VALE—For the past several years, the Vale community has come together to create lasting Halloween memories for the area children. Each fall, the Vale Community Club sponsors a Trunk or Treat event. This year, it was held the weekend before Halloween, on Sunday, October 26.
Now everyone gathers in the parking lot of the Vale Community Club, but it was more elaborate at one time. “We’ve been doing this for four or five—at least five—years,” explained Rhonda Waterland, event coordinator. “We used to do a carnival inside, and that just got too much for the amount of club members that we had, so we decided to do something a little simpler, and that’s how this started!”
Those who take the time to buy candy and set up creative booths, with props and spooky characters, do it just to make kids’ lives a little happier! Both businesses and individuals volunteer. “We just invite anybody in the community to come,” said Waterland. I think I counted 11 trunks today. We have some businesses—The Bank in Newell is here and Butte-Mead Water is here—and the rest are just local community members.”
The Vale Community Club provides the space to hold the event; the community provides everything else. “Everybody just donates their own time and their own candy,” said Waterland. “We just have fun! We like to give back to the community when we can!”
The weather cooperated this year, it was a warm, calm October day. Kids came dressed in costumes and walked from station to station to pick up treats—from bags of candy to bags of potato chips and popcorn balls, there were a lot of snacks to be had. Waterland shared, “I remember one year we had to move it inside because it was super freezing cold out, but it’s gorgeous today!”
There are typically about 50 kids who come to the event. Some are local; others travel in from nearby towns. “They come from Newell and Nisland both, but a lot of them are from right here in the area—we’ve had a couple right from Vale and then from out east,” Waterland said.
The Vale Community Club holds several events throughout the year. Up next is Turkey Bingo. They will be giving away five turkeys and hosting ten games of bingo with two jackpots—one for games 1–9 and then the blackout bingo jackpot for the last game. Snacks and beverages will be provided. The event starts at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 12.
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