Families flock for treats from trunks

Bill Bengtson, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·1 min read

Oct. 30—Citizens Park played host to busloads of candy-hunting dinosaurs, video-game characters, ladybugs, superheroes, ghouls, princesses and other visitors Saturday afternoon, with the municipal government's annual "trunk or treat" festivities underway from 3 to 6 p.m.

"Trunkers" on board for this year's gathering, handing out candy at wholesale volume on three adjoining ball fields, were with such organizations as Horse Creek Academy, Unprofane Riders, Cedar Creek Church, Target, McDonald's, Chandler Law Firm, Aiken Ophthalmology and the Cumbee Center.

Jeremy Grimes, a recreation program coordinator with the city, was helping keep pedestrian and vehicular traffic moving in the right directions. The official attendance, he said, was 4,777 individuals, up from 4,210 in 2011. "It went well. We were pleased with the feedback," he said, recalling plenty of smiles and thankful comments.

Trunker David Jollie helped coordinate a group of volunteers decked out as dinosaurs, with inflatable outfits and a "Jurassic Park" them adding to the atmosphere and sparking a wide range of reactions, from hugs to giving a wide berth.

John Herring, the light-duty towing manager with Wayne's Automotive and Towing Center, also helped provide a decorated table of goodies. The crowd was surprisingly large, he said.

Herring's display included a tow truck with an unusual load on board. "Fortunately for me, I had the hearse in the back yard, and it had been sitting there for about two years, and I figured, 'Well, trick or treat. Might as well load the hearse up and come with it," he said.

Among vendors offering some extra calories Saturday were such names as Fish & Chips, Kona Ice, V's Kitchen, Funnel Cake Lounge, Whipped Creamery, The Grill Reign, Celebrations Concessions and Delicious Dogs.