Every year on Halloween, Housing opens its gates, inviting the Turlock community to engage in their annual Halloween Gala. This will be Housing’s 22^nd year hosting such event.
The Halloween Gala is a huge event that Housing hosts for the children of the Turlock community. This year, Housing distributed approximately 3,000 flyers to local businesses and neighborhoods, hoping for their biggest turnout in recent years. Also, Housing opened up the event to the Turlock Unified School District (TUSD), obtaining the approval for such audience to get involved with the Gala.
This year, Housing has three different themes for their Halloween Gala: “Star Wars,” “Frozen” and circus. One half of the Housing Office will be decorated by blue walls, cotton balls hanging from the ceiling that will serve as snow and snowflakes, making it similar to a setting from the movie “Frozen.” The other half will have black and gray walls, stars painted on the windows and a few of the Star Wars characters standing around, making this half of the office the Star Wars theme.
There will also be a haunted hallway. Housing uses an entire hallway to make a haunted experience where the trick-or-treaters walk through and have a light scare. This year, the haunted hallway will have a circus theme.
Community Lead Anna Ramos (senior, Child Development) specified that the Halloween Gala tends to target a particular audience.
“Our main audience are the young ones – those who are twelve years old and below. We love seeing the cute, little ones running around. And, the reason why our audience is mainly the young one, is because most of our activities are really not tailored for older teenagers,” Ramos said.
Residents from Housing are encouraged to sign up to pass out candy from their own dorms. Housing provides the candy, so students do not have to worry about purchasing the candy themselves. Residents are only responsible for giving out candy to the trick-or-treaters and making them smile.
“I encourage anyone, regardless of if they are a resident of Housing or not, to volunteer for the event’s activities,” Ramos said.
Through Housing’s Halloween Gala, all residents are greatly encouraged to participate and volunteer their time to help out make the Gala a successful event. Also, by residents helping out, they are giving back to the community by giving the young trick-or-treaters an early college awareness.
If you are a resident and want to pass out candy, stop by the Housing Office and notify Ramos, or you can contact the Housing Office at 209-667-3675.