Thank you to all of our sponsors, donors, Haunt Hosts and the entire "Village" for making this event a huge success!
Check out these Videos from the Event!
DRIVE BOO!
SPOOKY DELIVERY!
Six Feet Trick or Treat Event Details
Now, more than ever, students and families need normalcy—and fun—in their lives.
And we know how much you—and the ENTIRE community—look forward to and enjoys our Annual H.U.G.S. Trunk or Treat Event! The event has provided a safe alternative to typical Trick or Treating for students in our community, where families can gather during day light hours at our High School to visit car trunks decorated with different Halloween Themes.
This year we had a different kind of safety in mind!
In order to remain socially responsible, and socially distant, we planned a new event: H.U.G.S Six Feet Trick or Treat! This FREE event took place on Saturday, October 24. Students and families in Woodland Hills were given two options: Spooky Delivery or our Drive-Boo. Families were asked to choose whether to have bags of candy delivered to their home by one of our “henchmen” (volunteers) OR families could visit the District’s former Intermediate School for a spooky drive-thru where they remained in their vehicle and receive candy at the end.
The challenge was to express to our supporters that there would be no trunks or families handing out candy. Instead, the Foundation would raise money to purchase treats and décor through grassroots fundraising and the success of event would rest on the shoulders of volunteers. Thanks to the support of our Sponsors and “The Village” of Woodland Hills, we exceeded our goal of $5,000. We truly could not exist without your support.
In order to make the “Drive-Boo” a truly fun and interactive experience, the Foundation called on 20 groups (student/school groups, families, community groups, groups of friends, alumni, etc.) of no more than four individuals each to help us assemble our spooky Drive-Boo course. Each group was separated by 20 feet and were given 20-30 feet of space to decorate and "haunt" (wave at passersby). They were also asked to wear masks at all times and to not hand out candy. Instead, a team of 4 volunteers pre-assembled and handed out treat bags to over 600 children at the end of the Drive-Boo. The Drive-Boo truly would not have been the spooky and fun experience it was without the help of our volunteers and our Haunt Hosts.
The “Spooky Delivery” portion of the event held its own challenges but was equally successful. Families were asked to visit our website in order to sign up for either the Spooky Delivery or the Drive Boo. For those who selected the Spooky Delivery, they were asked to give their name, address, number of children and were asked if any child in their family had an allergy. Woodland Hills Foundation Vice President Jessica Reed worked with three community member volunteers: Reverend Gloria Dixon of UrNot4Got10 Community Outreach of the Unity Baptist Church; Cathy Turner of H.O.O.P and Brenda Stewart of the Rankin Christian Center. Together, they identified housing plans in the school district where large drop-offs could be made. These three community volunteers delivered pre-made and boxed treat bags to each of these apartment buildings and housing plans. Jessica mapped out the remaining home/apartment deliveries and worked to secure delivery driver volunteers (who have received all necessary clearances associated with volunteering in the district) including H.U.G.S. volunteers and teachers from the district. At the conclusion, nearly 650 treat bags were delivered to children in Woodland Hills.
One delivery person, H.U.G.S. volunteer, Gail Harper said afterward, "I had so much fun. People that I met were lovely and the kids all said thank you. I even got complimented on my costume several times. Thank you for letting me be a part of the fun and thank you for my own treat bag!"
Special thanks to the following for providing extra special treats for our bags: UrNot4Got10/Lee Davis & Associates; Scene 75; Apple Cookie Company; and countless friends and families who made special drop-offs and filled our various "Candy Monsters" (candy collection areas) throughout the district. Additionally, the Woodland Hills teachers' union (WHEA) donated 9V batteries so that every car/home participating would be encouraged to change their smoke detector batteries when the clocks change next weekend.
The Woodland Hills Foundation and H.U.G.S. recognizes the importance of bringing back some normalcy to children in these trying times. However, as a Foundation which directly supports the Woodland Hills School District, it is our responsibility to do everything in our power to keep our children and families safe. In the end, we are proud to have provided a safe option for families who, like us, prefer to err on the side of caution.
For everyone involved, the best part was seeing the smiles on the faces of everyone who drove through or excitedly answered the door to receive their deliveries. One supporter, Denise Marie Lettich commented on Facebook "We truly do have a Village within our School District and our Community. Even when things are so not normal, you all seem to find a way to make Life better. I know it took a Village to pull this off. Thank you all."
