The YACC (Young Adult Conservation Corps) Narration by Don Messick

This is from a converted two projector slide show from 1980, done as a school project while I was attending Brooks Photography Institute for the Los Padres National Forest Park Service. Shot with Kodachrome film with a 35mm camera, I spent about a week with the YACC (Young Adult Youth Corps) on location near Santa Barbara, CA. Although renamed as the Youth Conservation Corps, the program is still in existence today and gives young people a way to work for the National Forest Service doing lots of jobs to maintain our parks.

One of the most interesting trivia aspects of this show is the narrator. On a billboard at school was a torn piece of paper with a phone number of a professional broadcaster who offered students free narration for their projects. No name was on the note, just a number. After calling the number and arranging a time to record the "voice over", I drove over to this person's home, in a very wealthy part of Santa Barbara. During my drive, his voice haunted me...I knew I had heard it somewhere! After pulling up to a well manicured mansion, I was greeted by this broadcaster, who took me into the recording studio inside his home. As he opened up the door, I was quickly reminded of where I had heard his voice...dozens of Hanna-Barbera cartoon sketches adorned the walls of his studio! This person who was about to do the narration for my project was also the voices of such cartoon classics as Dr. Quest, Astro, Boo Boo Bear, The Ranger, Scooby-Doo, Bamm-Bamm and many more characters that I had grown up with. He turned out to be great to work with and even finished my project with a conversation between Boo Boo Bear and Ranger Smith!

Don Messick's voice history: http://voicechasers.com/database/showactor.php?actorid=1530

YCC: http://www.nps.gov/gettinginvolved/youthprograms/ycc.htm

Music from Mannheim Steamroller.

Copyright 2011-Mark Langford
www.MarkLangfordPhotography.Com

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Don Messick
• YACC
• YCC
• Santa Barbara
• Los Padres National Forest
• Boo Boo Bear
• Scooby-Doo
• Dr. Quest

[echostream1]

I had some of the best times of my life living and working for the Y.A.C.C. in the Laguna Mountains. Mt.Laguna, CA. I think it was 1980. We had around 11 or 12 crews one of which was a fire crew of maybe 10. Our radio call # 542 was called uppon a couple of times. One of those calls took us to a fire at a place called Horse Thief Canyon. Quite an experience for me, I will never forget that part of my life. In fact, There was a photo taken of this crew myself included. I wish i could c it again.

[flipwiggins]

Very nice presentation, and fascinating story about Mr. Messick. I'm sure you were thrilled!