THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510260178
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Nick, 11, and Scott Hansen, 13, want to amaze people for Halloween. For the second year, the brothers and several friends have built a frightening maze in the back yard of their parents' home in the Dunbarton neighborhood.
The maze consists of black plastic strung over ropes. As visitors wind through, they meet with cobwebs, an electric chair, a butcher's table, spooky music, sounds of a beating heart and howling dogs, strobe lights and ``scare stations.''
Manned by the Hansen boys, who both attend Kempsville Middle School, and their co-conspirators, the stations are hidden by the hanging plastic. When brave visitors step through one of the curtains, they are surprised by the sudden appearance of a ghoulishly-bedecked young prankster.
``It took about a month to build,'' said John Yorty, 14, a student at Virginia Beach Middle School. It will take about two days to disassemble and store everything for Halloween 1996.
Yorty stood on a flat roof above the maze with Larry Campbell, 13, another Virginia Beach Middle School student. Campbell had a severed leg in his arms and an evil grin on his face.
Jeane Hansen serves as hostess, consultant, ticket agent, supervisor - and mom.
``I stand at the entrance and oversee the maze,'' she said. ``I let the boys know what age child is coming through, for instance, so they can gear their show for that. We use one to 10 on the scare scale.''
Scott came up with the idea last year after he injured his shoulder and couldn't play football. The injury was exacerbated because his dad coaches and all of his friends play.
``He had to do something, he was so bored,'' said Jeane Hansen.
He got permission from his parents to use the backyard and enlisted school friends and sports teammates to help.
``I wanted to do something different,'' said Scott.
Stephen MacDonald, 12, of Kempsville Middle School, sat at a bloody-looking plywood platform, his head protruding from a hole in the center. A severed arm and plastic machete were on the butcher table next to his head.
It takes about eight to 10 minutes to negotiate the maze. Adults pay $1, children 5 and older pay 50 cents and those under 5 can get scared for free.
The maze opened for scary business last weekend and will open at 7 p.m. today, Saturday and Halloween. On Tuesday, kids can gain admission by simply donating candy.
``It's fun,'' said Jeane Hansen, who works in retail sales. ``They learn about business, investments and a little drama.''
As if to prove her point, Matt Brandl, 12, from Kempsville Middle School, said, ``Even with the 400 percent admission increase from last year, we had a good first night. We collected about $22.''
They plowed last Halloween's profits back into this year's production.
As for drama, the boys have done a convincing job.
``A football player we know came in and he got so scared he tried to go up and over a wall at a scare station,'' said Nick.
``Maybe the boys can carry on with this, pass it along to their kids,'' said Jeane Hansen. MEMO: The Halloween Maze is at 828 Hialeah Drive near the intersection of
Princess Anne Road and Timberlake Drive.
ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY EDWARDS
John Yorty, left, and Larry Campbell, both Virginia Beach Middle
School students, stand ominously on a flat roof above the maze with
a ``severed leg.''
Stephen MacDonald, 12, of Kempsville Middle School, sits at a
bloody-looking plywood platform, his head protruding from a hole in
the center. A severed arm and plastic machete were on the butcher
table next to his head.
by CNB