Girl Scouts Scare Up Some Halloween Fun at Moreland Towers

They may not be the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, but whenever the young members of Girl Scout Troop 21232 pay a visit to the retired residents of Moreland Towers in Hatboro, they get treated like rock stars.

"We have to put a limit on how many can come during each event," said Dawn Gurt, one of the parent co-leaders for the troop. "Otherwise, they would all be here and swamp the girls."

The joy the girls bring to the seniors was palpable as they kicked off Thursday night's Halloween party with a cute, choreographed dance to "The Monster Mash." When they were finished, the scouts joined the 30 gathered Moreland Towers residents for some pumpkin painting and other activities.

"The seniors absolutely love it when they came," said resident Barbara Butler, who volunteered to help organize the party. "This will give them something to talk about for the next two weeks."

Based out of the Warminster Presbyterian Church, Girl Scout Troop 21232 is comprised of members from Horsham, Warminster and Huntingdon Valley. The troop started making regular visits to Moreland Towers approximately three years ago at the suggestion of Gurt, who had a family member staying there at the time. About every three months, the girls return to hold special events, usually around a particular holiday.

"We sing Christmas carols," said Gurt. "We had a Mother's Day brunch in May that was a huge success. A lot of the people here get neglected by their families, unfortunately, so they really appreciate the visits around the holidays."

One thing that Gurt and the other troop parents have been careful to avoid is visiting with boxes of girl scout cookies. Moreland Towers is state subsidized and the residents there have fixed incomes.

"Buying cookies can be a lot for them," said Gurt. "We don't want to create any awkward situations. However, we have been told to come by with the cookies this year."