It was a crisp fall morning as the staff and faculty from the Port Huron, Michigan campus of Ross Medical Education Center began setting up their station for the Halloween Stroll. The Halloween Stroll is an annual event sponsored by the City of Port Huron Parks and Recreation Department that began 28 years ago. The Port Huron Recreation Department is responsible for providing a variety of programs, classes, and special events like the Halloween Stroll for city residents and those in the surrounding area. They plan activities for all ages, from toddlers to adults, which include a variety of sports as well as creative learning courses. The Halloween Stroll specifically was created in order to involve the community in a family-friendly, safe way to celebrate Halloween and it remains a favorite family tradition in the community.
Despite the chilly weather, over 1,200 children along with their friends and families came out to show off their costumes and stroll down a winding path through Sanborn Park. Along the path, over 40 local businesses, community clubs, and organizations set up stations for the children to parade through, collecting treats along the way. The decorated stations had a variety of themes, some cute and some very spooky. At the end of the path, families were treated to cider and donuts as well as coffee and hot cocoa. There was a petting zoo and a craft station where the children were able to create wooden jack o’ lanterns. The festivities ended with a miniature train ride through the park.
The Port Huron Ross campus set up their station with a Dr. Seuss theme, appropriately named “Rossville.” The station was a fun and engaging site for families to enjoy. Truffula Trees lined the path leading up to Rossville and there were large hanging picture frames decorated with Dr. Seuss characters, which gave parents an opportunity to take pictures of their children enjoying the Ross booth. There were characters on hand, too: Thing 1 and Thing 2 and even The Cat in the Hat himself. The Ross staff and faculty members dressed in bright red t-shirts and wore stovepipe hats, as they passed out candy and Ross tattoos to the participants. Student Support Representative Laura Jerlecki remembers bringing her own children to the Halloween Stroll when they were young. “Now that they’re grown, this is a great way to celebrate the holiday,” she said. “It was such a fun day and a really great way to interact with the community,” Mia Vargo, Campus Director, added. “It was a pleasure to take part in this family-friendly tradition and to support the Port Huron Recreation Department.”
For more information about this event or to see other events sponsored by the City of Port Huron Parks and Recreation Department, go to their website at porthuronrec.com.