September 29, 2010
WHERE: Temple University Ambler, 580 Meetinghouse Road, Bright Hall Lounge and the
Learning Center Parking Lot
WHEN: Operation Safe Trick-or-Treat: Friday, October 22, 5 to 9 p.m. (Bright Hall Lounge)
Haunted Hayride: Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23, 7 to 11 p.m. (rain date October 29) (Begins at Learning Center Parking Lot)
The Temple University Ambler campus has a history that dates back to the early 1900s. With such a storied past, there is no telling what ghosts and specters haunt the lush woodlands and buildings of the campus today.
On Friday, October 22 and Saturday, October 23, the Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Student Association and the Ambler Campus Criminal Justice Society will be scaring up fun for all ages for Temple University Ambler’s “Halloween Hay Day!”
Halloween Hay Day will include “Operation Safe Trick-or-Treat,” sponsored by the Criminal Justice Society on Friday, October 22, from 5 to 9 p.m. in Bright Hall Lounge. This all-ages event, which is free and open to the public, will include face painting, pumpkin painting and carving, build-your-own scarecrow making, games, refreshments, music, and, of course Halloween treats.
The fun and frights continue with the Landscape Architecture and Horticulture Student Association’s Haunted Hayride on Friday, October 22, and Saturday, October 23, from, 7 to 11 p.m. A longtime annual event at Ambler, the Haunted Hayride begins at the Learning Center Parking Lot and wends its way through a variety of terrifying thrills and chills highlighted by set pieces created entirely by Temple University Ambler students. Admission is $10 for the general public, $5 for children under 10, and $8 with a student ID. A parent or guardian is suggested for children under 10. Refreshments will be available for sale at the hayride loading area. Parking is available in the Commuter Parking Lot on Meetinghouse Road.
During the event, "The Great Pumpkin," one of Horticulture student Brandon Huber's monster 600 pound pumpkins that he grew from seed. Families, students, and faculty are invited to take Halloween photos with the giant gourd. The pumpkin will be located on the Learning Center Lawn during Operation Safe Trick-or-Treat and the Haunted Hayride.
“The students work really hard to make sure that everyone who comes in leaves laughing…and screaming. We have very creative students working together, which undoubtedly contributes to our growing success,” said Joseph Cianchetta, one of the coordinators for the Haunted Hayride. “New for the Hayride this year, we have two new wagons and we hope to make the trail longer with more scare stations. The event should provide plenty of scares for kids, teens, and adults alike.”
In an effort to provide a safe, carefree, and fun environment for trick-or-treating for children and parents, the Criminal Justice Society developed Operation Safe Trick-or-Treat, an event that organization President Tyler Zeigler hopes will also be held annually in partnership with the Haunted Hayride.
 “I wanted to come up with an event that combined something that I loved as a kid with something that would be a service to the community. An important part of what the Criminal Justice Society does is promoting community safety so we wanted to provide a fun and safe trick-or-treating experience,” he said. “Our overall goal is that the kids have fun — all of our volunteers will be in costume and we’re hoping all of our visitors will be too! In addition to that, we’d like parents from our community to visit Ambler and see what the student organizations and campus have to offer.”
Both Zeigler and Cianchetta want the Ambler Campus student organizations to play a huge part in making this year’s Halloween events a success.
“This is a large undertaking and we need as many volunteers as possible to provide as many experiences as possible for our visitors. I hope the organizations come in with great ideas of their own to give the trick-or-treaters even more Halloween fun,” Zeigler said. “Halloween to me is about having fun with friends, family, and the community. We hope our visitors take with them great memories of an enjoyable experience that will keep them coming back year after year.”
Cianchetta said the logistics for the Haunted Hayride takes literally dozens of volunteers. Actors — students, faculty, and staff — are needed to assist visitors and to become part of the elaborate displays. Volunteers are asked to report to the Learning Center Parking Lot at 6 p.m. — they can bring their own costume or wear one of the available costumes. Costume and Halloween item donations will also be gratefully accepted prior to the event.
“We start by clearing out the intended path system. We then go back and walk the path finding the best locations for surprise scares, unmanned displays, fog machines, strobes, and manned displays,” he said. “Once we know where we want to put things we try to develop a theme for the overall event and each location in particular,”
According to Cianchetta, the Upper Dublin School District Parent-Teacher Organization will also be holding a special 10th anniversary event that begins at Ambler’s Haunted Hayride.
“We’re hoping that from this partnership some other area school districts or schools will follow suit,” he said. “We’d like to get involved with school communities in a variety of ways such as design projects, cooperative fund raising, or other community interest events.”
Ambler Campus Student Organizations are invited to directly participate in the Halloween Hayride, which is anticipated to welcome thousands of people over the two evenings. Organizations may share information about their organization and upcoming events with the area community; promote a community service event or charity drive; or just come out and have some haunted fun! Participating organizations are also asked to arrive at the Learning Center Parking Lot by 6 p.m.
“We’d like to have other festivities at the loading areas with the help of the campus student organizations. We hope that students and volunteers will have a lot of fun during the event; get to know and respect the areas of the campus that they don’t see every day; get to meet new people and form new relationships; and have a chance to interact with the community and allow them to network for future opportunities,” Cianchetta said. “Ultimately, I hope visitors leave saying that this was one of the most frightening and fun experiences they have ever had. I also hope that it increases the awareness of the campus and its unique and exceptional character.”
For more information about volunteering or how student organizations can participate in the Haunted Hayride, contact 609-647-4349, 267-640-7968, or tua79750@temple.edu.
For more information or to become a part of Operation Safe Trick-or-Treat, contact 717-756-6690 or tuc43975@temple.edu. |
