Fall Festival, haunted house provides trick-or-treating alternative

IU organizations and local nonprofits came together in support of the Big Brothers, Big Sisters annual Fall Fair and Haunted House Friday.

At the Crestmont Boys and Girls Club on North Summit Street, the event provided an alternative for children in the community who might not have a chance to safely go trick-or-treating.

Big Brothers, Big Sisters’ Community Programs Director Mark Voland said former Crestmont Resident Council President Donnie Hampton created the event.

“He wanted to provide something for all the residents in the Crestmont community that would promote family togetherness, and a lot of the residents don’t have the funds to celebrate Halloween,” Voland said.

The School of Public and Environmental Affairs V362 Nonprofit Management and Leadership class has helped organize this event for the last two years.

Professor Al Lyons said he encouraged autonomy for his students as they helped Big Brothers, Big Sisters set up the event.

“They’re pretty much an independent group,” Lyons said. “They’ve got to work with the organization to make sure they know what’s supposed to happen, and then they’ve got to make their part of it all work.”

Class member Molly Newell said the students were responsible for contacting
organizations and organizing the Haunted House, among other things.

Newell said she was interested in this event because of what it would mean to kids in the area.

“The Crestmont area is one of the less financially well-off areas of Bloomington,” she said. “Many don’t have transportation, so this is kind of their Halloween. It’s a great environment for them to come out, have fun activities to do, get candy and dress up.”

Boys and Girls Club Unit Director Shawna Meyer-Neiderman said her organization supports this event every year because of what it brings to the community.

“We are a part of the Crestmont community, so it’s a great way to bring the community together,” Meyer-Neiderman said. “We want kids in our door no matter which way we can get them.”

Voland said the event was a resounding success this year and credits that success to all the help provided from Bloomington residents and IU student volunteers.

“Over 400 people in the community came away smiling and laughing,” he said. “They shared an experience and felt good about the community they live in. That is no small thing.”