Halloween choices abound for children
In the days before Halloween, I find bags and bags of candy on sale, which I throw into my grocery basket to take home and imagine giving to hundreds of little pumpkins and ghosts ringing my doorbell.
My mother used to hand out raisins to the kids so that she could keep the chocolate for herself the next day. I have loftier dreams for Halloween. I want to be the hero of the neighborhood, the home the children point out later on and say, “They have the best candy there.”
So I bring my candy home on Oct. 31, find the biggest bowl I have and pour all of my confections into it. I put on a costume, a scary movie and I wait. They will be here any minute.
Three hours later, when I wake up on my couch and notice the credits rolling on the movie, a stomach ache and chocolate smeared all over my face, I realize the trick-or-treaters aren’t coming.
Where are they?
Well, some of them are probably at Camp Dart-Lo, 14000 N. Dartford Drive, celebrating the Eighth Annual “Ghoul Ol’ Fashioned Halloween Fun” party.
The event which will be held Friday from 4:30 to 7 p.m., Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m.
The kids can enjoy games like bingo and a dart toss, take hay rides, roast a “ghost,” have their faces painted and join in the costume parade.
Treats and merchandise will be available for sale, and there will be a not-so-haunted Halloween house to tour.
The cost of admission is $5, and the proceeds will benefit improvements to the camp.
For information, call 747-6191, ext. 10.
Another place the trick-or-treaters might be is Priest Lake State Park Headquarters, 314 Indian Creek Park Road, Coolin, Idaho, where the Halloween Spooktackular Event will be on Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Children of all ages are invited to paint pumpkins, bob for apples, join in the Halloween parade of costumes and watch a spooky movie.
The cost is $4 for parking a carload.
For information, call (208) 443-2200.
Skating anyone?
It’s a sure sign that the holidays are right around the corner when the Riverfront Park Ice Palace opens for the season this Friday.
The hours will be Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 7 to 10 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Lessons will be available to skaters of all levels.
For information, call the Ice Palace Hotline at 625-6601 or visit www.riverfrontpark.com.
Reading fund-raiser
The Spokane County Library District has started its “Read to Feed: A Penny a Page” project.
Local teens and tweens are invited to read whatever they want and keep track of how many pages they’ve read through Nov. 16.
The library will donate a penny for every page, up to $1,000 to the Second Harvest Food Bank.
The project was made possible through a grant from the Fred Meyer Foundation.
For information, call 924-4122 or visit www.scld.org.