Spooky fun for Plains Halloween

Deer that normally leisurely stroll through Plains could be seen scrambling around the streets last Thursday. It wasn't predators moving the animals around town, but an assortment of little spooks, spacemen, princesses, football players, and super heroes.

However, the deer had some reprieve, thanks to organized events that kept the kids in one place, temporarily. Despite that there was a witch at Sunset Hills Funeral Home, an estimated 400 adults and kids visited the funeral parlor for donuts, hot and cold cider, hot chocolate, coffee and candy, said Mary Egbert, who owns the establishment with her husband, Wayne. Mary, the witch, said her husband dressed as a chocolate cupcake, but the kids tagged him a "poop emoji."

This is the 10th year the Egberts have opened their funeral parlor for Halloween, which they did last week for three and a half hours. "We really enjoy doing this," said Mary, who added that it took about a day to decorate the funeral parlor, including a skeleton in the hearse.

The Plains Lions Club entertained just over 120 people at Fred Young Park for more than two hours, as they have traditionally done for more than 60 years. The eight Lions and helper Nick Warren gave out 250 hot dogs, which were cooked on sticks over an open fire. Warren and his parents, Ron and Deb, made 40 willow sticks for the hot dogs. The Lions also gave out water and pop during their two-hour event. Thirty-four kids from 1-10 years old took part in the 2nd Annual Parade of Costumes Contest, judged by Lisa Larson and Cheri Minemyer. First place received $25, second, $15, and third $10. Third place went to jelly fishes; Plains residents Gracelyn Larsen, 5, and her sister, Clara Larsen, 3. Second place went to Paradise resident Maverick French, 2-1/2, dressed as a porcupine.

Top honors went to Kendall Spurr, 6, dressed as the Cowardly Lion. Her entire family went with the "Wizard of Oz" theme. Her sister, Cooper was Dorothy. Other cast members included the girls' mother, Whitney Tanner-Spurr as Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Her mother, Margo Tanner, was the Wicked Witch of the West. Steve Spurr, was the Scarecrow. Mark Tanner, the young girls' grandfather, was the Wizard; Adam Aguilera, 16, who lives with the Spurr family, was the Tin Man; the family dog was a flying monkey and Ashley Hawkins, pastor of the United Methodist Church in Plains, was the Yellow Brick Road. Whitney said they have picked a theme as a family for eight years. The two kids started selecting one when they got old enough. Initially, the family was going to be characters from the movie "Grease," but changed it when they found more clothes at yard sales and thrift stores that went with the "Wizard of Oz." However, Whitney said "Grease" will be used in the next coming years.

"We look forward to this every year," said Steve Spurr, the Lions president said of the club's Halloween Weenie Roast. "We like seeing families come out and enjoy themselves and making memories," he said.

For the third consecutive year, the United Methodist Church in Plains has opened its hall to the public for candied apples and drinks. "I think this is a good way for people to come together and it doesn't matter which church they go to or don't go to church at all. At the end, we're all the community of Plains," said Hawkins, who took over as pastor in July.

In addition, the Plains Woman's Club set up its pumpkin painting for kids in the church hall. For two hours, kids used the club's new acrylic markers and stickers to custom design their pumpkins. "They were very creative and there was a lot of mixed media decorations," said club member Anita Mitchell, who added that the kids were well behaved. During the evening, Paradise resident Cliff Stephens gave hay rides to people from event to event, making a handful of trips.

The Christian Alliance Church isn't sure how many people attended its annual Harvest Festival Thursday evening in the church gymnasium, where church members had a dozen games, along with goodies and drinks. The church has held a festival for 15-20 years. They had a variety of custom designed games, mostly run by members of the church youth group.

Gene Johnson of Plains made small wooden boats, powered by cardboard sails, for one of the more popular games at the festival, said Bridger Bauer, 14, who was manning the booth. Racers started at one end of the waterway rain gutters and blew their way to the finish line, about five feet away. The winner received two pieces of candy, second place got one.

Games also included a maze, shooting booths, ring tosses, and a Frankenstein face that had openings in his nose and mouth, where kids would reach in and get either a treat or a cooked noodle. One of the tougher contests was a fishing game that involved using a ring on the end of a string to set a pop bottle upright.

John Curry, the church's associate pastor, said the Alliance Church does the festival as an alternative to Halloween. "And it's a good safe place for the kids to come," said Curry. "Tonight is a night that is heavily promoted as Halloween, which carries with it the idea of dressing up as different characters, many which depict something that is related to darkness or death," wrote Curry in a handout. "As the church we recognize that the harvest has everything to do with God's provision. Tonight we celebrate the Lord's provision," said Curry.