By Reina Werth, Staff Writer
People of all ages with special needs trick-or-treated indoors at the Parkway Chateau on Oct. 26.
Walking through the doors, any one of the 400 to 500 people who came to this event could feel the excitement in the air. The event boasted live music and free food, but most importantly, a safe environment for people with special needs.
The event was created eight years ago, when a parent of a child with special needs came to Country Inn & Suites management and explained that many children with special needs did not have the opportunity to experience traditional trick-or-treating.
Many children with special needs cannot trick-or-treat in the typical fashion, due to being in wheelchairs, having sensitive immune systems, and sometimes parents do not feel it is safe to take their child out trick-or-treating.
The celebration was originally held inside the hotel itself, but after a change in management, the event was moved to the Parkway Chateau, a banquet hall next to The Brat Stop, said Nadia Rodriguez, Country Inn & Suites general manager, and the organizer of the Special Needs Halloween event for the past six years.
All of the kids had fun dressing up in costumes from Wonder Woman and Spider-Man to Elsa from Frozen, and even a fidget spinner. They trick-or-treated table to table, which had been set up by around 40 businesses such as Carmax, Tender Touch Therapy, and the Paddock Lake Lions Club.
In addition, the Kenosha Police Department, as well as the Kenosha Fire Department, joined in on the fun and met many children dressed up as police or firefighters.
“This event makes it really nice, and the kids look forward to it every year,” said Jackie Case, a mother of three children with special needs, who have been coming to collect candy for three years.
Three unique rooms had been decorated. The first room held a few tables, Spider-Man singing and playing the piano, and free pizza and drinks. The next provided a mini maze, games, and a special treat at the end. The third was a quiet room with more tables for the trick-or-treaters to visit.
Rodriguez’s favorite part of the event is seeing everyone come together for such an amazing event.
“It makes everything worth it,” Rodriguez said.
The holiday may soon outgrow the Parkway Chateau, according to Rodriguez, as attendance has grown substantially every year. Rodriguez, who plans to organize the trick-or-treating safe haven for as long as she can, believes that eventually they could have as many as 100 businesses involved. Many parents value having a safe place for their kids to trick-or-treat.
“The event means a lot, because we have a kid with special needs,” said Kimberly Nevren, a first time attendee, who found out about the festivities through Facebook.
However, for the kids, it is just a fun time, when all they have to worry about is collecting candy.
“It’s all about the candy. C-A-N-D-Y,” said Case, laughing.