CULLMAN, Ala. – Residents lined the sidewalk in wheelchairs and loungers, decked out in witches’ hats and Halloween attire, beaming at the sight of superheroes, princesses and other-worldly creatures creeping into the parking lot of Woodland Village Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center (WVRHC) on Thursday, Oct 26. The COVID-19 pandemic forced WVRHC to cancel the event for the last three years, but the facility was finally able to resume its annual fall festival this year.
Food from Carnival Cravings and The Street Kitchen satiated trick-or-treaters who craved something with more substance than Twizzlers or other sweets. Jeeps from 3Sixty Jeep Club covered in caution tape and concealing killer clowns, as well as the Sanderson Sisters even made a spectacular appearance, treating children to candy rather than tricking them and stealing their souls. The lawn of WVRHC was covered with spooky inflatables and lighted spiderwebs, the perfect distractions for all of the sugared-up pirates and cowgirls.
From 5-7 p.m., squeals and laughter filled the warm air, a telltale sign that somebody was having a spectacular time. The night was a “monstrous” success, leaving questions as to who enjoyed the night more: children giggling while taking inventory of their loot, parents smiling at the thought of collecting their “parent tax” (free candy!) at the end of the night or the residents beaming with excitement.
WVHRC Administrator Emily Holcomb said she was blown away by the community’s willingness to show up for the residents in her facility. “It’s really a great turnout. We are very happy with all the children and families that have come through,” said Holcomb, who chuckled and added, “They should sleep well tonight,” speaking of both the children and the residents. Decoration sand preparation were handled with the utmost seriousness. Holcombe remarked, “They (residents) actually came out at about 3 o’clock, even though it didn’t start until 5. They sat out there and just prepared it.”
With the overwhelming success of WVRHC’s fall festival, it is hard to believe that just days ago, Holcomb wasn’t even sure if they would have enough candy donations to hand out to children. “I think about a week ago we had 600 pounds,” Holcomb said. In years past, successful festivals have seen as much as 1,600 pounds of candy cross into trick-or-treating buckets. Thanks to more than a few kind donations, Holcomb smiled from ear to ear and revealed, “I had a lot of people that just came to the front door and dropped candy off because they came and said, ‘I saw that you needed candy.’ We ended up with over 1,200 pounds of candy that the community donated, we have packed candy bags all day!”
WVRHC is located at 1900 Olive St., and can be reached by phone at 256-739-1490.
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