Heather Latter
“Project Safe Hallowe’en,” in particular the inaugural “Trunk or Treat” event held here Friday as part of the initiative, was an overwhelming success.
“It surpassed our expectations,” enthused local OPP Cst. Anne McCoy.
The event saw 20 decorated vehicles—from businesses, organizations, agencies, and individuals—spread throughout the Fort Frances Public Library parking lot, with an estimated 600 costumed youngsters stopping by to collect candy from each “trunk” in a fun and safe environment.
It was organized by the local Community Policing Committee, along with its community partners, as part of “Project Safe Hallowe’en.”
“We [wanted] to do something different, something fun for kids, that promotes safety and community, and that would really get into the festivity of Hallowe’en,” Cst. McCoy explained, saying she thinks that’s exactly what “Trunk or Treat” did.
“I think the families and the participants really enjoyed it,” she added.
“‘Trunk or Treat’ was awesome,” exclaimed Nikki Armstrong, manager of transportation services with the Rainy River District Transportation Services Consortium, which turned a school bus into a walk-through haunted house for children to visit during the event.
“We had so much fun and so did the kids—even the parents, too,” Armstrong added, saying she hopes plans are in the works for next year.
“We had a blast,” echoed Brittany Hayes of Sunset Country Ford, which also participated in Friday’s event.
“It was so much fun seeing all the costumes.
“We had some great responses to our costumes from the littler kids,” Hayes added.
“I think it was an absolutely great event and we would be very happy to participate again.”
Parents also found the event a great one to attend with their families.
“I was surprised by, and impressed with, the many walk-through haunted house vehicles,” said one parent.
“I hadn’t expected that . . . it was a unique addition to our night.”
“It was a super fun event for the kids,” echoed another mom. “I hope they do it every year.”
“I thought it was really great to see so many people from the community come together to do something fun, free, and accessible for kids and families,” noted yet another parent.
“I’ll go again next year, for sure.”
While the organizing committee has yet to debrief the event, it seems likely the event will be held again next year.
“I think the demand is there,” Cst. McCoy said. “I think that the community feedback was that they are looking forward to next year.
“We’ll see what the committee says.
“If anyone wants to chip in and help, then they could go onto the website and contact us,” McCoy added.
She said she’d also like to see even more vehicles participate because there is room in the parking lot for more.
“I think we’ll see more people getting involved next year,” Cst. McCoy remarked.
“When you do something new and it’s a change, sometimes you need to visualize it and see the concept before they can make a decision,” she reasoned.
“But I think a lot of people understood it was an afternoon event, and that they could do the event and still get home to trick-or-treat or hand out candy.”
And organizers would be prepared with more candy.
“A lot of the participants were surprised by the number of kids and families that came out,” Cst. McCoy admitted. “A lot them ran out of candy.
“We did our best to fill up their stock but looking forward into next year, we will be accepting candy donations and monetary donations so we can replenish stock.”
Cst. McCoy noted the Muskie girls’ hockey tournament was held the same weekend, and a number of the teams came over and participated.
“They thought it was a blast,” she exclaimed. “They brought their own candy and were handing it out.”
The winners of the “Trunk or Treat event included:
•Rainy River District Emergency Medical Services (Best in Show);
•Amanda and Chris Dent (Brightest and Most Visible);
•Rainy River District Transportation Services Consortium (Spookiest);
•Connie Hendrickson/Scentsy (Most Creative Theme);
•Ink Spotz and Apparel+ (Most Original);
•Piran Erwin (Funniest);
•Island Dweller Creations—Mira Donaldson (Best in Business);
•Rob Oliver (Best Individual); and
•Kenora-Rainy River Districts Child and Family Services (Best Agency).
The event also featured a “Hallowe’en Fashion Show–Zombie Cat Walk” organized by the Fort Frances Public Library, as well as a pumpkin-carving contest organized by NCDS.
With “Trunk or Treat” attendees voting, NCDS was named the winner in the adult category while John Malgo earned top spot in the children’s category.
“Trunk or Treat” and pumpkin-carving winners each took home a $25 “Go Local” gift card.
A community spaghetti take-out dinner, organized in partnership with the Substance Abuse Prevention Team, Fort Frances Kiwanis Club, and Fort Frances Lakers, with the guidance and support of Tess’s Kitchen, also was held Friday in conjunction with “Project Safe Hallowe’en.”
“We had 163 people so we broke even for that,” Cst. McCoy noted.
“It was meant to be a fundraiser in order to help out.
“In order to do community policing initiatives, you need funds,” she stressed.
“So we will find other ways to raise the funds to continue with our programming,” she noted, adding they likely won’t hold the dinner again next year.
However, the third part of the “Project Safe Hallowe’en” initiative—school presentations—also was successful.
Local OPP, Treaty #3 Police, and CN Police, along with community partners of the Community Policing Committee, delivered Hallowe’en safety messages to all district schools last week.
“They went unbelievably well this year,” Cst. McCoy said. “We had community partners come and help us deliver the message, which is great.
“Everyone took a small piece of the pie and lightened the load,” she noted, adding it’s one of their largest initiatives for the whole year.
“It’s important to us to engage the community partners so that it’s not ‘police-land,’” Cst. McCoy remarked.
“It has to be ‘community-land’ in order for it to continue and to be sustained,” she reasoned.
With its “Do the Bright Thing” message, all children from pre-school to Grade 8 across the district received reflective armbands to enhance pedestrian safety (instead of the glowsticks that had been distributed in the past).
The armbands feature 3M Scotchlite materials and are re-usable.
A YouTube video by 3M entitled “No White at Night,” which highlighted the importance of wearing reflective material instead of only light or white-coloured clothing, also was shown.
While she wasn’t able to see for herself if the armbands were worn out trick-or-treating, Cst. McCoy said other officers told her they saw kids wearing them.
Meanwhile, Cst. McCoy is hoping both “Trunk or Treat” attendees and participants will take part in the online survey at www.rainyriverdistrictcpc.ca so the committee will have more feedback.
“We would love to hear feedback,” she urged. “If people could write letters to the editor or write the CPC committee.
“I want to hear what they have to say. I want suggestions,” she stressed.
