Talent Scouts : Annual Scouting Fair in Anaheim Attracts About 20,000 People Despite Dreary Weather

Cub Scout David Kuether looked worried from his perch 15 feet up the face of a practice wall used to simulate rock climbing.

“You can do it,” yelled his father, David Sr., from the pavement below.

After a little more struggling to find a secure foothold, the 10-year-old from Troop 698 in Laguna Hills finally reached up and rang the bell on the summit.

“Sometimes it is scary up there,” said Kuether’s younger brother, Justin, 8, who also climbed the 25-foot structure that was painted to look like a snowcapped peak.

The exhibit, along with 200 other displays, were part of the Boy Scouts’ annual Scout-O-Rama in the parking lot at Anaheim Stadium. Despite the dreary weather Saturday afternoon, this year’s event attracted an estimated 20,000 people.

“It is really good to see the kids trying other activities,” said David Kuether Sr., who was a Scout for about 10 years. “It gets them away from the television and Nintendo.”

The most popular exhibit seemed to be the rock climbing display. Those attempting the climb wore a helmet and safety harness connected to a rope and pulley.

For the Scout-O-Rama, each troop of Scouts in the county had to design and operate a booth. They included obstacle courses, bike safety training, knot-tying instruction and skateboard demonstrations.

“This is really the culmination of the year for the Scouts,” said Jason Stein, public relations director for the Boy Scouts of America in Orange County. “It is the opportunity for everyone to see what everyone else was doing and to show the public what we do.”

For this year’s celebration, the Scouts also held a canned food drive to help those affected by the riots in Los Angeles last month. By the end of the day, they had collected 2,500 pounds of food.

After working at their troop’s bike safety booth, Cub Scouts Chris Henry, 9, and Justin Allen, 8, both of Placentia, went to the crowded parking lot to hand out Boy’s Life magazines and discuss scouting philosophy.

“You do your best and get all you can get,” Chris said. “That is the motto. You can’t do anything better than your best.”

As Scouts, Chris and Justin have learned to put up a tent, use a pocketknife, and other survival tricks. “There is a lot of stuff your dad can’t teach you,” Justin said. “But the best thing about Scouts is that you can make friends.”