Statesman Journal from Salem, Oregon • Page 19

Monday, October 15, 2007 Statesman Journal 3C Am ma I I GotoStatesmanJournal.com Ullllllw llj and click on the community tabs Mid-VaUey Today xu on our home page for news ALIUS about your neighborhood. POLK COUNTY Girl Scouts learn new skills with 150-year-old game Scout activities Studio 2B Program Leadership Activities Team helps plan major teen council activities. Upcoming SPLAT activities for girls 11 to 17 of the Santiam Council of Girl Scouts include: SATURDAY: SPLAT Retreat, 1 to 6 p.m., Camp Whispering Winds; NOV. Wildlife Exhibit viewing, 1 to 3 p.m., Hatfield Science Center, Newport; DEC. 1: Holiday Fun at Champoeg Park, noon to 4 p.m.; DEC.

4: Teen Holiday Party, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., location TBA; DEC. 9: Silver Falls Christmas Festival, all day. For other teen activities, call Rose Parks at (503) 581-2451, rparksta) girlscoutsof santiam.org. For information about joining Girl Scouts, contact program director Sarah Johnson at (503) 581-2451, sjohnson girlscoutsofsantiam.org. An application and annual $10 registration fee is required to join.

challenge themselves." Though they say they may curtail some of their future Scout-related activities as their children grow up and move on to their own lives, the Scherzingers say they probably will always have some kind of involvement with youth. "Dealing with youth is the fun part of our community activities," Bruce said. "We're motivated by friends and relatives and hopefully we can continue to motivate others by assisting, training, advising and supporting the activities." "Garrison Keillor once said, 'nothing is ever wasted on a Kim said. "It's so rewarding to see how kids develop and learn." Geoff Parks is a freelance writer. He may be contacted at Camp focuses on teamwork, outdoor activities By Geoff Parks Special to the Statesman Journal A 150-year-old outdoor game that mixes elements of exploring and treasure hunting recently was used to help local troops of Girl Scouts find new ways to come together.

Letterboxing, which began in England in 1854, was brought to nearly 60 girls of the Santiam Council through the efforts of the council leadership and volunteers in general and Bruce and Kim Scherzinger of Monmouth in particular. Bruce Scherzinger, 50, is a 1 former Eagle Scout and current troop master with Monmouth's Boy Scout Troop 38. When compass-reading instruction was needed, he was pressed into service daring Fall Encampment at -the council's Camp Whispering Winds, near Pedee. The letterboxing activity was added to allow the girls to earn a patch, which required" map-and-compass orienteering skills. The letterboxes helped make learn-' ing those skills "a little more interesting to the girls," he said.

Six letterboxes were hidden around the camp's acreage for the girls to find. They also picked up one of six sections of a treasure map at each station which, When pieced together, led to a treasure box. "Last year we had 24 girls sign up for the Fall Encampment," Santiam Council teen program specialist Rose Parks said. "I think that one of the reasons we signed up nearly 60 girls this year is because of the new interest in letterboxing." The two-day camp's pirate theme meshed perfectly with the treasure-hunting Activity, Kim said. GEOFF PARKS I Special to the Statesman Journal Boy Scout troop leader Bruce Scherzinger lays out compasses in preparation for leading a letterboxing game at recent Girl Scouts of Santiam Council Fall Encampment program at Whispering Winds camp near Kings Valley.

His wife Kim, Girl Scout leader at the Santiam Council, works with him. at Camp Whispering Winds, they were off to McArthur Field on the Western Oregon University campus to sleep in tents and participate in the 24-Hour Relay Challenge overnight event, which raises money to help combat substance abuse by youth. "We're always trying to find diverse activities kids can try to get a taste of something different," Kim said of her Girl Scout activities. "The Scouts in my troop are girly-girls, to be sure, but they are interested and enthusiastic and they like to is an Eagle Scout and Mac is one designation away from Boy Scout's highest honor. Keely is a Girl Scout cadet.

"We've been able to expose our kids to a lot of things they wouldn't necessarily get to experience if not for Scouting," Bruce said. "And they have done things they would never have gotten to do." The Scherzingers don't let grass grow under their feet when it comes to any family fun, chores or community activities. Directly after the long day Driver arrested Heritage Continued from IC Oregon on drug charge; copper wire found 7 mmirip i Other things were learned as well, troop leader Tammy Duke said. "The letterboxing was kind of cool and a new experience for my girls," she said. "They learned how to cooperate, work as a team, see how others did things and how to not react negatively." The Scherzingers got progressively more involved in coaching, Scouting and other parent-leadership activities since their three children, Alex, 18; Mac, 16; and Keely, 13 were born.

Alex also By the numbers The numbers of Hispanic-Americans who have served in the nation's major wars are: AMERICAN REVOLUTION (1775-1783): 4,000 CIVIL WAR (1861-1865): 10,000 WORLD WAR I (1914-1918): 18,000 WORLD WAR II (1939-1945): 500,000 KOREAN WAR (1950-1953): 43,400 VIETNAM WAR (1963-1973): 80,000 PERSIAN GULF WAR (1990-1991): 25,000 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Defense in society and that place was beneath other races, O'Leary said. The war encouraged the Hispanic soldiers to see themselves more fully as Americans and once home, they were unwilling to accept second-class status, she said. From 1950 to 1953, nearly 150,000 Hispanics served in the Korean War, with most serving in the Army and Marines. Ten Hispanics received the Congressional Medal of Honor for their heroism during the three-year war.

Hispanics also contributed during the war in Vietnam, with 14 receiving the Congressional Medal of Honor, according to the defense department. "Hispanic-Americans have continued to proudly serve in all post-Vietnam deployments and conflicts, including Afghanistan and Iraq," said Charles Abell, the principal deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness. tguerrem Statvsman.Ioiirnal.com or (503) 399-6815 His brother Andry, 41, is being charged with first-degree theft and burglary. Both suspects were lodged at Lake County Jail in Lakeview. Oregon State Police believe the wire and about 40 pounds of metal pipe fittings were stolen from the former U.S.

Air Force Over the Horizon Backscatter Radar System Transmit Site, which is no longer in Two Mount Angel men were arrested Sunday near Christmas Valley on suspicion of stealing approximately 1,500 pounds of copper wire. A state police trooper stopped their truck on U.S. 395 in rural Lake County because it was so overweight that its trailer hitch was nearly dragging the highway The driver, Peter Sharipoff, 36, is being charged with possession of methampheta-mine and first-degree theft and burglary. "There were six girls to a team, each with a compass and a map, trying to find the letterboxes," she said. "The girls each had a pen, stamp and stamp pad, and when they find the box, they put their name and stamp in the notebook.

"The activity teaches teamwork and how to use the compass and a GPS device. In remote areas, your senses can be saying one thing to you while the compass or GPS is saying another," she said. "So the rule is, 'Trust your tion the participation of Hispanic soldiers in the Civil War. Initially, some 2,500 Hispanics went to war for the Confederacy, while 950 volunteered for service in the Union Army, according to the Department of Defense. By the end of the bloody struggle in 1865, almost 10,000 Hispanics had served in regular or volunteer units.

By World War an unprecedented 18,000 Hispanics, namely Puerto Ricans who had been granted citizenship, took up arms in the global conflict, which took place primarily in Europe. But their efforts were thwarted as the military had become rife with discrimination against Hispanics. Segregated early on, most of them were sent to the Panama Canal to guard against an enemy attack. During World War II, hundreds of thousands of Hispanic-Americans responded to President Roosevelt's call to service, where they had the highest percentage of Medal of Honor recipients of any ethnic group. Many were first-generation Americans who had to fight to prove they were citizens.

For many, the experience became an eye-opener, as their contributions to the war taught them that they were as fast and as strong as their white counterparts. The awareness led to the rejection of a long-standing belief within the community that Hispanics had a place Bums Man dies after colliding with deer Oregon State Police says a 46-year-old motorcyclist died when he struck a deer and then was hit by a pickup five miles east of Burns. Howard Pries of Bend was eastbound on U.S. 20 Saturday night when he hit "At the same time, Hispanic-American youths would have role models to look up to," Arias said. "They need to know that our culture has heroes among us in those soldiers who have given their lives in service to our nation." Salem resident Michael F.

Valdez agrees. He's a retired Oregon Army National Guard colonel who served as a Marine infantry officer during the Vietnam War. "We served this nation, and we served it with pride," Valdez said. "It would be nice if Hispanic youths could read in the history books about the 40 Hispanics who have received the Medal of Honor." At least 4,000 Hispanics fought for the nation's independence during the American Revolution, according to Department of Defense statistics. The department does not have a breakdown of Hispanics soldiers by state, said Les' Melnyk, a Pentagon spokesman.

Few people know that Hispanic military contributions extend to the American Revolution, said Pilar O'Leary, the director of the Smithsonian Latino Center, which promotes Hispanic exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution. "The fact that Hispanic-Americans fought alongside Anglo-Americans to help obtain independence from Britain is not taught in U.S. classrooms or history books," O'Leary said. Textbooks also fail to men UO eyes sports venue recycling the deer. The collision knocked Pries from the motorcycle and he was struck by a pickup driven by a Stanfield woman.

Creswell Springfield man dies on interstate A Springfield man died Sunday after he stepped in drive this season in the wake of reports about the mountains of post-game garbage. "They got pretty sour marks last year," said Anne Donahue, city of Eugene compost specialist. But she added the university is taking steps to improve and "next year they'll do even better." Dave Williford, UO sports spokesman, said the university enlisted the help of Sani-pac and Line County government to figure out how to capture the bottles and cans that fans abandon at the stadium gates and how to recycle six different types of items fans leave in the stadium bowl after the game. The latter strategy requires high school sports teams and bands that sign up for post game cleanup to make two sweeps through the stands: One for recy-clables and the other for trash, Williford said. Now, nearlv half of the front of a U-Haul truck after a domestic fight, Oregon State Police said.

Scott Phillips, 23, died on Interstate 5 near Creswell shortly after the fight at a restaurant, police said. Police said Phillips left the restaurant, walked to the freeway and stepped in front of the U-Haul, police said. Traffic was stopped for about three hours after the collision. Newsservices debris left in the stands is recycled. Last year, the stadium operators only tried to pick out the water bottles, and sent the rest to the dump.

"I'm sure it takes a little longer, but it's one of those things we feel necessary." Williford said. Local recycling took a quantum leap this year when entrepreneur Willy Brening-house started a consulting business in January called Waste Free Oregon. The Springfield resident learned recycling though seven years of volunteering at the Oregon Country Fair in Veneta. He's now in demand as a recycling guru for events as varied as the Lane County Fair, the local Good Earth Home, Garden Living Show and the World Reggae Festival at Marcola. "He's really our lead.

He's going to be serving even a larger role next year." said Jane Holloway. a Lane County Fair manager. The Associated Press EUGENE The University of Oregon hopes to boost recycling rates for trash at its athletic venues by the time the U.S. Olympic Track Field Trials come to Eugene next year. Officials say recyclers captured 25 percent of the trash generated by fans at Autzen Stadium during the first two home games this season.

But other events drawing large crowds in Lane County routinely achieve higher recycling rates, up to 90 percent. "This is Eugene for god-sakes," said Susan Truax. a clothing printer who's been a volunteer recycler at the Eugene Celebration for 16 years. "We've got to step up to the plate," she said "This is really, really important." But Eugene is making major gains, officials say The UO Athletic Department launched its new recycling Mm in ruf iii-ta? I Sign up at StatesmanJournal.comheadIines fcii.i.,ii-,..ii.iii in. ihi, II II ill i.