750 kids take part in free Trunk or Treat event at Rulli Brothers

Staff report

BOARDMAN

The old expression that "it was like taking candy from a baby" hit a little too close to home for Dana Winters, so she found a way to give it back.

Winters, owner of Miss Dana's Diamonds Tumbling and Recreational All-Star Cheerleading, created the All-Inclusive Trunk or Treat, which debuted Sunday afternoon at Rulli Brothers on South Avenue. Rulli's and Miss Dana's Diamonds were co-sponsors of the event, which drew some 750 children, many of whom had special needs.

"It's really exciting to be able to do this," Winters said. "Especially for the kids with special needs because they often can't participate in traditional trick-or-treating, but they can come here and do this."

Winters said her daughter, Ainsley, 5, has food allergies and frequently would have to politely tell people during trick-or-treat that she couldn't have what they were passing out.

"Then we'd get home and my husband and I would have to sit down and go through all her candy and take everything away from her that she couldn't have," Winters said. "We felt terrible having to do that, so we wanted to give her and other kids who have special needs the means to trick-or-treat without worrying."

More than 45 businesses and nonprofit organizations were set up in Rulli's parking lot, passing out candy to children. They also had non-candy options available for those with allergies.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com.