Maya McFadden Photo
The Knickerbocker Golf Club, Inc. made sure the kids of Newhallville didn’t fret this Halloween, finding a Covid-safe way to stage its 10th Annual Inner City Kid Safe Halloween Celebration.
Organizers remained on one side of the fence decorated with pumpkins, skeletons, and spider webs, while families walked along the other side of the fence picking up bags of treats.
In the past, the annual event would host more than 300 kids for the Halloween party indoors with a variety of activities like dance contests and zumba.
This year’s treats consisted of not only candy but bags of snacks, Lunchables, socks, gloves, and books. The club asked for donations beyond candy to help relieve parents of food and clothing needs admist a pandemic and as the weather gets colder.
The organizers had no doubt that the annual tradition would continue this year. “It’s important to show these kids that they count. That we care about them even while things are hard,” said lead organizer EMarie Russell-Bell.
The event was supported by donations from Yale University, Empress SC CT, the Firebirds Society of the Greater New Haven, Inc., club members, and the community.
Organizers bagged 300 bags and distributed about half on Saturday. The remaining bags will be donated to kids’ organizations throughout the city, Russell-Bell said.
Before his three grandkids got out his car, Arthur Allen Jr. took a picture of them dressed up as a police man, ninja turtle, and lady bug from the car. As the trio, ages 9, 6, and 4, picked up their goodies, Allen watched from afar, “glad they can get something normal and good.”
While planning, the organizers ruled out a drive-by even,t as many families walked or took the bus to the event each year.
“We’ve always been emphasizing saftey. It’s in the name. Because we know that New Haven isn’t the safest on Halloween,” Russell-Bell said.
Patricia Newton-Foster (at right in photo) donated $500 to the event as a board member of the club. Newton-Foster gave the first 100 kids each $5 and encouraged them to save up. “When you get to my age, you can be rich, paying your way through college yourself,” she said while handing out the donations.
Tennille Murphy handed out books donated from the Read to Grow organization to help families build a home library and give the youth “something to do besides electronics.” Murphy encouraged visiting parents to start lap reading with their young kids.
“Even if I had to stand on a corner to make these kids feel special, this was going to happen,” Russell-Bell said.
Thank you to everyone who made sure children had their socially distanced Halloween fun and provided other items as well.