At first, making popcorn sounded like a good idea, a way to raise money for upcoming Scouting activities, but the four Boy Scouts in Troop 908 -- which is only 18 months old -- decided they wanted to try a car wash instead.

When it was suggested they should paint some posters to advertise the event, the boys balked. In their culture, something like that is usually reserved for girls.

But once they were convinced this is the way it is done in America, they really got into it and worked hard to prepare, said Minh Hong, their Scoutmaster.



"Even up to the day that we had the car wash they didn't believe anyone would show up." Hong said. But many came and paid the suggested donation of $5. Some even paid more to have their cars washed.

People attending the Vietnamese English Language Program classes at the site of the car wash (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building in Westminster, Calif.) helped the boys earn about half of the more than $400 total.

"They (boys) worked really hard, they felt really good about it, and I think it taught them a lot about hard work," Hong said. "The boys had fun, they are good workers and industrious. They are good boys."

He said about goals for the boys: "We need to set high goals that are challenging to achieve -- not easy."

Boy Scout Harry Phan, 12, said, "It was fun, and yeah, it was cool."

It was the first time Harry had done a care wash and he said his hand hurt afterwards because he had worked so hard. But he felt good after the car wash was over and he saw what they were able to accomplish.

He attends McFadden Intermediate School.