Trunk-or-Treat fosters community connections

By Brianna Wallen

News Editor

As Halloween arrived, families in the community got ready for a festive night at the Trunk-or-Treat event. 

On Thursday, Oct. 31, the Brownell Parking Lot was transformed into a spooky wonderland, as cars and tables were decorated in everything from spiderwebs to pumpkins. 

 Students, staff and faculty were able to give back to the community one piece of candy at a time.  

 “I just like seeing everyone celebrate Halloween, and I feel great giving back to the kids,” business administration major Gabriel Toppin, a freshman, said.  

 Toppin participated in the event by giving out candy to families with his peer mentor class.  

 “It was cool to see everybody dressed up in their costumes and seeing the kids have a fun time,” Toppin said. 

 Other students also celebrated a night of thrills and togetherness. Business administration major Lexi Aldieri, a freshman, said that she enjoyed seeing the event’s big turnout. 

 “I think seeing everyone come together as a community was the best part,” Aldieri said.  

 While many students handed out candy with their INQ class, others attended to represent various organizations under the university.  

 Many clubs, fraternities, sororities and sports teams came together as volunteers for Trunk-or-Treat.  

 Interdisciplinary studies major Dawin Magloire, a senior, represented Iota Phi Theta with his fraternity brothers.  

 Magloire said he attended the event because it fulfilled one of his fraternity’s core values. 

 “We also like to serve the community,” Magloire said. “It aligns with our value of citizenship by uplifting the community.”  

Magloire also said that the event was a good opportunity for families and children to get into the Halloween spirit with the community.  

 “I liked seeing the kids participate in something outdoorsy and get outside their house,” Magloire said. 

Trunk-or-Treat is a family-friendly alternative to traditional trick-or-treating. 

The creative method became popular across the country after the pandemic, as families wanted to celebrate Halloween festivities in a safe way. 

Subsequently, Trunk-or-Treat can bring a sense of togetherness by uniting the community to come out and celebrate with one another. 

 For many students that were distributing candy, it can bring a wave of nostalgia, as it reminds them of when they celebrated the holiday as adolescents.   

 “Now, I’m giving out candy to the kids when I used to be the one trick-or-treating,” Toppin said.  

 Regardless of if students celebrate the holiday, they still decided to participate in the event. One of these students was business administration major Ismael Valdivieso, a freshman.  

 “I don’t celebrate Halloween, but I like that we are giving back to the community,” Valdivieso said. “It’s a really cool idea.” 

 With community and spooky spirit in the air, many students hope that their participation played an important role in impacting local families that attended Trunk-or-Treat.  

 “I hope to make a lot of kids’ nights,” Aldieri said, “especially those who may not have the ability to have a great Halloween.”