THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 27, 1995 TAG: 9510250139
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 176 lines
Boo!
It's Halloween time. Need we say more?
With the Halloween weekend coming up, you can bet there are enough activities and parties going on to offer enough tricks and treats to even the most jaded Chesapeake ghosts and ghouls.
Here's a look at what's going on:
Chesapeake community centers
Halloween parties will be happening at all of Chesapeake's six neighborhood community centers.
All are free and all encourage participants to show up in their finest and scariest Halloween costumes.
``The Haunted Community Center'' will be the name of the Indian River Center, 2250 Old Greenbrier Road, Saturday.
The younger ones, ages 6-11, will get a tour of the haunted facility from 4 to 6 p.m. Then ages 12-15 will get their turn from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Call 424-4238 for more details.
The River Crest center at 1001 River Walk Parkway will present a Halloween Carnival on Monday for ages 12 and younger.
The festivities take place from 6 to 8 p.m. and will feature games, candy and contests. Parents must accompany their small children.
Call 436-3100 for more information.
It will be a regular ``Ghostly Gathering'' at the South Norfolk center, 1217 Godwin Ave., from 3 to 5 p.m. Monday.
Kids, 11 and younger, are invited to enjoy an afternoon of games, treats and prizes. Participants are encouraged to wear their ghoulish finery and parents must accompany their small children.
For more information and to register, call 543-5721.
This Monday means Halloween party time at the Deep Creek Community Center, 2901 Margaret Booker Drive.
Children, ages 11 and younger, are invited to don their Halloween finery for an afternoon full of fun from 3 to 5 p.m. Spooky events will include games, candy and refreshments.
Call the center at 487-8841 to register and for more information.
How about a ``Halloween Fling'' at the Western Branch Center, 4437 Portsmouth Blvd., from 6 to 9 p.m. this Monday?
Ages 11 and younger will enjoy a carnival of games and special events. There will be plenty of wrapped candy for everyone and prizes for the most original and scariest costumes.
Call the center at 465-0211 for more information.
Down at the Great Bridge Center at 212 Holt Drive, they'll call it a Halloween Happening taking place this Monday.
The spooktacular party takes place from 3 to 5 p.m. and will feature games, activities, refreshments and other ghostly events. Be sure to your wear your costume and bring your trick or treat bag along.
Call 547-6292 to register and for more information.
Chesapeake public libraries
There's more to the Chesapeake libraries than just books. Most of the branches also will feature Halloween parties and activities. Here's a run down:
The Chesapeake Central Library, 298 Cedar Road, will offer ghostly tales and movies on Monday beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The free event, open to all ages, will include several Halloween children's flicks and classic stories.
Call 547-6562 for more information.
The Greenbrier branch, 1214 Volvo Parkway, invite children of all ages to a special Halloween party taking place all day on the 31st. Wear your spookiest costume and see if you can scare the librarians. A treat will be given to any goblin who drops by.
No registration is required. Call 436-4656 for more information.
Western Branch's Russell Memorial Library, 2808 Taylor Road, invites kids of all ages to a Parade of Costumes, taking place all day long Tuesday.
Just put on your costume and drop by. You will be given a special treat, but come early since treats are limited. And check out the costumes worn by the Children's Department staff.
Call the library at 465-3123 for more information. No registration is required.
Over at the South Norfolk Memorial Library, 1100 Poindexter St., it will be a Monday full of ``Pumpkins, Bats and Cold Black Cats'' at 3:30 p.m.
The afternoon will include Halloween stories, crafts, fun and games. Children are urged to wear their costumes.
No registration is required and for more information, call 545-2436.
Treats at the malls
If you prefer to have your children trick or treat in a safe, warm and well- lighted environment, just take them to either one of Chesapeake's malls. Both are offering inside-the-mall Halloween fun.
Both Chesapeake Square Mall, 4200 Portsmouth Blvd., and Greenbrier Mall, 1401 Greenbrier Parkway South, will offer indoor trick or treating for all ages from 6 to 8 p.m. on the 31st.
Both malls say the trick-or-treaters need only enter any store for a nice treat. And many of the mall merchants also will be dressed up in the spirit of the holiday.
In addition, Chesapeake Square will hold a costume contest for children at 7 p.m. at the mall's Center Court.
And for those who want to get into the spirit of Halloween early, come by the Western Branch Mall tonight for a ``Phantom of the Opera Costume Contest,'' also taking place at 7 p.m. at the mall's Center Court.
The winning costume - it can be any kind and not necessarily one with a Phantom theme - will win two tickets to the popular musical, which will be playing soon at Norfolk's Chrysler Hall.
Haunted Forest and House of Horrors
If you want to further your Halloween experience, take in either the Chesapeake Jaycees Haunted House or the Deep Creek Football & Cheering Association's House of Horrors.
Both attractions will be open through Halloween night, Oct. 31.
The Chesapeake Jaycees' Haunted Forest on Crossways Road and Eden Way North will be open for satanic strolls tonight through Tuesday.
The third annual Halloween House of Horrors is situated at the Deep Creek Ruritan Log Cabin, on George Washington Highway, directly behind the Deep Creek Fire Station.
Proceeds from the house will be used by the Deep Creek Football and Cheering Association. MEMO: [Appeared on page 11.]
BEST BETS/Eric Feber
For this spooky season, the Best Bet the Clipper can offer is have a
fun and safe Halloween. Here are some tips and advice from experts for a
safe evening:
Who can trick or treat? - The Chesapeake Police Department Public
Information Office advises everybody that Halloween trick-or-treating
can only take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31.
Only children 12 and younger are permitted to go out, accompanied by
a responsible adult.
According to Chesapeake Police, ``Children over the age of 12 are not
permitted to participate in these activities. Anyone violating these
city laws, could be charged with a misdemeanor.''
Tricks in those treats? - The Chesapeake Police Department also
advises that if you suspect tampering with any of your child's treats,
do not eat the candy and immediately call the police at 547-6161.
And remember to keep the candy and the original wrapping so the
police can document the complaint.
If you need further proof that your child's treats contain no tricks,
take the Halloween booty over to the Patient First Center at 705 N.
Battlefield Blvd.
There technicians will X-ray your child's candy at no cost. If the
candy is found to be safe, your child will have fun looking at their
candy's X-ray.
``We don't expect to find anything suspicious, but X-raying the
children's candy bags can ease parents' worries,'' said George Morrison,
president of Patient First.
For more information, call the Chesapeake facility at 547-7511 and
ask the receptionist for the X-ray service on Halloween.
And remember, X-raying candy will only show foreign objects in the
treats, it does not detect any added drugs or chemicals.
A safe Halloween is a happy Halloween - To make sure your children
have a fun and safe Halloween evening, the Chesapeake Police Department
and McGruff the Crime Dog offer these safety tips:
Wear light-colored clothing that is short to prevent tripping.
Add reflective tape to your child's costume to increase visibility.
Make sure your children can see well through their mask, or better
yet, use make-up.
Always accompany your children.
Stay within your neighborhood and only go to homes you know.
Only visit homes with an outside light on.
Stay on sidewalks and watch out for traffic.
Only accept treats wrapped by the candy company and accept no candy
that is loose or re-wrapped.
Have an adult examine all candy before eating.
Keep pets away from children, they may not recognize children in
their costumes.
Avoid using any sharp props.
Do most trick-or-treating before dark.
To consume or not to consume? - It's the same story every year, after
your child carries his or her booty home they'll want to gobble up as
much candy as they can.
The Children's World Learning Centers offers this advice:
Parents should develop their own rules about the amount of candy a
child can eat. If a child has eaten a normal dinner, having excess candy
on Halloween night shouldn't cause any problems.
If your child is hyperactive or drowsy on the day after Halloween,
it's probably due to inadequate sleep rather than sugar intake.
Try to give out nutritional treats and offer a variety.
by CNB