By Isabella Cerveira
Halloween makes October one of the most fun months of the year. To engage the community, Cuyahoga Community College had an event called Trunk or Treat at the Tri-C Eastern Campus for the first time from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 23, 2024. The event was promoted via flyers on the Eastern campus and the college website. It was advertised as an all-ages free event with a touch truck activity at the law enforcement and firefighter vehicles exhibition. The event aimed to target families with kids living in Cleveland’s east side.
The inaugural Trunk or Treat was a successful event. Many families with kids dressed in Halloween costumes such as T-Rex, Mickey Mouse, Mario and Luigi, witches, Disney princesses, superheroes, and aliens. The kids were excited to get the candies distributed by many companies and take a closer look at the RTA bus, police cars, and the firefighter truck. The police officers and firefighters happily explained their jobs to the curious kids and handed out treats.
Cuyahoga Community College partnered with many companies to offer the community a free and fun event to bring together the Halloween traditions. Among the many companies, such as RTA, AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland, Lifebanc, AOE Pickleball Club, CLS Plasma, Scribes Unlimited, and Voca Arts Parent Organization, there was Elizabeth Polosko, the owner of Marvelous Mouse Travels. Polosko says, “The event is an opportunity to advertise my business while helping the kids to have fun this Halloween season.”
In addition, a group of parents waiting in line for the kids to get their treats were commenting on the importance of this event, especially for families that do not have trick-or-treat in their neighborhoods. Hosting this event helped Tri-C connect with the community and small businesses and promote community engagement.
In conclusion, there was a high attendance at the inaugural Trunk or Treat at Tri-C Eastern Campus; the engagement of the community, businesses, and the college was essential to making Halloween 2024 a success, and the proof of it was the smiles on the children’s faces. It sealed the deal for a possible second edition next year.
