Imagine a La Jolla institution that can trace its beginnings back to a time when William Howard Taft sat in the White House, Russia was ruled by the Czar, and the great ship RMS Titanic had barely settled on the muddy dark bottom of the north Atlantic. Boy Scout Troop 4 was born in this age, on May 1 of 1912, and remains today the oldest continuously functioning Scout troop west of the Mississippi River. Scout uniforms have changed over the years and the merit badge list has evolved to reflect the modern age, but the essence of what Troop 4 and Boy Scouting stand for has remained the same: to help boys become young men who, in turn, give back to the community that has nurtured them. It is in that spirit that the troop is inviting all current and past Scouts, along with their families, to participate in this remarkable centennial. The celebration will extend through the entire year of 2012 with a variety of service projects and commemorations planned for La Jolla and greater San Diego. Micki Olin, who chairs the Centennial Committee, has identified a recycling event as the first in a long line of planned projects. “The boys have been asked to collect used batteries and ink cartridges and bring them to the April 30 meeting,”?Olin said. “We’d like to have a different project each month to commemorate this special year in our troop’s history.” In keeping with the centennial theme, each project is expected to involve the number 100. For example, collecting 100 pairs of socks for the homeless, 100 cans of food for the San Diego Food Bank and having Scout participants pick up 100 pieces of trash from local beaches. The finale of this extended birthday bash will be a catered dinner the evening of Saturday, Nov. 24, when present and past Scouts, families and honored guests will gather together to look both backward and forward as Troop 4 heads into its second century of the Scouting experience. The April 30 meeting will initiate all of this with a troop birthday cake after the regular meeting has ended. Troop 4 meets Monday evenings throughout the year from 6:45 to 8 p.m. at La Jolla Presbyterian Church, 7715 Draper St. The troop has established an email address, [email protected] and a designated phone number, (858) 255-0354 for past troop members and family or any prospective Scout and Scout parents who want more information. The troop also maintains a website at Troop4LaJolla.com, which will be updated regularly to keep everyone abreast of upcoming events.