Scouts learn Commandments on annual hike

In keeping with the tradition of teaching strong morals and good character, the local chapter of Boys Scouts of America recently combined a learning experience with an activity its members enjoy the most — hiking.

About 75 Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Scout leaders and family members gathered at the Burbank First United Methodist Church to begin the fifth annual Verdugo Hills Council’s 10 Commandments Hike on Jan. 26.

Participants walked 2.2 miles, stopping to hear presentations by clergy on the 10 Commandments.

Churches included on the journey were Emmanuel Evangelical-Free Church, St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church, First Presbyterian Church of Burbank, St. Jude’s Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Emet, which combined their presentations; First Christian Church of Burbank, Calvary Baptist Church, Media City Church and the Salvation Army.

Ken Rawlins has been on all five hikes with his sons, Paul, Sean, Daniel and Peter.

“Every time we go on this hike, we learn something new because each presentation is uniquely different,” he said.

The opening ceremony started with a color guard corps representing Troop 209, led by Eagle Scouts Griffin Armstorff, Ryan Nakanishi and Scouts David Noren and Elijah Parrott.

A longtime friend of scouting, Sam Engel Sr. headed up the crew serving lunch at Burbank First Christian Church. Assisting him were wife Millie Engel, sons Sam Engel Jr. and David Engel, both Verdugo Hills Council Eagle Scouts; Robert and Cathy Hutt, Jim Sensenbach, Tom Fernley and Iron Eyes Cody District Commissioner Kathy Perea.

“All in all, it was a very nice way to learn about the different churches and how the 10 Commandments are taught in all of them,” event chairman Dave Davis said.

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JOYCE RUDOLPH can be contacted at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com.