Eagle Scout

When the Magnolia Park United Methodist Church needed help paying for its community bus, Daniel Etter’s family donated money from his grandfather’s funeral to help them buy the vehicle used for field trips. The charity of Daniel’s family has proven to extend through the generations, as the Boy Scout is working to repair the 1973 Dodge Carpenter and donate it to the American Indian Children’s Hunger Fund. The $6,000 endeavor is Daniel’s Eagle Project, the last step in his Boy Scout career in order to obtain the position of an Eagle Scout.

Lisa Palermo, the daughter of Ross and Donna Lowande of Burbank, made the honor roll for the spring semester at the University of San Diego. Palermo, who is a senior, earned first honors with a grade point average of 3.65 or higher for the semester. She is majoring in accounting. Christopher Oliver, son of Sue and Dennis Oliver of La Crescenta, has received the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle Scout project, Oliver removed climbing holds on climbing walls at Wilson Middle School.

Jonathan Paul Wilson, son of Michael and the late Susan Wilson of Burbank, has been named to the dean's list at Johns Hopkins University. He is majoring in computer science. Thanh Tran of Burbank has graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in management. Elliott E. Giles, son of Robert and Carolyn Giles of Burbank, has received the rank of Eagle Scout. He was a member of Troop 210, sponsored by the Elks Lodge 1492. For his Eagle Scout project, Giles did a rehabilitation of a tool and storage facility at Camp Lakota, Girl Scout facility in Frazier Park.

Yuri Christoffersen, son of Karen Christoffersen and John Capellaro of Burbank, has received the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle Scout project, he cleaned and painted the gym and repaired cabinets at the Golden State Gymnastics Center in Burbank. He also painted the bathrooms and two front offices, varnished the front door and installed weather stripping along the bottom, and removed old equipment and items no longer used in the gym. He has earned 48 merit badges, Order of the Arrow and the Russian Interpreter award.

Nareg Amirian, son of Bobken and Hasmik Amirian of Glendale, recently earned the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a member of the Verdugo Hills Council Boy Scouts of America. For his Eagle Scout project, Amirian built a playground set at a local elementary school and reorganized the library. Amirian is a senior at Providence High School in Burbank. He is a varsity cross-country runner, a three-time Los Angeles Marathon runner and a pianist. Amirian plans to attend USC or Stanford University.

Ryan C. Robinson, the son of Lucy C. Robinson of Burbank, received the rank of Eagle Scout. He is a member of Troop 209. For his Eagle Scout project, Ryan coordi- nated the efforts of volunteers to improve the Messenger Flats Campground. Volunteers installed three fire rings, renovated five picnic tables, installed six traffic stops on the road and made repairs to restrooms. First Aid, Environmental Science and Citizenship in the Community are a few of the 24 badges he has completed in the Boy Scouts of America.

Spencer Blakely Kirkwood, the son of Marty and Jari Kirkwood, has received the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle Scout project, he organized and completed his project at Lincoln Elementary School in La Crescenta, where he and 43 volunteers removed, built, varnished and replaced benches, installed planter borders and repainted a map of the United States on the playing field. He received the Arrow of Light, earned 31 merit badges and was elected to the Order of the Arrow.

Evan Patrick Doyle, son of Dennis and Paula Doyle of Glendale, has received the rank of Eagle Scout. For his Eagle Scout project, he volunteered more than 100 hours renovating the play yard at the La Canada Methodist Church Children's Center. He delivered and distributed new sand, painted a mural, fixed a play house and removed old play equipment. He was a brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and served as junior assistant scoutmaster, senior patrol leader and troop guide.

BURBANK? Dellon Soderstrom decided to give back Saturday to an organization that has given his Boy Scout Troop 204 so much in return. Dellon gathered friends and fellow Boy Scouts to help him refurbish First Christian Church?s community room, which is where the Boy Scouts meet. The church has allowed the Boy Scouts to use the room free of charge. Dellon?s project was made in an effort to give back to his community and to earn the Boy Scout?s highest rank of Eagle Scout. ?

Boy Scout Mark Thomas wouldn’t have wanted to spend his Saturday morning any other way than beautifying one of the city’s most cherished facilities Armed with hand shovels and gardening gloves, Mark, 17, and 25 other Boy Scouts and volunteers, dug holes for blossoming bougainvillea and laid wood chips in a planting bed along the Salvation Army’s building exterior wall on Angeleno Avenue. “I wanted something that was going to be there for them and easy to maintain afterward,” the Burbank resident said.

SCOUTS SADDLE UP FOR WESTERN-THEMED AUCTION A new theme and location are planned for the 35th annual Big Strike Auction by the Verdugo Hills Council Boy Scouts of America. “Scouting for Gold” is the theme for this year’s event on April 4 at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. This annual event raises funds to support numerous year-round Learning for Life experiences and in-depth training required to attain the highest ranks in scouting, said Jon Maeda , council executive director.

When the Magnolia Park United Methodist Church needed help paying for its community bus, Daniel Etter’s family donated money from his grandfather’s funeral to help them buy the vehicle used for field trips. The charity of Daniel’s family has proven to extend through the generations, as the Boy Scout is working to repair the 1973 Dodge Carpenter and donate it to the American Indian Children’s Hunger Fund. The $6,000 endeavor is Daniel’s Eagle Project, the last step in his Boy Scout career in order to obtain the position of an Eagle Scout.

Comparison to the KKK was uncalled for I was disappointed to see that the Rev. Damon Vix lacked the vision to recognize that his rant perpetuates the very discrimination that he was speaking out against ("Mayor's support of Boy Scouts misplaced," Mailbag, Saturday). He was, however, correct about the fact that the Boy Scouts are an "expressive association." So, if I read his commentary right, this puts the Boy Scouts in the same sphere as the Ku Klux Klan? From its inception, the Boy Scouts has had a core belief in God — as evidenced in the Scout Oath and Law reference, "Duty to God" and "reverence" respectively.

Mayor's support of Boy Scouts misplaced I was disappointed to see Burbank Mayor Todd Campbell pictured on the front page of the Burbank Leader participating in a ceremony with four Boy Scouts ("Scouts help prevent fires," Oct. 4). The legal issues that have challenged the Boy Scouts of America in recent years drew nationwide attention to the fact that the organization discriminates against homosexuals and those who do not profess a belief in God. Although this may not be the position of the four young men who worked so hard on their project, nevertheless, by making an appearance, the mayor was supporting the actions of a group that discriminates against many of the people in our community.

With a little help from Smokey Bear, Eagle Scout candidates and Burbank city officials dedicated fire-danger signs on Tuesday at Fire Station 16. Four Eagle Scout candidates from Troop 209 took on the challenge of building the signs, which rate the risk of fire in an area, for their Eagle Scout project. The Scouts built the signs to mark the anniversary of last year's Harvard Incident Fire, which in October burned more than 1,100 acres in the Verdugo Mountains above Burbank.