Local families join Michigan Tech students for trick-or-treating, games, and activities
On Saturday, Oct. 31, Michigan Tech’s Inter-Residence Housing Council (IRHC) hosted its annual SafeHouse event. The event brought local children and families to MTU’s campus for an afternoon of trick-or-treating, games, and other Halloween activities.
From 2 to 4 p.m., participating residence halls offered activities including pumpkin painting, caramel apples, crafts, s’mores, and cookie decorating. Outside, student organizations hosted games and trunk-or-treat around Walker Lawn, while children dressed as their favorite movie and video game characters moved between activities. Despite temperatures nearing 60 degrees, students even brought snow onto the lawn for trick skiing and snowboarding.
“I think there are some really cool costumes, but everyone’s super friendly,” said Wyatt Remar, IRHC president and second-year chemical engineering student. “They’re all out here having a great time.”
SafeHouse has been an IRHC-sponsored event since 1988, making it a longstanding Michigan Tech Halloween tradition. The event is intended to bring Michigan Tech students and the surrounding community together while giving local children a place to trick-or-treat and participate in Halloween activities.
Preparing for the event required IRHC members to coordinate activities across campus, reserve spaces, purchase candy and supplies, and invite residence halls and student organizations to participate. IRHC also advertised SafeHouse throughout the surrounding community with posters around town.
“There’s a lot of ordering stuff and just reserving stuff,” said Junior Oliver Harris, IRHC programming chair, who took the lead on much of the event planning.
Activities stretched across campus. Hillside offered cider and s’mores, while McNair hosted carnival-style games and pumpkin painting. Wadsworth offered caramel apples, crafts, and other activities, and DHH hosted cookie decorating. Walker Lawn served as another hub for the event, with games, music from WMTU, mini golf, and the trunk-or-treat.