Ghouls For Good gives away Halloween costumes
This Halloween, not all families can afford to dress their children in costumes, which can run upward of $30 each. For residents of Butler County, there was another option on Monday, Oct. 13, with the annual Ghouls for Good costume giveaway at Butler Cubs Hall on South McKean Street.
Now in its 10th year, the costume giveaway, held by the Butler County Young Professionals, drew dozens of families looking for a free costume for their young ones.
“We’re anticipating giving out over 500 this year,” said Kristen Kane, who founded the event a decade ago.
The Young Professionals has accepted costume donations throughout the year from individuals and businesses. However, many of the costumes offered during Monday’s event were paid for by the organization, with the help of proceeds raised from sponsors such as Wrecktify Collision, as well as fundraiser events.
“We host a kickoff event in September at The Back Alley every year,” Kane said. “This year, we did an event at the Penn Theater. We did a ”Beetlejuice“ movie night sponsored by Bonus Accounting, where we had some basket raffles, and costumes were donated there as well.
A group of players from the Butler County Community College Pioneers men’s basketball team showed up at Cubs Hall to volunteer for the event.
Donna Broome was one of those who showed up at Cubs Hall on Monday to pick up costumes for her two children.
“We were out in the neighborhood, and this is where the community has the best get-togethers, and the basketball team is just amazing at helping,” Broome said. “They’re awesome guys.”
Even after Halloween is over, trick-or-treaters can drop off their used costumes to the Young Professionals to take part in a special “costume exchange” drawing.
“Whenever you’re done with your Halloween costumes, drop them off at the Butler County Chamber of Commerce office, and you’ll be added into a drawing to win some gift cards for a couple of local businesses,” Kane said.
Aside from costumes, many children walked out of Cubs Hall with inflatable swords and other balloon shapes, courtesy of a balloon artist.
“We hired a balloon artist this year in honor of our 10-year anniversary,” Kane said.
