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Halloween Carnival draws costumed crowd in Medford
By: Melissa Kaelin
Posted: Saturday, October 31, 2009 11:07 pm
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Halloween Carnival draws costumed crowd in Medford

The Force was with Landon, 1, as he ambled around the Halloween Carnival held in Medford on Saturday as Chewbacca from “Star Wars.”
By MELISSA KAELIN

mkaelin@owatonna.com



OWATONNA — Members of the student council at Medford Public School worked hard to put together a good show for smaller ghouls and goblins on Saturday.

During their annual Halloween Carnival, held at the Medford Fire Hall, students hosted nearly a dozen activities for kids in costume. The festivities offered kids the chance to paint pumpkins, play witch bingo, shoot a basketball into a hoop and pull lollipops off of a wooden tree.

“We set this all up,” said Sarah Schalm, a ninth-grader from Medford. She said a Halloween committee helped to organize the event, as well as a number of volunteers from the school.

Though many from the Medford student council wore costumes themselves — dressing up as everything from a robust clown to Schalm’s life-size banana — the event wasn’t just fun and games. 

“We’re raising money for the Steele County Food Shelf,” said Nick VonRuden, a seventh-grader from Medford.

In addition to cash donations, Medford students took in pounds of nonperishable canned donations on Saturday, in lieu of admission charge.

VonRuden said the activity gives kids something to look forward to, while giving back to the community at the same time.



Young and old alike came for the event, with a constant flow of visitors entering and exiting the fire hall doors. Children as young as one year old participated in the events, in which they could use coupons to play games and acquire a plentiful stash of candy. Vampires, witches, race car drivers, and skeletons showed up — even a whole family out of the Star Wars movies. Princess Leia was escorted to the carnival by her older storm trooper brother and one-year-old Chewbacca.

Tristen Kern, 9, was also dressed as a storm trooper, a character his mom said he has become quite acquainted with.

“He’s worn (the costume) for three years now,” said Jessica Kern. She also had her daughter Sadie with her, who was dressed as Medford’s smallest firefighter.

“That’s what she wants to be when she grows up,” said Kern.

But regardless of costume, the kids all got a chance to get in on the fun. Some of them were planning on going trick-or-treating later Saturday night, though that wasn’t the case for all of them. 

“This just gives them a place to go,” said Leif Lusty, a senior at Medford. He was handing shy children a small soft basketball for one of the carnival games, while at the same time helping traffic to keep moving just inside the fire hall doors. “They’re pretty outgoing kids,” he said. 



Melissa Kaelin can be reached at 444-2372.
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Member Opinions:
By: Stargazer on 11/2/09
This is just what kids need instead of going door to door. Its a lot safer and have fun games ect.for them. I really feel events like this should be every year and ban the door to door treating. There are alot more positive reasons for planned and organized parties....safety, cold weather makes it not as much fun to be out with coats,gas,running your kids around after working all day not to mention with the cost of treats needed to hand out what is grocery money for many. How about getting donations and volunters and have safer and more fun Halloween every year . I would gladly donate money instead of handing out candy that could be for game prizes instead of dental bills later from more candy then anyone ever needs.

By: Venger33 on 11/2/09
Good job Mr. Johannes & the Medford Student Council. It is great to see an event like this that takes care of the children and helps with the Food Shelf. Keep up the good work!

By: awful_sick on 11/2/09
Went there, great time, kids loved it!

 
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