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Spook Walk 2008 a scary success

By JENNY GUNNELS - Correspondent
Thursday, October 30, 2008 12:18 PM PDT

Ichabod Crane and his girlfriend, portrayed by Jerry Redd and Jody Hensley, greet visitors at the Carlin Spook Walk. (Jenny Gunnels/Free Press Correspondent)

CARLIN - It was a scary night. The willow trails of the Chinese Garden were haunted and the bats were out, both flying above and chirping in the brush.

The 2008 Carlin Spook Walk was a big hit, beginning Friday with a free movie and scavenger hunt through the willow trails.

The scavengers paid $5 per two-person team, stopping at four different stations to search for the poker chip with their team number on it. Twelve teams searched through buckets containing “brains” (spaghetti), bat waste (Mountain Dew), twigs and sticks for their poker chips. Some chips were even hung from the willows themselves.

They were timed on their trip and they had to find all four of the chips with their team's number or they were disqualified. There was a tie for the first place prize of half of the entry fees collected. Team 12, Storm Sherwood and Julian Hernandez, and team 5, Stephanie and Jane Muckley, each took home $18.75 in prize money.

Scott Meshefski said at the Spook Walk's first year they were only expecting about 300 people to attend but about 1,000 turned out.

“We started this five years ago … and I got credited with causing the first Carlin traffic jam,” he said.

On Saturday night, the Spook Walk took place. Participants were able to stop at any of 14 booths by the pond.

Girl Scouts Junior Troop No. 225 served hot chocolate and coffee donated by Farmer's Brothers, along with Girl Scout shortbread cookies. The booth was manned by Sharry, Dinah and Reece Gunnels.

The American Legion Ladies' Auxiliary served tomato soup and hosted the Fish Pond, which was manned by Launa Jansen.

Carlin Cheerleaders hosted the Pumpkin Patch, which offered Pumpkin Bowling and Paint a Pumpkin, each for a dollar.

The American Youth Soccer Organization had a baked goods table manned by Barbara and Cadence Sparks.

The Carlin Cowgirls had the Chili Chuckwagon. It was manned by Nicole Gunnels, Carrie Brush, Jordan Brush, and Linda Wolfsteller. The Cowgirls donate all proceeds to the Carlin Friends of the Library.

The Carlin Volunteer Fire Department served up Sloppy Joes, coffee and hot chocolate, and small baked goods.They also hosted a Bean Bag Toss. The department's booth was manned by Nancy Abrams and Frank Bergwell.

The Police Officers' Association served hot dogs and hosted a Pie Toss. People seemed quite eager to toss a pie at a police officer even though the prize for a hit was a small goodie bag. The booth was manned by Coleena, Shawna and Tom Sherwood.

The booth to assist in the defrayment of medical expenses for Bobby Joseph served clam chowder in bread bowls for $4, and offered bingo at 25 cents a card.

The Carlin Wrestlers sold cotton candy at a booth manned by Coach Groves.

Cub Scout Pack 901 offered a ball toss, which was manned by various volunteer parents, and the Future Business Leaders of America had a Phantom Photo booth.

The Carlin eighth-grade class sold suckers and held a High Rollers game. The Carlin seventh-grade class held a ring toss. The prize at both was a two-liter bottle of soda.

Carlin's 4-H Club served hamburgers and chips. The booth was manned by Scott Gobber.

Big Guns Professional Audio was on hand to make announcements and provide the music and lighting for “The Masked Mutilators,” composed of Kari Pettinger, Misty Rae Owens Owens, Hoot Brazile, Shane Anthony, Wyatt Hutchings and Ellen, Mariah and Devin Meshefski, who performed a chainsaw demonstration and dance.

The act was performed nine times over the course of the evening.

Eleven “cubbies” made up the Spook Walk itself. The Carlin Volunteer Fire Department was first, followed by the Nelson Family, then the Smith Family. Next was the Carlin 4-H Club, then the Gunnels/Gates cubby, followed by the Meister/ Fontaine/McClellan cubby.

The Brown family assisted by Jeff Peterson was next, followed by the Hensley/Redd cubby which staged a Headless Horseman from the Sleepy Hollow story. The Belsey Family's cubby was next, followed by the cubby of the Carlin Open Door Senior Center. The last cubby was that of the Meshefski/Owens group manned by “The Masked Mutilators.”

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