Boy Scouts work to restore their community
By Sylvie Belmond belmond@theacorn.com

SYLVIE BELMOND/Acorn Newspapers WHITEWASH- Two members of Boy Scout Troop 605, chartered by St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Simi Valley, clean up graffiti on the walls of the Arroyo Simi west of Campus Park Drive in Moorpark. Several local city officials came by to praise the effort of the boys as they worked last Saturday.

Brian Hoapili and fellow members of Boy Scout Troop 605 are determined to win the battle against vandalism, one patch of paint at a time.

The boys and their leaders were cleaning up graffiti in a flood control channel on Loyola Street last Saturday as neighbors and local officials looked on appreciatively.

"The more we do this, the more taggers will realize that they can't do it here. They may go on to find another place, and we're going to go over there and paint over that too," said Hoapili.

"If I do the right thing, hopefully others will follow," said the Santa Susana High School junior.

"We agree," echoed several younger Scouts working nearby.

The boys want to be helpful and do a good turn, said Scoutmaster Craig Smith, a sergeant with the Ventura County Sheriff's Department.

"We always try and leave things better than we found it," he said.

The Boy Scout Graffiti Abatement Program was initiated by County Supervisor Peter Foy to clean up graffiti that defaces the arroyo walls throughout the county.

Foy obtained permission from city and county agencies for the Scouts to go into the flood channels to complete the task.

"Having a neighborhood that looks good assists in creating a feeling of safety and security," Foy said.

The supervisor used a map to point out six additional Moorpark locations slated for cleanup in the near future.

"The hope is to expand to other areas in our district, then eventually to the county," he said.

Troop 605, chartered by St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Simi Valley, launched the program in Moorpark.

Members of Troop 610, chartered by United Methodist Church of Moorpark, and Troop 611, chartered by Holy Cross Catholic Church, will also participate in the effort, which was made possible with the support of several local companies and public agencies.

Waste Management Inc. supplied the paint. The sheriff's department secured brushes and ropes to access the channels and the county obtained federal surplus goods to equip the Scouts with other supplies. All the goods were provided at no cost to taxpayers, Foy said.