User Posts : The Southwest Voice

PUBLIC INVITED TO GET A “TASTE OF SCOUTING”

These days Scouting is about a whole lot more than just tying knots. The Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America invites families to Sport Chalet at 5200 Stockdale Highway in Bakersfield on Saturday, October 18, 2008 anytime from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to get a “Taste of Scouting” and see just how far the program has come since it started in 1910 in the United States.

During the day, there will be continuous activities for the entire family to enjoy and take part in including the U.S. Army Climbing Wall, U.S. Army Simulator, Salvation Army Emergency Communications Van, Monkey Bridge and more. Since the day of this event coincides with the annual BSA shortwave radio event entitled “Jamboree On The Air” or J.O.T.A., local Ham Radio operators will be on site with their equipment and will allow the public to talk with Scouts and Scouters throughout the United States and around the world. There will also be an internet version of this event called Jamboree On The Internet (J.O.T.I.) for those wishing to “blog” with Scouts throughout the country.

There will also be Fly Fishing demonstrations where scouts will demonstrate how to tie fish knots, talk about fish/wildlife management and equipment demonstrations by the Kern Flyfishers.

Any Cub Scout age boy whose parents sign him up in Cub Scouts on October 18^th will receive his own FREE Pinewood Derby Car Kit. These new Cub Scouts are encouraged to bring their finished cars back to the Council Pinewood Derby Race on March 14^th and race them in the heat associated with their age group. Pinewood Derby kits will be picked up by local pack leaders and issued to each new Cub Scout at a later pack or den meeting.

The entire day is free to the public. The Southern Sierra Council will have a recruiting table where families can sign up their Cub Scout (1^st through 5^th grade boys), Boy Scout (completed 5^th grade and is at least 10 years old or is age 11 but not yet 18 years old) or Venture Scout age boy or girl (at least 14 and completed the 8^th grade or 15 years of age but not yet 21). The pro-rated registration fee for all programs is $3.00 per member good through December of 2008. There will be a list of available units, contact names, phone numbers and times of meetings to assist parents with finding the right unit for their child. For additional information, contact the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America at 661-325-9036 or the event chairman Ray Bays at 661-599-9030.

Come see why Scouting is a whole lot more than tying knots. It’s about building character, developing valuable skills, and having fun!

Boy Scouts to hold Sporting Clays Tournament!

The Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America is holding its 9^th Annual Sporting Clays Tournament and there is still time to get in on the fun! Join the Scouts on August 22^nd at 5 Dogs Range in Bakersfield for a day of trap shooting, friendly competition and fun.

Teams of 5 shooters will take to the field and test their skills in two divisions; Sport and Expert. Individuals can also take part in special events like Shooter’s Poker and the Perfect Station Contest. A delicious BBQ lunch, awards and opportunity drawings will wrap up the day.

The shooting field is open to the public for both novice and experienced shooters. Team slots are going fast, so build a team and register today! Register as an individual shooter for $125 or build a team of 5 and be an Eagle Sponsor for $700. Eagle Sponsors also receive sponsor recognition and a station sign. Net proceeds benefit the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America.

For more information or to register please call Dianna at 661-325-9036, or e-mail dzullo@bsamail.org.

Gentlemen, start your… wooden cars?

On Saturday May 31^st, Cub Scouts and parents from all over Kern County came out to the East Hills Mall to participate in the annual Pinewood Derby.

East Hills Mall was the proud sponsor of the event, supplying mall gift certificates to the top placers. The boys competed in four divisions: Tiger, Wolf, Bear and Webelos, with the First Place winner of each division moving on to the finals. Anthony Felts, winner of the Wolf Division, took home 1^st place in the finals with Caleb Melson in 2^nd and Nicholas Langwell in 3^rd.

Tiger Division

1^st Place – Tyler Mellow, Pack 950

2^nd Place – Gabriel Benavides, Pack 950

3^rd Place – Erasmo Garcia, Pack 950

Wolf Division

1^st Place – Anthony Felts, Pack38

2^nd Place – Anthony Felts, Pack38

3^rd Place – Philip Mann, Pack 217

Bear Division

1^st Place – Caleb Melson, Pack 26

2^nd Place – David Perez, Pack 950

3^rd Place – Colin McDonald, Pack 55

Webelos Division

1^st Place – Nicholas Langwell, Pack 724

2^nd Place – Vincent Cottrell, Pack 217

3^rd Place – Jeremy Roberts, Pack 261

The first Pinewood Derby was held in 1953 by Cub Scout Pack 280C of Manhattan Beach, California. The cars are made from a block of pine and are propelled by gravity down a steep sloping track. Every year more than a million boys and parents team up to carve, decorate, weigh, adjust, fret over, and finally race a Pinewood Derby car.

Look for the Pinewood Derby at East Hills Mall again next year! For more information on Scouting in your area call the Southern Sierra Council at 661-325-9036.

Scouts show appreciation for one of Bakersfield's finest

On Saturday May 31, 2008 the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts teamed up to hold a benefit car wash for injured Bakersfield Police Officer Dennis Eddy. While on duty last February Officer Eddy sustained a gunshot injury to his right leg. Doctors decided to partially amputate the leg due to complications from the wound, a decision which has placed an undue hardship on his family.

Nearly 30 Scouts and parents came out to wash cars and accept donations for the Eddy family. Several Bakersfield Police Officers stopped by to talked to the Scouts and thank them for their efforts. Officer Eddy and his family also visited the Scouts with sons Andrew and Brennan even washing a few cars.

“The Scouts wanted to show Officer Eddy that we appreciate his sacrifice for us, and to do something for him,” said Cubmaster Dewayne Marney. “I am very proud to be a part of these Troops and the BSA Family.”

The event raised over $500 for Officer Eddy and his family. If you would like to help donations can be sent to: Bakersfield Police Officers Association, PO Box 2501, Bakersfield, CA 93303.

“Mr. Money Bag’s Morning” Scoutreach visits Wells Fargo Bank!

How many of us get to hold $100,000 in our hands? What happens to your money when you deposit it in the bank? How do banks make money when they have to also invest it?

Scouts from our Scoutreach program got the chance to ask these and more questions during their behind the scenes tour of Wells Fargo Bank on April 26, 2008. The Scouts, their parents and Scoutreach staff received firsthand information about the banking industry and got a tour of the bank’s California Avenue branch; the highlight of the morning came when Cliff Wictorin, the bank manager, brought out $100,000 in cash on a silver tray and Scouts got a chance to hold the cash in their hands (of course under the close supervision of Mr. Wictorin and an assistant).

Mr. Wictorin gathered everyone in the bank’s conference room and gave a brief talk about the history of Wells Fargo Bank, how money is invested and grows interest, how the bank makes money from the funds we invest and lots more interesting bits of information. This was followed by a question and answer session where many Scouts asked challenging questions. Perhaps we’ll see a new generation of bankers as our Scoutreach youth grow up! The Southern Sierra Council would like to thank Cliff Wictorin, his staff, Wells Fargo Bank and our Scoutreach staff for conducting a very interesting and educational fieldtrip. For more information on Scouting in your area please call the Southern Sierra Council, BSA at 661-325-9036.

The Perfect Cure for Those Summertime Blues!

Now is the time of year when youth activities start to shut down for the summer season, but this won’t happen with the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America!

Scouting is alive and strong with several summertime activities open to youth throughout Bakersfield and surrounding communities. Here is a sampling of activities being offered:

ü Council Pinewood Derby is set for Saturday, May 31^st at East Hills Mall in the center court. Boys are encouraged to build and race their Pinewood Derby car at this fun-filled annual event.

ü Scout Baseball. Boys AND GIRLS can play baseball in a non-competitive league which encourages every kid ages 6 through 12 to have fun. The Minor League is for kids 6 through 9 years of age while the Major League is for 10 through 12 year olds. The $60 registration fee includes a team T-shirt and hat, professional photos, 6 weeks of play (12 games in the season beginning June 3^rd) and one ticket to the “End of Season Gala” at the Bakersfield Blaze Baseball Game.

ü Cub Scout CSI Day Camp. Cub Scout-aged boys (1^st through 5^th grade) will find out “What happened to the doughnuts?” as their practice their CSI (Cub Scout Investigation) learning techniques to solve this mystery. Participants will learn how to become a master detective by dusting for fingerprints, building their own spy tools, cracking secret codes, learning how to observe, finding out how dogs help in the search and much more. There are two CSI Day Camps in Bakersfield this summer: July 7-11 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at California State University, Bakersfield and July 14-18 at Bakersfield College practice field. Cost is $90 until May 30^th and $100 after that date.

ü Many local Boy Scout Troops will be attending summer camp at Camp Kern on Huntington Lake this summer. Boys who join the Boy Scout program (completed the fifth grade and is at least 10 years old or who is age 11 but has not yet reached age 18) can also take part in the council’s Camp Kern Provisional Camp Program. This allows new scouts to get a jump start on their advancement and have loads of fun during this one week summer camp experience. Provisional Camp is from June 29 through July 5 and costs $300 for the entire week.

ü Boy Scout Troops and Venture Crews often plan additional summer activities and high adventure trips.

ü Many Cub Scout packs earn their Summertime Pack Award by holding at least one activity per month during June, July and August. This more-relaxed atmosphere gives den leaders a chance to “rest up” during the summer months but still allows existing and new Cub Scouts a chance to meet and have fun.

There are many Packs, Troops and Crews throughout Bakersfield and surrounding communities. Area youth can join anytime throughout the year and the registration process is simple and inexpensive. For more information please contact the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America, located at 2417 M Street, Bakersfield, CA. 93301, by phone at 661-325-9036 or email at jwagner@bsamail.org Check out our website at www.sscbsa.org.

Boy Scouts Golf Tournament RAFFLE!

The Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America are set to hold their 32nd Annual Golf Tournament on Friday May 9th at Sundale Country Club. There is still time to join in the fun! Put together a twosome, a foursome, or come as an individual! Not a golfer? That's OK too! Part of the event includes a raffle for some great prizes and you don't have to be present to win. Check out the prizes below and enter to win today!

50” LG Plasma HDTV

Attention sports fans and movie buffs! This is the TV for you! Once again, Urner’s has generously donated the television of your dreams to provide the best in home entertainment!

2 Southwest Airline Tickets

Go anywhere Southwest flies. With these 2 roundtrip tickets the choice is yours!

4 Day Baja Mexico Cruise for 2

Departing from Los Angeles, your first stop is Catalina. A glass-bottom boat ride is a must while you are here or take an exhilarating cliff-side tour of the surrounding hills. Next visit Ensenada where the beaches are nothing short of “bella” and a stop at the town’s historic cantina is just what you need to get the full on Ensenada experience! On the way back to LA is your fun day at sea. Relax by the pool, take in a show, try your luck in the Majestic Casino, or do all of the above!

A Trip to San Diego

Get started on your trip with a $100 gas card and hit the road to beautiful San Diego! Experience the best of the city with a 2 night stay at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. This luxury hotel in downtown San Diego is ideally placed to let you explore all this area offers. Step outside the doors to Seaport Village and cruises on the Bay or a take a walk to the Gaslamp Quarter. Don’t forget to bring your gift certificate to The Bitter End where you can enjoy great food and drinks and sample their signature “black martini”. Take a drive to La Jolla where you can spend some time in the great outdoors. Hike Bike Kayak San Diego has got you covered with gift certificates for kayak rentals. While you are there take in the beautiful scenery and stop by the Children’s Pool to catch a glimpse of the sea life that now resides there. This is one trip you won’t forget!

Raffle Tickets are $50 each and available for purchase at www.sscbsa.org.

All proceeds benefit the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America. To register for the tournament or for information on Scouting in your area please call 661-325-9036.

Drawing takes place May 9, 2008. Winner need not be present. Some restrictions may apply. No substitutions will be made on prizes offered. Raffle #R4790

Boy Scouts Hold Annual Competition!

On April 18th through 20th nearly 600 Scouts, Scouters and staff were on hand for the annual Scout competition, Camporall! Camped out under the pines at Mil Potrero Campground, the boys competed in all sorts of different events. Knot tying, blindfold tent assembly, archery, bb gun shooting, tomahawk throwing, friction bridge building, and an obstacle course were just a few of the events that were offered.

69 patrols from 34 troops opened up a new camp ground and endured unseasonably cold weather as temperatures dropped into the 20’s on Saturday night. Nevertheless, everyone was having a great time. “It was a terrific weekend,” said Council Program Director Jim McIlvaine. “This was a great way to open our new camp and have the Scouts engaged in some friendly competition.”

Troop 135 from Tehachapi carried away the top prize of Super Troop for their excellence in all events, including scoring of certain requirements in their campsite. Their unit number will be placed onto a flag as recognition of their hard work to win the top award. They beat out two time winner Troop 13 of OLPH in Bakersfield to take home the prize.

The Golden Tomahawk - Top Dog award went to the Senior Patrol from Troop 848 from Ridgecrest for having the highest score, 818 points out of 1300, in the Skill Challenge events.

The Senior Patrol took top honors last year, also.

The Camporall is a council-wide event that has been running in this capacity for the past 6 years. Previously known as Camporee the event was held in several areas of the council each year with all areas coming together to compete every other year. The renewed interest has allowed the council to hold the Camporall each year to have more competition and a lot more events.

Camporall 2009 will be in full swing at Mil Potrero again next year, April 17-19th. To join Scouting and be a part of the fun, contact the Southern Sierra Council at 661-325-9036. Mil Potrero Campground is also open for public camping beginning June 1^st. To make your reservation please call the Scout Office at 661-325-9036.

Local Eagle Scout Recognized for His Outstanding Achievements

On February 28, Eagle Scout DJ Taylor of Troop 194 was honored by the administration and school site council at Liberty High School. Out of the approximately 2,400 students in the school, DJ was chosen for the

Liberty High School Site Council Award for Character, an award that recognizes students for their patriotism, perseverance, self- discipline, integrity, honesty, and dependability, to name a few.

“DJ was completely surprised by the honor”, said his mother Sheryl Taylor. “He thought that he was going to the meeting to talk about Boy Scouts, instead he was given a beautiful plaque and was recognized for being an Eagle Scout, being in AP classes, his extracurricular activities, but most of all, his character.”

DJ earned his Eagle Scout rank at the end of 2007. “DJ has really taken the values of Scouting to heart,” said Sr. District Director, Jeff George of the Southern Sierra Council. “It is great to see him be recognized for his Scouting achievements by a group outside of the Council.”

DJ is a member of the Boy Scouts through the Southern Sierra Council, BSA. For more information on Scouting in your area please call the Scout Office at 661-325-9036.

Soccer Registration Time!

The Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America is pleased to introduce a new program for the community – Soccer and Scouting! Soccer and Scouting brings the excitement of soccer and the character building values of Scouting together for a non-competitive league where the focus is on fun!

Your child does not have to be a Scout to play, and Soccer and Scouting is available to both boys and girls!

Soccer and Scouting is a year round program in which your child will learn soccer skills, build teamwork, make new friends and have fun all at the same time.

Sign up on Saturday, April 5, 2008 at Virginia Park Soccer Field located at Virginia Ave and Industrial Street. The registration fee is $50 and includes a soccer uniform and soccer ball.

For more information please contact Gabriela Puga at the Boy Scout office at 661-325-9036.

Have a ball with the Boy Scouts

Spring is on its way and that means warm weather, flowers in bloom and baseball! For the last 53 years, the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America has been host to a non-competitive Baseball League to encourage boys to participate in a sports program.

This program is designed to allow boys a chance to have fun, play baseball and not worry about being competitive.

You do not have to be a Scout to play! Any boy age 6 through 12 can participate. The program runs three different leagues based on age:

Rookie League is for the youngest kids, 6 and 7 years of age. They start with t-ball and swing until they get a hit. This is where the basics are learned and lots of fun is to be had!

The Minor League is for boys 8 and 9 years of age. The coaches pitch to the boys, but a tee is on hand for those who wish to use it.

Major League is for 10, 11 and 12 year old boys. Many of these boys have played Scout baseball before and the boys pitch to each other in this league.

The Boy Scouts of America use physical fitness as a main key in their programs, and playing baseball is an excellent activity and learning opportunity. Over the years, the program has gone through many different transformations, but one thing still stays the same: The program is still a non-competitive low impact teaching league that allows the kids to play baseball and have fun.

The registration fee is $60 and includes the following:

Team T-shirt & Hat
Professional Photos
6 weeks of play – 12 games in the season beginning June 3^rd
1 Ticket to the “End of Season Gala” at the Bakersfield Blaze Baseball Game

For more information or to register please contact Jeff at the Southern Sierra Council, Boy Scouts of America at 661-325-9036.