Events in the Station at Mill Point neighborhood and the Loy Center neighborhood for Greek Life fostered a sense of community between Elon University students and families who live in the Burlington area.
By Sarah Mulnick ’17
Elon University students welcomed children from surrounding communities to campus on Sunday to celebrate Halloween with two trick-or-treating opportunities and other family activities.
Featuring pumpkin painting, mini-golf, house decorating and costume contests – not to mention plenty of candy – the mid afternoon “Trick of Treat on Greek Street” involved dozens of fraternity and sorority members who live in the Loy Center residential neighborhood.
Students taking part in ELONTHON, a springtime dance marathon that raises money for Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center and the Children’s Miracle Network, also hosted face-painting. They had invited to campus some of the boys and girls they support.
“It really is a tradition for Greek students,” said Elon junior Joe Ward, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon who worked with Lindsey Hammond, assistant director of Greek Life, and fellow student Gaby Leibowitz to organize the Oct. 27 afternoon event.
Costume contests interspersed the trick or treating. Characters ranged from a tiny lion to Merida from the Disney movie “Brave,” complete with bow and arrow.
“We come every year,” said elementary school student Bryan Browdy, dressed Sunday as the Doctor from Doctor Who. “I wanted to see if anyone would know what my costume was!”
“So far three people have known,” he added. “Others just think I am Inspector Gadget.”
The Station at Mill Point had a similar set up later in the afternoon, with a route for trick-or-treating supplemented by a contest for the best-decorated front porches and an opportunity to decorate cookies in the guesthouse.
“The purpose is really to allow a sense of community to develop within the greater [Elon] population,” said Angel Garcia, assistant director of Student Life at the Station at Mill Point.
For many parents, including Assistant Professor Rachel Force, who brought her daughter to Loy Center, the opportunity to interact with Elon students while offering children a safe and fun afternoon couldn’t be ignored.
“We wanted her to have the trick-or-treating experience,” Force said. Visiting the Loy Center did exactly that.