Airway Heights puts on third Trunk or Treat

Trick-or-treaters in Airway Heights looking for a place to go on Halloween - or a chance to get some extra candy in their buckets - can head over to the Sunset Elementary School parking lot.

The Airway Heights Parks and Recreation Department is once again collaborating with Sunset Elementary PTO for the third annual Trunk or Treat event Oct. 31, starting at 6 p.m.

According to J.C. Kennedy, Airway Heights Parks, Recreation and Community director, the city began Trunk or Treat back in 2012, as a way to offer children a safe place to go on Halloween night.

"What safer place is there than the elementary school parking lot," Kennedy said.

Children and parents arrive at the school parking lot where they receive candy from businesses and community members, who decorate their vehicles in pumpkins, spider-webs or any theme relating to Halloween. The city gives out awards for the best-decorated vehicle.

Motion Auto Supply is one of the local businesses participating in this year's Trunk or Treat. Last year, they made one of their big trucks up to look like a witch's cauldron and a couple of the drivers played witches. They received the Best Business/Corporate entry award.

"It's a great deal," Jay Alstrom, Motion Auto employee, said. "It keeps everything local, gets the community together, good place for kids to go. It's safe."

Although Motion Auto has not decided what their theme will be for this year's event, Alstrom said, "It will be something good."

"We've got to defend that best business title," he added.

Last year the Parks Department used one of their trucks and made it into a cage with Parks and Recreation employees dressed up as monsters. The Police Department decorated one of their SWAT trucks to look like a scene out a horror movie with Police Chief Lee Bennett and Sgt. Robert Swan wearing jumpsuits and hockey masks.

"We enjoyed doing it last year," Bennett said. "It's a good thing that the city puts on and we plan to participate this year."

Kennedy said that Halloween has changed over the years with less children going door-to-door to collect candy from their neighbors.

"Parents are more leery about letting their kids go out into the community," Kennedy said. "Companies and organizations have big events like these at malls and in church parking lots. It was good that we were able to get a start on this kind of event. Hopefully it continues to grow."

Al Stover can be reached at al@cheneyfreepress.com.