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All in for Halloween
By Bob Jackson
BOARDMAN
The old expres- sion 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 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.
Inside the store, a special sensory trick-or-treat area was set up for children whose special needs make it difficult for them to follow the traditional treat-seeking ways. The indoor area was quieter with less commotion, and allowed kids to take their time. Candy and treat giveaway stations were set up at each of the store’s cash register stations, and kids were given treats and each stop.
At the end, each child was given a pumpkin to take home.
Melissa Smith of Austintown brought her 9-year-old son, Larry, who uses a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. Larry, who was dressed as a referee, smiled broadly as he was greeted at each outdoor station.
Melissa said the event is a godsend because it allows her to take Larry trick-or-treating in an atmosphere where he can participate with other, non-handicapped kids.
“I don’t do the door-to-door thing anymore,” she said. “This is much safer and nicer.”
Roxanne Taylor of Struthers attended with her 9-year-old daughter, Aubrey, a Down Syndrome patient who had trouble adjusting to the noisy environment at first. Once Roxanne got her calmed, Aubrey, who was dressed as Supergirl, was ready to hit the indoor trick-or-treat trail.
“She absolutely loves it,” Roxanne said as she watched her daughter smiling and hugging Winters and taking pictures with costumed volunteers. Taylor said she also liked that part of the event was indoors because Aubrey gets sick easily, so being outside in Sunday’s cold weather could have led to illness.
Michael Rulli, operations director of Rulli Brothers, said the company got involved with the event because his wife, Kelly, is Winters’ best friend. He said Winters identified a need in the community that needed addressed, so the company was glad to help.
Winters said proceeds from Sunday’s event will benefit The Walnut Grove, a special-needs and all-inclusive playground in Canfield. She is already planning to hold the Halloween-themed event again next year.