Council names new Scout executive

Mark Kraus is the new Scout executive of the Boy Scouts of America, Verdugo Hills Council.

Kraus, 53, began his first day with the council on Nov. 2 at the Glendale headquarters. The council also serves Burbank, La Crescenta and surrounding areas.

He came from the Lincoln Heritage Council in Louisville, Ky., where he has been since 2007. He started with Boy Scouts of America in 1990 in the Central Ohio Council in Columbus, Ohio, then moved to the Miami Valley Council in Dayton, Ohio. He left the Boy Scouts in 1997 and worked for various nonprofits for 10 years before coming to the Lincoln Heritage Council.

The first project he will oversee is the annual Scouting for Food Drive. Boy Scouts delivered empty paper bags to homes throughout the area last Saturday and will be back to collect them this Saturday with hopes that residents fill them with nonperishable items, such as canned meats, fish, soup, chili, stew, fruit and vegetables.

Boy Scouts will take them to food pantries at the Glendale and Burbank Salvation Army offices, Burbank Temporary Aid Center and Sue’s Garden of First Baptist Church in La Crescenta.

Paper bags were donated by Trader Joe’s. If you didn’t receive a bag, donations can be dropped off from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday at the Boy Scouts Verdugo Hills Council, 1325 Grandview Ave., Glendale.