by: Ava Hardaway
Halloween is a frightening and creepy holiday to some, but others enjoy Halloween as another fall season holiday.
The GS Mini-THON hosted their annual Trunk-or-Treat event on October 30th. This event was started a few years ago and has been continuously successful for both children and adults. Mini-THON leaders had many preparations for this event. They gathered volunteers to work and decorate trunks for the night itself.
The winning trunk theme. Pictured from left to right: Anna Sybesma, Grace Sybesma, Taylor Dale and Reese Pittler.
Photo courtesy of: GS Mini-THON
The overall administrator, senior leader Nick Heinnickel, oversees planning the events. He wanted to make sure that this event was continued at the school for students who wanted to get involved.
“The night consisted of a lot of fun activities,” Heinnickel said. “Activities like pumpkin chucking, some fun carnival style games, candy guessing and of course the trunk-or-treat itself. There was a 50/50 raffle for the parents.”
There were many improvements and changes from last year to this year’s event. Although this event is for children, there were activities for all ages.
“We expanded on the trunk-or-treat from last year,” he said. “Again, we kept some of the items that worked well, but we also added items we believe could be a fun new addition to help draw in more people.”
Not only is this a fun event, but this is a good chance to raise money for the GS Mini-THON. The night did come up with some problems including weather and missing members due to personal issues, but they were able to come together to make this a successful event.
“I was just so excited to see the community come together for this event,” he said. “There were over 100 trick or treaters, and the night was full of fun and good times. Mini-THON holds a special place in GS, and it is always a great time when we can get together and celebrate such a good cause.”
Trunk-or-Treat has become a Halloween event for the GS Mini-THON. For all, Halloween is a day of candy, fright and fun.
Students and teachers enjoy getting involved during the Halloween season. English teacher Mrs. Mary Logan has Halloween decorations inside and outside of her room. This time of the year is a favorite for Mrs. Logan.
“Ever since I was little, dressing up as another character and being that character and changing out of who I was, has always been the most fun,” Mrs. Logan said. “I think that started my love of just being other characters. So, as a result, because Halloween is the one sanctioned holiday where everybody is encouraged to be another character, I feel like my love of characters and different costumes, everybody can enjoy that on the same day. So, I feel like I’m one with everyone.”
At GS, many clubs and groups offer Halloween events. As the coach of the Speech and Debate club, Logan gets to enjoy Halloween with her students involved in the club.
“Our speech and debate festival that occurs the Wednesday before Halloween is where we have a party,” Logan said. “We do extra, and we have a party, so I get to feel like I’m having another Halloween party, but with students and everybody. We have a costume contest and everything.”
Logan doesn’t do as much as she did with Halloween a few years ago, but is still able to enjoy this holiday.
“My husband and I used to have huge blowout Halloween parties with our friends back when we were younger,” she said. “They were the biggest events. Everybody would dress up and I would turn my house into a spooky-scary dungeon with skull faces on all the pictures. We played rock music and did all kinds of stuff. It was a lot of fun. But now in my older age, I’m really getting into trick-or-treating.”
Halloween in the school only lasts about a month, and Mrs. Logan would like it to stay that way.
“It loses its specialness if it’s up all year round,” she said. “I mean, the sun rises every single day, but we rarely pay attention to it because it just happens every day. Christmas season is really exciting because it happens for like a couple months a year. So, if I had my Halloween decorations up all year round, it would diminish the special joy of the fall season with that.”
At this time of year, Halloween and fall are important to Mrs. Logan. She gets to watch her advisory students become closer and enjoy the fall festivities.
“Decorating my classroom is something that my advisory does as a collective group project,” Logan said. “It also is a bonding experience and it’s fun. My room changes each year because the advisory kids change each year. They grab different things and hang different things, so it’s especially near the beginning of the school year, it’s a good bonding experience.”
The Lions' Den 