This is Boy Scout Troop 555's ninth year helping the community and Sport Chalet, which offers the complimentary gift wrapping to Sport Chalet customers for a donation to Troop 555. The Scouts will wrap everything from the smallest gift to the largest items such as bicycles and ping-pong tables.

Joyce Rudolph For representing the values of Boy Scouting, radio talk show commentator Dennis Prager will be honored at the Good Turn Award Recognition Dinner on Oct. 16 at the Hilton Glendale. Prager will be presented with a bronze statue of a Scout helping a senior citizen cross the street, said Andrew Messer, executive director of the Boy Scouts of America Verdugo Hills Council. It's a figure the Boy Scouts have used since it began in the United States in 1910, depicting their motto, "Do a Good Turn Daily."

Perched more than 2,000 feet above Glendale and its surrounding cities on a crisp Saturday morning, Altadena resident Caleb Scott, 9, dug his shovel into the rocky soil. His first stab at the hillside made a small divot, but with the help of his father, Rod Scott, Caleb picked away until he stood before a hole that was at least two feet deep and another two feet wide ? a suitable hole for planting a seedling stone pine tree. Caleb was one of five Boy Scouts from Den 2, Pack 512 ?

Robert L. Bunker is the new president of the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The council includes troops from La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Glendale, Eagle Rock, Burbank, North Hollywood and Tujunga. "Strengthening Families Through Scouting" is the theme Bunker has selected for his term. "Families are the building block of society," he said at his installation dinner, adding that he wants to include more family participation in scouting events during his presidency.

Sue and Gary Keyes are co-chairmen of the 29th Big Strike Auction Dinner March 22 at the Hilton Glendale benefiting the Verdugo Hills Council of Boy Scouts of America. Local individuals, organizations and corporations donate gifts for the live and silent auctions. Proceeds go to Scout programs in Glendale, Burbank, Montrose, La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge and other areas. The Keyeses have been leaders of Boy and Girl Scouts troops as previous cubmasters, committee chairmen, den leaders, scoutmasters, commissioners along with responsibilities on earlier Big Strike Auction committees over the recent years.

Thomas McLurkin has not only found the key to balancing his work life as a deputy city attorney with home life as a father of five children, but still manages to find the time to serve his community. McLurkin’s service to the city of Glendale and the surrounding areas all started with a remark made on his report card in the sixth grade, he said. His teacher, Virginia Bobo Kiser, who is now his mother-in-law, wrote that McLurkin was not working to his potential. “That comment did not set well with me,” he said.

NORTH GLENDALE — Burglars targeted the Boy Scouts of America chapter on Grandview Avenue on Wednesday night for the second time in a little more than a year, officials said, forcing the nonprofit to again spend hard-earned money on repairs. A staffer with the nonprofit Verdugo Hill Council, a chapter of the national organization, was working late Wednesday and discovered a broken window about 10:30 p.m. in the building’s printer room, said Executive Director Jon Maeda.

A Dinner and social will be held at the LDS La Canada Ward for all volunteers in Scouting and their Guests. To recognize Packs, Troops, Teams & Volunteers for their service and participation during the past year. Highlights include the presentation of the District Award of Merit, Veteran's Award, Spouse Award, Extra Miler Award, Cubmaster Award, Cub Scouter Award, Den Leader Award, Webelos Den Leader Award, Den Leader Coach Award, Scouter's Training Award, Scouter's Key, Scoutmaster Award of Merit, Commissioner's Arrowhead Honor Award, Distinguished Commissioner's Service Award, Summertime Pack Award & National Camping Award.

Iron Eyes Cody, who became famous as the “Crying Indian” in a 1971 “Keep America Beautiful” commercial, was active in Glendale's Boy Scout program for many years. Cody became involved in Scouting activities when his son joined the Scouts. He taught the boys Indian crafts in his 'Moosehead Museum,' which he had assembled in his Atwater home, according to a 1951 Glendale News-Press article. Because of his work with the Scouts, he was named to the Order of the Arrow, a national award given to Scouts who best exemplify the scout oath and law in their daily lives.

Hometown Heroes were honored by the Verdugo Hills Council of the Boy Scouts of America on Wednesday, Dec. 7, a day that marked the 70th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Appropriately, veterans were among those honored at the Oakmont Country Club breakfast. Honored was Burbank Police Chief Scott LaChasse. LaChasse is the son of a World War II prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III. La Chasse's dad was his hero; his mom, his heroine. His mother, Dorothy, was LaChasse's Cub Scout troop leader.

With toy donations down this year, Glendale firefighters at Station 29 were more than elated Friday to accept gifts from local Boy Scouts for their annual Spark of Love Toy Drive. Dozens of Boy Scouts delivered toys to the fire station on Honolulu Avenue, hoping to help enlarge the Fire Department's cache of gifts that will be distributed to poor and low-income children in the community this holiday season. Firefighters are also looking to gather more toy donations this Sunday at Metrolink's annual Holiday Toy Express, which will make its stop in downtown Burbank at about 5 p.m. before heading to Glendale's train station at about 5:45 p.m. -- Veronica Rocha , Times Community News Twitter: @veronicarochaLA  

On Sept. 1 at the rooftop lounge of the Glendale Hilton Hotel, over 100 Glendale Homenetmen “Ararat” Chapter members teamed up with supporters, friends and community leaders to host its “Ararat 33” Kick-off Reception. The event provided the latest details related to the upcoming celebration, “Ararat 33 - A Celebration of Our Journey” that will be held at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. At the Glendale Hilton, guests enjoyed champagne, and an hors d'oeuvres reception before enjoying fine cuisine.

The Kiwanis Clubs sponsor Key Clubs in our high schools. The Lions sponsor Leo Clubs, and the Rotary sponsors Interact Clubs. Our schools get a good mix of student growth and effective community projects from the clubs. Much time is spent by service club members supporting student projects. Each fall as school starts up again, the clubs get active in recruiting and developing student leadership teams. Last week Camille Levee of the Glendale Sunrise Rotary Club gave a very instructive talk on how to form and maintain an Interact Club at high schools in our community at the Crescenta-Cañada Rotary.

The Columbus Elementary School mural — a depiction of the school’s mascot, the eagle — had been a welcoming sight to students and visitors for years. For William Kaufmann, 16, who attended Columbus for seven years and was raised near the school, it was a landmark. But the mural disappeared in 2008 along with several old campus buildings amid a major modernization project. It was strange to look over at the school and not see the eagle, William said. So when it came time to develop a project required to earn the Eagle Scout award from Boy Scouts of America, he immediately thought of his alma mater.

Ralph Joseph Rahtz Ralph Joseph Rahtz, 87, of Glendale CA passed away on April 11, 2011. Ralph is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marjorie Lee and his children Chris and Linda Raitz of San Clemente, Joan and Jerry Gough of Miramar Breach, FL., Frank Rahtz and Anne Fleming of La Crescenta, Tim and Melinda Rahtz of  La Crescenta, Beth and Bruce Kelly of Pensacola, FL. and Doris and Mike Gilchrist of Ventura CA.  Ralph was preceded by...

It’s that time of year again — Girl Scout cookie time. This year, for the first time, we have a Girl Scout in our family. Our daughter Becky is a first time Daisy Scout and I am her troop’s co-leader. I wasn’t a Girl Scout when I was a kid, but instead was a Camp Fire Girl. While there are some similarities — we sold candy instead of cookies — most everything about Girl Scouts is totally new to me. Being a leader, I can see just how large the Girl Scout organization is, and how many women volunteer countless hours for the girls.

A local Boy Scout troop on Sunday celebrated the first time scouts from that troop have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. An Eagle Court of Honor event was hosted for Boy Scouts Armen Ter-Zakarian and Matthew Diradoorian. Diradoorian and Ter-Zakarian belong to Troop Ari 4 of the Homenetmen Glendale Ararat chapter, Troop 154 of the Verdugo Hills Council. Homenetmen is an Armenian union of scouting and sporting activities for young people. Ter-Zakarian, 18, is on the St. Francis High School tennis team and has played piano for 12 years.

The Kiwanis Club of Glendale Grill Team brought out the barbecues, food and tables to prepare and serve the area Boy Scout troop members who were walking in the third annual Ten Commandments Hike. The Scouts hiked about 3 miles through Glendale and visited 10 churches in the city on the hike. The Grill Team fed 129 Scouts and friends who participated. At the Kiwanis meeting on Feb. 4 the “Grill Team” members, Marko Swan, Ed Gredvig, Kelly Gredvig, Ed’s daughter; Pat Liddell and Jose Sierra, were all recognized for their tireless efforts in preparing and serving the food to the hikers.