Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Piper Johnson, 6, enjoys playing a game of "ghostbusters" at the Fun Frolic held at the Washington Elementary School Thursday. Handing out prizes and candy is junior Mackenzie Switzer.
By KIM E. STROM
Halloween may be the spookiest night of the year, but it didn't scare kids of all ages from coming out to enjoy the fun, and neither did the chilly weather. Hundreds of children were treated to a sweet Halloween by local folks willing to brave the cold to make sure they had a fun and safe holiday.
The fun started early at the Gogebic Medical Care Facility in Wakefield where residents and staff dressed up to hand out candy. "It's been a long-standing tradition," said director of activities Heidi Brown. "The residents absolutely love it. They look forward to seeing the same kids year after year and watching them grow up."
"That's one of the beautiful things about a smaller community," she added. "The residents are our community. They were our postman, or our teacher, our neighbors."
The kids get a kick out of the residents as well, and enjoy seeing the same people each year, said Brown. John Pachmayer likes to be a greeter at the door every year. He is 100 years old, sharp as a tack, and loves being with the kids, she said. "It's such an exciting and vibrant energy to come to the facility, and it brings such joy to our residents."
At St. Paul Lutheran Church of Ironwood, volunteers staged a Trunk and Treat event that included giving out over 200 free, new children's books. Kids could choose the story they liked and then walk through the parking lot Trick-or-Treating for candy.
The book and candy donations came from several volunteers and many books were purchased online, said organizer Kathy Vaara. Last year, over 400 kids came through the lot by the end of the evening.
At the Mission Skate Shop in Bessemer, kids of all ages were seen coming through the Trunk and Treat line as the sun went down casting vibrant oranges and reds across the sky.
After trick or treating hours, the Washington Elementary School in Bessemer held a Fun Frolic complete with games, prizes, candy and a "spooky stage." It was all organized and run by the juniors at A.D. Johnston High School said junior class advisor Debbie Lekies. This is the first year they created the "spooky stage" which was a small haunted house, and they were very excited about it, she said. All proceeds from the sale of treats and games are going to fund the junior prom, she said.
