FULLERTON : Scouts Are Uniformly Delighted

Getting uniforms is one of the challenges facing Maria (Cuca) Monzon, leader of a Girl Scout troop in a low-income, primarily Latino area of Fullerton.

“When we talk to mothers about Girl Scouts, they say it is too expensive,” said Monzon, a paid leader who is part of a campaign by the Girl Scout Council of Orange County to reach into poor minority communities.

Uniforms are not required, and because they are costly the parents in such communities can rarely afford them. But Monzon said the girls still have their hearts set on wearing them.

“It is most important. They like to wear the uniforms because it makes them feel proud of being a Scout,” she said. Last week, the 18 Brownies in her troop got their wish when they received gifts of uniforms from St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton.

Joan Furman, executive director of the hospital’s program of care for the poor, said the hospital learned of the need from the driver of its mobile van that provides pediatric care at the Maple Community Center. Monzon’s 42-member Girl Scout troop meets at the center.

Furman said Monzon talked about the uniform problem to the driver, who has two daughters in her Girl Scout troop, and he passed the word to Furman.