Community Promotes Safety, Responsibility and Morality
Trick or Treat is a night to have safe fun, to dress up and pretend to be something else, and to meet the citizens of your community. If this is the definition of Trick or Treating, then a picture of Pike County, Ohio must be next to it. In addition to the normal trick or teat hour, Pike County and its citizens hosts alternative
trick or treat activities. Several motives for the alternatives include safety, religious bias concerns and sponsor advertising. In Waverly, the Halloween Bash is hosted by the Pike County Sheriff’s Department. The cost of the party is covered by innumerable donations from business owners, both small and large. The Halloween Bash is an annual event that increases in popularity every year, and is expected to continue to receive more than a thousand visitors. Propaganda against drugs, alcohol and tobacco reigns free, but is not the focus of the party. The fun for the children is the focus, not the adult problems of everyday life. Sheriff deputies, Neighborhood Watch members, squad crews, and other volunteers populate the crowd with law-abiding authority, essentially terminating any drug sale, alcohol use or assaults that might otherwise ruin the party for everyone. All children receive a bag of candy, stickers and one or two helium balloons apiece. In past years, the volunteer baggers has been deputies, girl scouts and common civilians. These items are handed out by volunteers, who cheerfully greet the crowd and introduce themselves to the children. The large Halloween Bash party is more than free candy for the kids. It is a community event for the whole family. A band concert or other type of entertainment casually livens up the crowd and accompany coincidental run-ins with friends. Costume judging contests are split into approximately eight age groups, ranging from newborn to seniors, with each group producing at least three winners. Prizes are age consistent and donated by area businesses. Appliances, money, furniture, bicycles, electronics and gift certificates have been prizes in past years, with the latest years giving more expensive gifts. The
Haunted House is a highly popular feature not to be missed. One year the Junior Deputies, a group of children that promotes lawfulness, directed the
Haunted House with perfect success. The waiting line was long yet this didn’t deter the visitors from standing their place in line for as long as thirty minutes. Adena Health Center is the place for the Halloween Party. This party is an inside event and covers a two story area dedicated to the handing out of candy and other useful items, including toothbrushes, calculators and pencils. Various messages from medical and social services are presented, but the children doesn’t seem to care. Free pictures, meeting friends and participating in a costume contest keeps the children happily distracted and amused. Prizes are very acceptable to most parents, and are educational as well as fun. The large conference room boasts a selection of party food and beverages for all guests. Diabetics are not left out of this however, since there is an assortment of ‘allowed’ foods, beverages and desserts. Although it is not bigger or better than the Halloween Bash, it is inside so party goers is not going to freeze or be rained on. Close watch, by the staff, of children that are exploring or leaving the building helps to prevent lost children and child predator attacks. A small child would love the atmosphere and wouldn’t miss some of the extras that the Halloween Bash sports. In 2004, an estimated 800 children was present and participating in the costume contest. The number of adults present has not been accounted for. Just as the lovely nativity scene represents the sacred Christian holiday called Christmas, so does the moon and scarecrows represent a sacred Pagan holiday known as Sanhiem, more commonly known as Halloween. In attempts to sugar coat the holiday’s meaning, members of the Anchor of Hope Church of God hosts a
Halloween party for any children wishing to go. Despite, or rather in spite of, Halloween being the most loved Pagan holiday, the church group is gathered for the blessings of God to come forth. Christian volunteers work to provide a happy, fun and protected atmosphere for the kids. Although the number of attendees is not even comparable to the previous parties, if a Christian parent has real concerns of unintended Satan worshipping, they will find this is the most peer-suitable event of the season. To my knowledge, there has been no public rituals or celebrations from the various Pagan communities within Pike county. Civic responsibility and ethics are barely inseparable in Pike county when it concerns children. It could be noted that there is no children of Pike county on the list of Missing and Exploited Children. Whether this is coincidence or not is hard to say, but the year-round community activities and services is appearing to keep the community in touch with itself.
