THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 23, 1994 TAG: 9410210350
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY REBECCA A. MYERS, Staff writer
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines
Sixteen-foot spiders will hang from the ceiling, tombstones will mark the spots once reserved for cars, an eerie fog will hover over the cold concrete slab, while scarecrows mingle with ghosts over a pot of witch's brew.
The Edinburgh Parking Garage on County Street will take on the ambience of a graveyard from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday for ``A Very Special Halloween'' party.
Preparations are being made to entertain up to 1,000 children for the Halloween bash, with special consideration given to the needs of the disabled.
``It's not necessarily just for special-needs children, because we really want to draw a mixed audience,'' said Sharon Warren, principal of the DAC Center, a special education school for preschoolers.
``But if you do have a child in a wheelchair, transportation and space for movement has been taken into account,'' she said.
FOR FUN AND GAMES, organizers are concentrating on ``multi-sensory'' activities, such as sponge painting and haystack treasure hunting, so that everyone - regardless of one's circumstances - will be able to participate.
``With the sponge painting, for example, there's the tactile feel of the sponge and the paint, so a blind child still can feel what they're doing, feel the sponge and feel its shape,'' Warren said.
DAC Center volunteers, many of whom know sign language, might be able to assist in translating ghost stories for the hearing-impaired.
Other activities include stenciling, puppet making, pumpkin decorating, mask making, miniature golf, face and hand painting, witch toss, sand bucket treasures, spook tents and a marshmallow hang.
Representatives from 12 agencies make up the volunteer committee that planned ``A Very Special Halloween.''
``We opened it to any of the organizations who wanted to be involved,'' Warren said. ``Obviously, we were more than happy to have involvement from as many organizations as we could get. It's been a fun committee to work with because everybody's really excited about it.''
Presented by Ports Events, the event gives the disabled population a chance to have some integration with their non-disabled peers.
``I just think it's wonderful that Ports Events has made the effort and has recognized that we do have a large disabled population,'' Warren said.
Carolyn Dennis, who is chairing the committee, said committee members are ``like children in a candy store with this!''
Said Dennis: ``This brings back so many memories, and I just would love for all of the kids to be able to participate in something traditional, the way we used to . . . bring back the wholesomeness to it.''
Because the first party last year was canceled due to rain, this year's gala was two years in the making.
``I was on the planning committee last year and we were really disappointed when it didn't happen,'' said Janet MacArthur of Edmarc Hospice for Children, which will sponsor a Marshmallow Hang, a Pumpkin Patch Pick and a Witch Toss.
``That's why we decided to hold it this year where we could have it rain or shine,'' MacArthur said. ``I think it's going to be wonderful to have it in the garage. It's pretty spooky-looking anyhow!''
Children, as well as their parents, are encouraged to come in costumes. The event is free and open to the public.
``We are not turning anyone away. It's for all kids, particularly those with disabilities, but we welcome everybody,'' Dennis said.
Each of the following organizations participated in the planning of ``A Very Special Halloween'' and will sponsor the following activities:
CANDII - Spook Tents
Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters (Elizabeth River Circle) - Halloween Puppets
Children's Museum of Virginia - Mask Making
DAC - Sponge Painting, Stenciling and Face Painting
Edmarc Hospice for Children - Marshmallow Hang, Pumpkin Patch Pick and Witch Toss
Mayor's Committee for Persons with Disabilities - Face and Hand Painting
Portsmouth Fire Department - Sparky the Fire Dalmatian
Portsmouth Parks and Recreation - Haystack Scramble
Portsmouth Police Department - Crimebusters
Portsmouth YMCA - Paper Pumpkin Decorating
Sentara - Sentara Health Nuts
Tidewater Down Syndrome Association - Miniature Golf
Virginia Association of the Blind - Sand Bucket Treasures and a Seeing-Eye Dog MEMO: For more information about ``A Very Special Halloween,'' call 393-8432.
by CNB