Halloween events are planned

As children dress to impress or scare Oct. 31 as they visit local businesses and homes in search for treats, parents are reminded there are several 'safe' venues for youngsters to attain the sweets on Oct. 27 and Oct. 31.

The town's annual No Tricks, Just Treats event will take place along the Main Street corridor between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. In addition to the annual event, several special activity venues have been scheduled to take place throughout the county. Alleghany Wellness Center will host Halloween Spooktacular 2006, featuring a haunted house, a costume contest and free games. Halloween events kick off Friday, Oct. 27 with the Family Resource Center's Halloween Extravaganza. The event, scheduled to take place between 5:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., features games, a costume contest and a haunted trail.

The center is located at 61 Wee Care Ave., just off Main Street behind Country Homestead. New Directions Youth Ministries in Ennice will hold its 15th annual Hallelujah Night Oct. 28 from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m.

SunBridge of Alleghany will open its doors to trick-or-treaters between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at its location at 179 Combs St.

In addition, New Covenant Church, located on N.C. 18 north in Ennice will hold a ‘Hallelujah Night,' a fun, safe alternative to Halloween. The event will be held at the church from 6:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Each event is detailed separately below.

No Tricks, Just Treats

This is the fourth year the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce and Sparta Revitalization Committee have teamed up and asked local businesses to open their doors and offered sweets to youngsters decked out in simple to elaborate outfits. Businesses participating in the event will have a flyer prominently posted at their business. Parents are asked to accompany their children during the event.

John Spicer, who serves as a member of the Alleghany Merchants Association commented Friday, "We wanted to continue the event, but for safety reasons, we backed it up to four o'clock. We hope that will give everyone a chance to visit the merchants and still have time to join the Wellness Center's Spooktacular."

Halloween Spooktacular 2006

The Alleghany Wellness Center, located at 508 Collins Rd. will host Halloween Spooktacular 2006 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. Oct. 31. According to Brandi Lucas, who serves as coordinator of the Spooktacular event, last year's events at the wellness were geared primarily for younger children.

"We wanted to do something a little different this year because we had done just the games with the kids last year and we didn't have anything for the bigger kids," she said. She pointed out that hotel manager John Kilmartin had held a haunted house last year at the hotel and this year, he has opted to assist the wellness center with their effort. Students from high school clubs have been asked to assist with the spooktacular event at the center as well.

Members of the Laurel Springs Auxiliary will sell funnel cakes and hot dogs during the event, with profits going to the organization. Although there is no fee being charged, donations will be accepted. Lucas stated the donations collected would be split among the high school clubs that help with the haunted house. Of the haunted house, Lucas added, "It's not going to be your traditional haunted house. The ones that people have been to in the past, I think it will be a lot different, a little more modern than what they're used to, or what I was used to anyway."

Halloween Extravaganza The Alleghany Family Resource Center will hold a Halloween Extravaganza from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Oct. 27 at the center, which is located on Wee Care Avenue behind Country Homestead.

The event is which is free of charge and will offer a variety of games, from bobbing for apples, a fishing game, a duck game and face painting. A haunted trail will also be held at the site. Pam Sizemore, who will become full-time director of the facility Nov. 1, commented on why the free-of-charge event is being held prior to Halloween. "We chose not to have it on the same night as Halloween because of the other events going on in the county," she said. "This allows all the Partnership staff to run the activities on the 27th and gives them the opportunity to participate in the town's Halloween activities as well."

Refreshments will be available during the event and Sizemore added, "I encourage parents to bring their children and come for an evening of fun."

Treat or Treat

SunBridge of Alleghany will hold a trick-or-treating event at its facility on Combs Street from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Oct. 31.

According to Activities Director Trish Johnson, the facility will offer children the opportunity to trick-or-treat with the residents at SunBridge between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. and participate in a costume contest at 7 p.m.

Johnson commented on why SunBridge is hosting a Halloween event. "I feel like we at SunBridge need to be more community oriented and letting children in the community visit our facility and its residents on Halloween is one way to do that," she said. "Our residents will be handing out goodies to the children and I encourage parents to bring their children to participate in what I hope will become an annual event."

Hallelujah Night

New Directions Youth Ministries, now located on Glade Valley Road in Ennice will hold its 15th annual Hallelujah Night at its new facility from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. The event will offer free games from Wheel of Blessings and Bible Bingo to How Many Hairs on Your Head? Food and prizes will also be available.

Pastor Pamela Caudill with New Directions invites everyone in the community to the event.

"It really is a great opportunity to offer Bible lessons to those in the community. All that we will offer during our celebration will have some connection to the Bible," she said.

Those who are interested in dressing up for the occasion are encouraged to do so, particularly if they would like to dress as a Bible character. A prize will be given to the individual chosen by the audience to be the best dressed.

For more information, call Caudill at 372-8098.

New Covenant Trunk or Treat

New Covenant Church, located on N.C. 18 north in Ennice is offering a fun and ‘safe' alternative to Halloween, holding an event from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.

The event will feature Christian variety entertainer Mark Lippard, a one-man circus show. He will entertain the audience by walking on stilts or riding a unicycle while juggling and eating fire. Children will have the opportunity to participate in Trunk or Treat, an event where the trunks of cars will be decorated with Bible themes. During the course of Trunk or Treat, Bible verses will be shared with participants.

New Covenant Church Pastor Phil Edwards and wife Beverly Edwards noted the evening would be full of entertainment for children, as well as adults.

"It's going to be a wonderful night," Mr. Edwards said. Mrs. Edwards pointed out the donning of costumes at the event are welcome.

"Children are welcomed to wear their costume," she said. "However, it is requested when they come to the church event that they not wear a scary costume or have a painted face."

Mrs. Edwards stated as people begin to gather at the church, they will have the opportunity to participate in a sing-a-long "full of fun and movement."

For more information, call 657-3500.

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