THOUGH many had never heard ofCosta Rica, Cub Scouts in Kingman,Arizona, are collecting clothes and shoesto deliver to victims of the onslaught offloods in the northwestern provinceGuanacaste.They heard about the flooding fromRocio Mora, a Costa Rican transplant tothe small town bordering Nevada. Mora,who watches Costa Rican Channel 7news in Kingman, saw the devastationcaused by the floods and heard of themore than 2,000 evacuees waiting outthe storms in temporary shelters. Herson Alexander, 8, is a Cub Scout, andthe two of them decided to do somethingto help.Mora contacted the Costa Rican Guíasy Scout organization, and together theyare collecting donations. She will sendhers after Dec. 7, the final day for theirdonations drive in Kingman.“We’re doing good so far,” she said.“It’s kind of cool for the kids, and I feelgood doing it because the people need it.”A side effect of her idea is its intrinsiclesson in basic geography. She has livedin the town for 13 years, and marvels thatmany of her friends and neighbors knownothing about Costa Rica.“A lot of them don’t even know whereCosta Rica is,” she said. “They think it’san island; they confuse it with PuertoRico. It’s like they think there’s only theUnited States and Mexico.”To donate in Costa Rica, call 222-9898.
