Annual Holiday Luminaria Fundraiser Underway for Novato Boy Scout Troop 200

Novato’s Boy Scout Troop 200, founded in 1958, has begun its annual holiday luminaria fundraiser, a tradition our Novato community has been enjoying for over 50 years now. Troop 200 Scouts, who have begun walking door-to-door taking orders from Novato residents and businesses, will hand make the luminarias in early December and deliver for free to Novato residents before Christmas. This annual fundraiser helps the scouts to attend summer camp, and provide for scholarships, program activities and community service projects for the scouts to learn leadership, outdoor and life skills.

A luminaria is a votive candle placed inside a paper bag weighted with sand. On Christmas Eve and Christmas day evening, Novato residents line their walkways, drive ways and curbs with these lovely luminarias and light them to celebrate the holiday. It is a well cherished tradition not just in Novato, but in many communities across the United States. Even organizations outside of Novato enjoy using Troop 200’s beautiful, handmade luminarias for holiday decorating, including the Marin Symphony which continues to use Troop 200’s luminarias for their yearly holiday candlelight concerts.

Troop 200’s handmade luminarias can be purchased on their web site at www.novatoluminarias.org. A box of 10 ready-to-use luminarias is $8.00. Place your order now to ensure delivery by Christmas! Troop 200 will also be selling their luminarias at various Novato store-front locations in December.

Luminarias are also sold in Novato by Troop 42 and customers should contact them directly for their pricing, product and delivery information at http://novato42.mytroop.us.*

The Boy Scouts of Troop 200 are well known in their community for the numerous service projects they participate in to help others. Troop 200 is unique because it is a “boy-run” troop – the scouts take charge of all aspects surrounding the planning and execution of all outings, events and service projects. “This way”, says Scoutmaster Mike Madias, “the boys learn how to interact with adults, speak, shake hands, look people in the eye and not just correspond with e-mail. Technology is great, but our boys need to learn the social skills required to interact with the world around them. This means, they call and make reservations, plan the outing, plan the meals, go purchase the food, pack the trailer, arrange the seating assignments per vehicle, etc. At the end of every outing, we all gather for a review of the trip to evaluate and see how we might improve going forward. The boys do it all.”

Thank you for supporting the Boy Scouts of Novato Troop 200. Have a wonderful holiday season!

Order online at www.novatoluminarias.org

* Troop 42 serves San Marin and “The Presidents” area around Novato High School.

* Troop 200 serves Novato including unincorporated areas.