By Alfonso Aguilar
Herald Staff Writer
(From the issue of 11/6/03)

Over 200 children from the Arlington and Alexandria communities enjoyed the annual HalloweenFest at Marymount University.

The celebration was organized by Marymount’s Campus Ministry on the university’s main campus, where faculty, students, staff and volunteers offered children and their families Halloween crafts, storytelling, games and a lot of tricks and treats.

Father Jack Peterson (pictured in photo above), chaplain at Marymount University, said that the celebration always brings a lot of happiness to children, but also to adults, who enjoy helping others.

Like himself, many adults went from table to table to see how children were doing with painting pumpkins or dipping apples in chocolate or caramel sauce.

Many children arrived with their own Halloween costumes and others got help creating there own. They visited the dorms in small groups for "trick or treat," passing thought "scary" decorations and spider webs.

"This is my first Halloween here, and it is really very nice," said sophomore Michelle Grouvera, whose very small shaggy white dog attracted many children to her stand with Halloween decorations.

Equally popular was the table at which children had a great challenge to paint their own pumpkins. It was not a contest, but Hannah Buckman, a 3 year-old, could have easily been the winner with her colorful painting in green, yellow, white and red. She concentrated so hard on her work that she did not notice that several persons were taking pictures of her.

"She really loves art," said a volunteer, refilling one of the bottles with paint.

At the end all of the children were invited by Father Peterson to enjoy pizza and conclude the celebration with an ice-cream or a second caramel apple decorated with multi-colored sprinkles.

Agencies participating in the HalloweenFest were, among others, Shelter House, Arlington Community Action Programs and Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless.