Scouts and Other Elves Work on Luminaria Assembly Line

Wtih a black lab named Scout running around and greeting people, Scouts and parents from Boy Scout Troop 42 in Novato converged on a Fireman's Fund Insurance parking lot Saturday morning to assemble holiday luminarias, which will be sold to fund troop excursions.

The luminarias consist of a paper bag weighted down with some sand and a small candle on the inside. Families who buy them light the candles and place them outside their homes on Christmas Eve, following a longstanding Novato tradition. Luminarias have been around for hundreds of years in the United States and are particularly popular in the Southwest states.

Each of Novato's Scout troops services a different area of of the city. It's prime time to get your orders in. Here's how to do it:

* For Troop 82 (Ignacio, Loma Verde, Hamilton, Bel Marin Keys), call 382-6198 or e-mail jensenfamily2000@yahoo.com.

* For Troop 200 (downtown to West Novato, south of Novato Boulevard) call 893-9732 or visit www.MarinT200.com/order.

* For Troop 42 (downtown to West Novato, north of Novato Boulevard up through San Marin and the South Novato area surrounding Novato High School), call 973-1233 or order online at www.novato-troop42.org.