Trunk or Treat
A safe, fun — and early — alternative to Halloween trick or treating
The Education Club at Holyoke Community College, in collaboration with more than a dozen other college clubs, departments and programs, is organizing a safe, fun — and early — alternative to Halloween trick or treating this year.
"Trunk or Treat," a brand new event, will be held on Friday, Oct. 27, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Parking Lot O behind the Bartley Center for Athletics and Recreation on the HCC campus, 303 Homestead Ave.
Rather than going door to door seeking Halloween treats, children can instead go "trunk to trunk" to collect their candy, visiting cars decorated with seasonal themes and familiar stories and characters.
The event is free and open to the public. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
"Anybody can come," said Tricia Kiefer, chair of the HCC Education Department.
While the Education Club at HCC is the main organizer, 17 other clubs and departments are also sponsoring cars and decorating them for the event.
Among the participants are the HCC Student Senate, Admission Office, WCCH Radio Club, Business Department, Psychology Club, Students on the Autism Spectrum Club, and Education Club from Westfield State University.
Local schools, daycare centers and other children-centered agencies in the area have been invited to attend.
HCC education students began talking last fall about sponsoring some kind of Halloween-related event.
"Students were brainstorming ideas to involve the whole HCC community in a way that would benefit children and families in the area," said HCC Early Children education coordinator Sheila Gould, the Education Club adviser.
Last year, the HCC Education Club became the first community college club in Massachusetts to be recognized by the Massachusetts Teachers Association as a chapter of SEAM (Student Educators Association of Massachusetts), whose members host community events and participate in statewide education conferences.
