Area hasn't been much in the mood for Halloween, but events will go on
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BY MARK GUNDERMAN jeff.hage@lee.net
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 11:10 AM CDT
Jeff Monette seriously considered canceling the annual haunted house at the Heyde Center, where he is the director.
Moments of fear and a scene of horror were still too fresh in many young minds. A time of sadness and mourning came to Chippewa Falls; people just weren't much in the mood for the scary fun and fake tombstones of Halloween.
Slowly, life is returning to normal. Yes, Halloween will still be celebrated in Chippewa Falls, though some individuals may choose to let it alone this year.
The Heyder Center's haunted house debuted last Friday and Saturday, with more shows set for this coming Friday and Saturday and again on Halloween Monday.
“I was affected just like everyone else was over the tragedy. I was considering canceling it. Some of the kids who helped - they were on bus number one,” Monette said, referring to the bus involved in the Oct. 16 band bus crash that killed five people.
Monette said a lot of the volunteers who set up and perform in the haunted house are high school students.
“I was concerned it might be traumatic for them,” he said.
But the kids came to help, and some of them urged Monette not to cancel the event.
“They wanted to do something fun. It was a good distraction,” Monette said.
Without being specific, Monette said he toned down a couple of parts of the haunted house experience due to the recent tragedy.
The opening night response was slow, with only about 35 guests at the haunted house. Saturday night's attendance was a more respectable 150.
“People had a good time, and we raised some food for the food pantry,” Monette said. Bringing two cans of food for the pantry cuts the admission price by a dollar.
The haunted house will be held again this Friday and Saturday from 8-11 p.m. and again on Monday from 7-9 p.m.
Chi-Hi students will also be up for participating in the 10th annual annual Big Band Mosnter Bash on Friday at the Ramada Inn Convention Center in downtown Eau Claire. A tribute will be held during the evening to honor Chi-Hi band directors Doug Greenhalgh and Brian Collicott's involvement over the past 10 years with the event. A portion of the event's proceeds will be donated to the Chippewa Falls High School Band Endowment in memory of Doug Greenhalgh.
“We've had some people asking whether Chippewa Falls High School is going to play or not given the tragedy at their school or if the event is happening at all,” said Wayne Marek, executive director of the Eau Claire Children's Theater, which is producing the event.
The evening will start off at 6:30 p.m. with free swing lessons. The music kicks in at 7 p.m. with jazz and big band tunes from 11 award-winning bands from Eau Claire Memorial and North high schools, as well as Elk Mound, Altoona, Fall Creek, and Chippewa Falls high schools.
The Halloween costume contest with prizes will be held around 10 p.m. with more door prizes given out all night long.
The event is billed as a great way for teens to have a fun time in a healthy, safe environment.
Reach Mark Gunderman at mgunderman@chippewa.com.
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