Two years since the last iteration, Champions Together hopes to restore the haunted trail, the annual Halloween event, to its former glory.

Junior Catherine Holtrup fondly remembers her experience on the trail. She said, “I did it freshman year. It was so much fun even though it was raining. It was just the atmosphere of it and it was with all my friends. We helped out scaring people, too, and at the end we walked over to Taco Bell. It was just a fun night.”

Wanting to recreate, but also evolve, the tradition, Holtrup and the rest of the the Champions Together leadership team are bringing back the haunted trail on Oct. 16. Juniors Meg Hasch, Melissa Sheppard and Sabrina Ackley, along with sophomore Bryce Hahn, are at the forefront of the effort through their roles in Champions Together.

Although the exact price is yet to be determined, the less-than-$7 fee will help fund Special Olympics events.

Senior Vice President for Admission and Advancement Mr. Dave Worland serves as the club moderator for Champions Together. This is the first year that Champions Together has organized the event. Worland said, “I give no credit to myself for the leadership to do this cool thing. It’s all our student leadership on Champions Together.”

Recent improvements to the trail unrelated to the effort have bolstered accessibility. Worland said, “Our trail has been strengthened by (the Dads’s Club) and others here just recently that made it safer, and they brought bark in different areas so when you walk down the path. It’’s not muddy and there are not holes.”

No areas inside the school will be used except for restrooms. Worland admitted, however, “If it looks like the weather is going to be a factor that is going to harm (the event), we will have provisions made so that we still will go with it, but it will be somewhere under a roof.” If things go as planned though, masks will not be required for the all-outside haunted trail.

The leadership team adopted an “Alice in Wonderland” theme for the event. The goal is to transform the entire trail around the school, from Cunningham to the tennis courts. Holtrup said, “We’re trying to get some donations and the theater offered to help make some of the stuff, which was really nice of them.” Last spring, the theater performed “Alice in Wonderland” for the spring play.

Hours for younger children, who won’t be scared quite so thoroughly, are 3 to 6 p.m., and from 7 to 10 p.m. is the time for the older children. Volunteers will help clean up from 10 to 11:30 p.m. Holtrup said, “We’re still looking for people. We have a sign up sheet if anybody’s interested in it. We’re open to anything. We have a dance party for the little kids, and some leaders will walk the trail with people. We have so many options that are available and we still need to fill spots.”

Worland said he hoped that many people would come to the event. He said, “We want everybody and anybody to come. Even if outdoors, people are concerned about Covid protocols, (so) we’ll make sure that people are spread out, and make sure that it’s safe. Help us spread the word and get as many people who’d like to come and have a good time. It’ll be exciting. It’ll be fun. It’ll be worth their visit up here.”