by Cori Hilsgen
news@thenewsleaders.com
As the Halloween holiday fast approaches, pumpkins, skeletons, and other fall or scary decor can be seen on houses, lawns and more in the area. For those interested in celebrating the holiday, local families are once again invited to visit the College of St. Benedict residence halls.
“Halloween in the Halls” will be celebrated from 1-3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, in the Aurora, Corona and Regina residence halls.
The celebration will also include a Halloween carnival at the Gorecki Dining Center. Activities will include games, prizes and carriage rides.
Alex Staskiewicz, Lottie Hall residence director, and Elle Larsen, Regina Hall residence director, are the co-chairs of the event.
“As I am new to the campus, it’s exciting to be a part of an event that sustains a strong bond between the campus and community,” Staskiewicz said.
She said they lean on their fellow residential life and house staff, both students and professionals, as well as other campus organizations and individuals to help with the execution of the event on the day it takes place, but she and Larsen work hard to put all the pieces of the event together beforehand.
Staskiewicz said about 450 people attended last year’s event.
According to an Oct. 24, 2014, article by Sr. Louis Wedl and published in The Record, the college’s newspaper, the tradition of Halloween in the Halls began in 1989 after the abduction of 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling of St. Joseph.
People in the area were very fearful of allowing their children to dress in costumes and go door-to-door to ask for candy and treats as they had in previous years.
Sister Susan Rudolph, the director of housing at the college, thought it would be a good idea to invite parents to bring their children to Mary Hall for trick-or-treating. Other residence directors liked and agreed with her suggestion.
The tradition of visiting the college’s halls in costumes to collect treats from students and staff has continued throughout the years.
“I am pleased to have been a part of planning Halloween in the Halls this year,” Larsen said. “It is such a fun, family-friendly event that it’s hard to imagine it stemmed from such a tragic event. Halloween in the Halls is, at its core, a testament to the strength a community has when disaster strikes.”
The event includes a tribute to Jacob Wetterling and his family. Prayer cards will be available. The event and treats are funded by the college’s Department of Residential Life and Housing.
For more information about the event, contact Larson at 320-363-5619 or e1larsen@csbsju.edu.
College of St. Benedict director of housing, Mary Beth Thompson (right), is shown with her family at last year’s Halloween in the Halls event. This year’s event will be celebrated from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 in the Aurora, Corona and Regina residence halls. The celebration will also include a Halloween carnival at the Gorecki Dining Center. Activities will include games, prizes and carriage rides.
A College of St. Benedict student hands out treats to children during last year’s Halloween in the Halls event.
