LOCAL BOY SCOUTS AND THEIR LEADERS ARE PREPARING FOR THE 100-YEAR CELEBRATION OF BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA WITH AN EVENT ON FEB. 20 AT THE MARIPOSA FAIRGROUNDS. Mariposa will celebrate the centennial of Boy Scouts of America at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds on Feb. 20, at noon. As the anniversary nears, local scouts are looking at the history and future of Mariposa’s Boy Scouts.

Stu Tanner (Eagle Scout and member of Troop and Pack 94 Committee) has teamed-up with nearby Boy Scout councils and local agencies such as Girl Scouts and Kiwanis to bring the community an entire afternoon dedicated to the Celebration of the Boy Scouts of America Centennial.

The event, which includes a tri-tip noontime full dinner prepared by Dwayne McFann (executive chef at the Tenaya Lodge) complete with celebratory cake and ice cream, boasts speaker Chuck Smith (former CEO and president of AT&T and distinguished Eagle Scout.) Representatives from the military have also been invited. Supervisor Jim Allen will be the master of ceremonies. The cost is $20 per ticket. Reservations should be made by Feb. 15.

The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America, incorporated on Feb. 8, 1910, and chartered by Congress in 1916, was to provide an educational program for boys and young adults to build character, to train in the responsibilities of citizenship, and to develop personal fitness.

With 100 years of history encouraging such skills in young people, scouting is part of the heritage of the nation.

The Mariposa County Boy Scout heritage traces back to 1927. Troop 90 Scout Master, Everett Bagby began a long tradition of scouting in this area. Years later, in the 1950s and 1960s, Richard Faust, Dr. Bob Evans, Bob Boyer, Jack Ritter and John Menzies provided leadership for Troop 90.

Scout Master Ralph Seeley and Assistant Scout Master Leroy Radanovich facilitated regular excursions to the crest of the Sierra, climbing Half Dome and many hiking trips in the backcountry with Mariposa youth. They were providing leadership in the years that followed until the formation of Troop and Pack 94 in 1986.

In 1996, Troop 94 had the honor of recognizing Adam Bielanski, Adam Finney and Evan Bielanski as the unit’s first Eagle Scout awards. Eric Inman, Paul Lockwood, Mark Carpenter, Garson Moser and Toney Gorham, these are but a few in a long list of adult volunteer leaders who have helped continue to help Mariposa County Scouts better the community.

Leadership can be exhibited through helping the neighbors, protecting the environment, and encouragement for the next generation.

The local pack of Cub Scouts, Pack 94 is part of the BSA organization and is chartered by the United Methodist Church in Mariposa. More recently, the Cub Scouts in Pack 94 have been busy. They have been working on building weather stations, bicycling in Yosemite, visiting the Mining and Mineral Museum and locally owned and operated Pioneer Market.

Eagle Scout Jim Granville recently invited the Tiger Cubs and Webelos into his Native Earth Shoe Factory for a tour. The boys learned about how shoes are made and also had an opportunity to do leatherwork.

In 2009, Boy Scout Troop 94 has a full log of service projects including set up and attending water/aid stations for runners in the 5 and 10-mile Amigo de Oro run, picking peaches in Bear Valley and delivering them to Manna House, working about 30 hours around the Methodist Church doing clean up and putting up shelves in basement storage, picking apples for Manna House in an old orchard in Lushmeadows, participating in Scouting for Food for Manna House and bell ringing for the Salvation Army.

In addition to these service projects, these youth have made monthly outings.

For his Eagle project Scout Michael Claspill has recently installed an entire garden ready to be planted at Manna House.

Contact Stu Tanner at 966- 4664 or the Greater Yosemite Council Office at 1-877-486- 5519 for more information about the celebration.