Temple Police and the Norris Homes After-School Program worked together to create a fun-filled Halloween celebration for children in the neighborhood on Monday, October 31st. The Avenue of the Treats event provided kids and families with a safe way to celebrate Halloween and socialize with people in the area.
Activities
Avenue of the Treats took place at the North Central Community Center on 11th and Norris from 4 pm to 7 pm. Inside the center, volunteers had created a huge haunted house experience throughout the building. Alexander Williams, Assistant Supervisor, knew the design needed to be elaborate. He said “we definitely had to meet different parts that focused on people’s fears like clowns, bugs, spiders, and all that good stuff.” Visitors would enter the tour through the back of the main room of the center. Once visitors were done with the haunted house, volunteers presented them with free snacks and drinks.
In addition to the haunted house, there were activities taking place on Norris Street. Temple Police closed off part of Norris so kids could play video games right outside the community center. There were two trailers with flat screen TVs and multiple video game consoles for the kids to use. Visitors had the option to play Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and other video games consoles throughout the afternoon.
The Mission
Temple Police made an effort to connect with the children in attendance in order to create a positive relationship. Temple Police officer, Leroy Wimberly, said “we interact with the kids and the community because one, for them to feel safe, and two, to bridge the gap.”
The Norris Homes After-School Program provides fun and safe activities for kids in more ways than just a Halloween celebration. Director of the program, Donna Richardson, explained why these events are so important. “We had seen a bunch of children in our community that didn’t have as fair of a shot as others,” Richardson said. “We figured, instead of complaining, let’s get up and do something.”
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