San Jose Boy Scouts

Suzanne Frazer was at Bellows Beach on Friday 28th July, 2006 when she encountered a group of Boy Scouts and leaders from San Jose who told her they were robbed that day while they were having lunch in Waimanalo. After an unsuccessful search and giving a police report, they went swimming and boogie boarding at the beach.

		Suzanne was briefly visiting Bellows to assess the remaining debris on the beach and decide whether to plan another beach clean-up (she had recently organized two previous beach clean-ups of the same area with over 100 people participating). The scouts had been looking for an opportunity to give community service and offered to help right then (they did not have time in their schedule to come back another day). However, Suzanne had not expected to do a beach clean-up that day, so did not have any trash bags with her. Luckily a City and County worker had some bags the group could use and the clean-up took place about 10 minutes later.
Bellows Beach

Suzanne was so grateful for the scouts help and moved by the fact that they wanted to give back to the community despite the robbery. She decided to do something to help them as soon as she got home. That night and over the weekend, she called TV stations and wrote emails to all of the local media hoping that if they run a story, the thieves might return the camera film (although cash, cameras and backpacks were stolen, the scouts most of all wanted the memories of their trip back). By Monday morning every TV station and newspaper contacted Suzanne and wanted to do the story. It turned into a leading news story over the next 5 days. Although the film was not returned, the extensive media coverage brought attention to the Scout's plight resulting in generous donations of cash and gifts pouring in from the public.
		Clean-up at Bellows Beach

The scouts were so overwhelmed by this outpouring of aloha, they decided to adjust their schedule to fit in another beach clean-up with Suzanne at Bellows on the day before they were due to leave Hawai`i.  The beach was beautifully clean by the end of the two clean-ups. Photos Suzanne took of the scouts cleaning the beach appeared in the various news coverage.

Boy Scout Troup at Waikiki Beach		Boy Scouts receiving donations at Willows restaurant		After the clean-ups

Suzanne and the San Jose Boy Scouts at Willows restaurant

Thefts Won't Ruin Boy Scouts' Trip, KGMB9 News, Monday July 31, 2006
Boy Scouts hold onto aloha, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Tuesday August 1, 2006
Outpouring of aloha for Scouts, Honolulu Advertiser, Wednesday August 2, 2006
Scouts cheered by isle donations, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Thursday August 3, 2006

Coral Photograph Credit to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce and Dr. James P. McVey. Dolphins, Japanese Angelfish, Green turtle, and Laysan Albatross photos by James Watt. Humpback whale photo by James Mobeley Unless noted otherwise, the contents of this website are Copyright © 2006-2020 B.E.A.C.H. Please ask permission before using any text, graphics or photographs from this website.