The Clarke Central High School Women and Gender studies club hosted a Trunk-or-Treat event on Oct. 31. Whitehead Road Elementary School parent Mudiwa Smith believes that Trunk-or-treat was a safe environment. “The number one advantage would be safety. I’m not worried about the candy that they receive. The environment is safe. So I brought my youngest daughter, Arianna (who attends WRES),” Smith said. Photo by Kelly Fulford
The Clarke Central High School Women and Gender Studies club hosted the first-ever Trunk or Treat event in the CCHS faculty parking lot on Oct. 31.
The Clarke Central High School Women and Gender Studies club hosted Trunk or Treat, a community Halloween event on Oct. 31. Community and school organizations paid $10 to register cars, which they decorated and passed out candy from. Community member and their children were invited to go “trunk-or-treating.”
Women and Gender Studies Club member Erin Bothe, a freshman, was in a club meeting when the idea of a Trunk or treat event first came up.
“It actually started a few weeks ago. It was just a random idea that we had and we thought it would be really cool to host something here on Halloween,” Bothe said. “We thought trunk-or-treat would be really cool since we (would) have a bunch of cars together, it would be a community event and a bunch of elementary school kids would come.”
Although for some students, the event went well, Women and Gender studies sponsor Meghan McNeeley, an English department teacher, believed there were some challenges.
“(There were) 32 cars this year and we had some that backed out because they didn’t have enough students to help,”, said.
McNeeley was happy to see local families trunk-or-treating at the event.
“The kids are walking, (with) their candy buckets all loaded. They’ve got books and somebody is giving out geodes or little crystals,” McNeeley said. “These kids think that they hit the jackpot and it’s safe. They don’t have to go very far. This (was) better than I thought. I am so excited. It (was) so much fun.”
CCHS parent Mudiwa Smith believes that having a Halloween event at CCHS ensures a safe experience for her children.
“The number one advantage would be safety. I’m not worried about the candy that (my children) receive,” Smith said. “The environment is safe and I’m always nervous when they (my kids) go door to door because we don’t know exactly who they’re going to encounter. ”
CCSD fourth grader Kennadi Jordan was pleased with Trunk-or-Treat.
“I decided to come because we just wanted to have fun, get some candy and get a sugar rush,” Jordan said. “I like how all the cars are open and how amazing and decorated they are.”
CCHS freshman Jerry Bharbwha, who Trunk-or-Treated at the event, agrees that it was a safe environment.
“You do know all your people (because) it’s community, so it’s not like you’re going to a stranger and also it’s a very open and easy way to get candy and all the people are really nice,” Bharbwha said. “(There were) more people than I expected, which is good.”
Parent-teacher-student organization (PTSO) member Kisha Bailey considered the event to be a success.
“I teach at Timothy (Road Elementary School) so I’ve seen a lot of kids, a lot of families (and) a lot of really cute costumes,” Bailey said. “I think it’s going well (and) I hope (CCHS) continues to do it next year. It’s a great community event.”
Smith has high hopes for future Trunk-or-Treats at CCHS.
“For the future, I would love it to be bigger so we can be here a lot longer, maybe fill two parking lots next time,” Smith said.
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