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Spencer Pride

Director’s Corner – Halloween Edition

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We asked our directors to tell us about all things Halloween related. Here are the questions:

Favorite Halloween treat?
Least favorite Halloween treat?
Favorite costume you wore/created?
Have you ever seen or felt the presence of a ghost?
Favorite Halloween-themed movie?
Nathaniel Clawson, our Transgender Advocacy Director, enjoys Candy Corn, but does not like things with coconut. His favorite costume was Clark Kent. Nathaniel has never felt the presence of a ghost. His favorite Halloween-themed movie is Beetlejuice.

Joy Hellman, our Youth Empowerment Director, enjoys Dark Chocolate, but does not like candy corn. Her favorite costume was a butterfly. Joy has felt the presence of a ghost, her son. She does not have a favorite Halloween-themed movie because she doesn’t watch scary movies.

Elisabeth Solchik, our Fundraising Director, enjoys Reese’s pumpkins/bats, but does not like those weird black and orange peanut butter taffy things. Her favorite costume has to do with her getting pretty creative making kid costumes these days! Last year, she created a cheetah costume with wearable pieces and she had a lot of fun doing her face makeup. Elisabeth has never felt the presence of a ghost, but believes she has encountered spirits of her family. Her favorite Halloween-themed movie is Hocus Pocus.

Katie Zuber, our Vice President and Development Director, enjoys glow sticks, but does not like plastic spider rings. Her favorite costume was in high school, Katie’s best friend and she went trick-or-treating in a double-person horse costume. She feel like they took turns as to who was the head and who was the butt. To make it more challenging, they didn’t live in town, and their families traveled to homes of friend/family by car instead of walking up and down streets. Donning before and disrobing after each house was hysterical. Katie has felt the presence of a ghost, her grandmother visited her and her mother in their hallway once; she just knows it. Her favorite Halloween-themed movie is Garfield’s Halloween Adventure.

Jonathan Balash, our President and Program Director, enjoys Flavored Tootsie Rolls – he didn’t discover these until he became an adult, but he would have loved them as a child, too.  If anyone doesn’t like this, he’ll take them off of your hands…, but does not like those thick pumpkins that are solid sugar (the ones that are like the big, big brother of candy corn) are just blah.  All sweet, no flavor!  If he is going to get a cavity, he wants to have enjoyed the experience ? . His favorite costume was a great version of “The Raven” for the Edgar Allen Halloween Poe-ty (party) several years ago.  Any opportunity to don a cape is something he loves to take advantage of. Jonathan has never felt the presence of a ghost. He has scared himself by watching too many scary movies? Totally! he doesn’t believe in ghosts.  When he is in a new situation and gets scared, he just blames the movies without attributing his fears to any real-life manifestations. His favorite Halloween-themed movie isn’t really a Halloween-theme movie, but when he was growing up Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds” was always played around this time of year.  It terrified him!  Years later he watched the film and couldn’t figure out why he had been so scared to begin with.  Now, of course, he can’t get enough of “the birds!”.

Judi Epp, our Treasurer, enjoys Candy Corn, but does not like Candy Apples. Her favorite costume was Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz. Judi has never felt the presence of a ghost. Judi does not have a favorite Halloween-themed movie.

Kim Fidler, our Secretary, Administration Director, and Advocacy Director, enjoys Peanut Butter Cups, but does not like Candy Corn. Her favorite costume was Barbie in a Box. Kim has felt the presence of a ghost. Her favorite Halloween-themed movie are on Turner Classic Movies: Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, Creature from the Black Lagoon; Anything with Vincent Price or Bela Lugosi.

Jacob Balash, our commUnity center Director, enjoys Reece’s Cups and Snicker Bars, but does not like Candy Corn. His favorite costume was a jellyfish costume with a huge clear umbrella-like hat with glow sticks inside. It had tentacles made of large bubble wrap, and the chest was a necklace, also made of bubble wrap. He wore 8” white high heals with it and it was, perhaps, his tallest costume he has ever worn. Jacob has never felt the presence of a ghost. His favorite Halloween-themed movie is Hocus Pocus.

Clay Wright, our Health & Wellness Director, enjoys Chocolate with nuts, but does not like Off-Brand Candy. His favorite costume was Cosmo from Fairly OddParents. Clay has felt the presence of a ghost, last year I woke up in the middle of the night and watched a shadow figure walk into my bedroom, walk around my bed, and then walk out of the bedroom. His favorite Halloween-themed movie is Disney’s ZOMBIES.

Rex Hinkle, our Outreach Director, enjoys Reese Peanut Butter Cups, but does not like anything with marshmallows. His favorite costume was Dracula. Rex has felt the presence of a ghost, those loved ones who have passed. His favorite Halloween-themed movie is Ghost & Mr. Chicken.

Lisa Patys, our Volunteer Communications and Development Director, enjoys Caramel Apples, but does not like Candy Corn. Her favorite costume was Wood Nymph. Lisa has felt the presence of a ghost. Her favorite Halloween-themed movie are on The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Kate Gehringer, our Festival Director, enjoys Hot Apple Cider, but does not like Candy Corn. Her favorite costume was Beheaded Kate. Kate has felt the presence of a ghost, there was a guy named Bob who was born in, lived his life in and died in the house my husband lived in when we first dated. Bob didn’t like women much and a lot of weird things went down in that farm house. Her favorite Halloween-themed movie are on The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown.

John Angeline, our Marketing & External Communications Director, enjoys a Milky Way, but does not like things with coconut. His favorite costume was a Dalmatian. John has felt the presence of a ghost. His favorite Halloween-themed movie is Hocus Pocus.