Thinking back to when I was a child growing up in the country, October was always a special time of the year. Harvest festivals, grange fairs, hayrides, Mischief Night, pumpkin patches…, it seemed like every weekend was more fun than the last – a trade-off for having to return to school. But no day was better than the last day of the month when we were turned loose to go trick-or-treating.

Times have changed a bit since my friends and I were left to our own devices, running through the woods and down the middle of country roads til long past dark, begging candy off strangers, wearing rudimentary costumes made of cheap plastic. While times are safer, if not necessarily better – although costumes sure have come a long way – one thing that still brings Halloween magic to kids of all ages is the Haunted House.

For the last few years our Lockwood, Bair Family and McKinley Clubhouses have created Haunted House events that have brought huge numbers of family members, and this year is no doubt going to be another record-breaking year. The Lockwood Clubhouse is hosting their annual haunted house on two back-to-back nights. Thursday, October 10^th will be a toned-down event for our younger members or those who don’t love the jump scares, and then Friday, the 11^th will be an all-out heart-stopping production. Bair Family and Mckinley will host their super-scary Haunted House two weeks later on Friday the 25^th at the Bair Family Clubhouse.

The Club staff are working hard on this year’s events! They will take Club members and their families back…. about 3,000 years and hand them over to hideous Gorgon, Medusa. She will lead everyone through the scariest parts of Mt. Olympus, such as the Underworld and her very own garden of stone. If they are lucky, they may make it safely through and receive a prophecy from the oracle.

Lockwood Dates/Times: 10/11/24 and 10/11/24 from 6:00pm- 8:00pm

(1932 Hwy 87 East)

Bair Family Date/Time: 10/25/24 from 6:00pm-8:00pm

(505 Orchard Lane)

There will be food and refreshments as well as a community-led trunk-or-treat at both locations.