Christ King Catholic School was crawling with goblins, ghouls, fairies and princesses on Saturday, Oct. 22, as the annual Spooktacular Party transformed the school into a Halloween wonderland.
For a mere $8, parents were able to bring their kids, from newborn to eight year olds, to the school to enjoy the Spooktacular, hosted by Stettler's ParentLink Centre. Children could come in costume if they wanted, or in every day clothing.
Lisa Goodkey, coordinator for ParentLink, said the event went well.
"We had about 200 people come in," she said. "It's up from 170, last year's count."
The Spooktacular Party helps keep ParentLink activities free or low-cost, ensuring that children and parents of all ages have a chance to take part in the fun activities.
Kids were able to play on bouncy houses, sink their hands into messy sensory tables, play games with friends and family and enjoy hotdogs and snacks.
A number of local businesses donated prizes, and a door prize went to one lucky family.
Mom Jill Samspon brought her daughters Alyssa, 2, and Aubrey, three months old, to the Spooktacular, along with her mother, Brenda Nichols. Sampson has been attending ParentLink since Alyssa was a newborn.
"It's a great place," she said. "I love it. A safe place for the kids to play, and a nice place to get adult socialization."
She said it is difficult, as a mother of young children, to get out and be around other adults. While her girls play in supervised, safe activities, she is able to sit and enjoy a coffee with other moms and dads and just focus on being a human who is also a mother, rather than just mommy.
Sampson said she found out about the Spooktacular Party through attending ParentLink, and decided "it looked like fun." Little Aubrey was dressed in a little mummy onesie, while Alyssa ran around in a shark costume.
For Goodkey, that sort of reaction is exactly what she said she was hoping to see. The free programs ensure parents can socialize and learn new and helpful skills, while being an adult with other adults.
The funding from the Spooktacular Party helps events like the Bike and Bounce, held this past April and September, to take place. During the Bike and Bounce event, the Stettler Recreation Centre's red rink became a gleeful arena of bicycles, tricycles, little scooters and bouncy houses for children to enjoy, at no cost.
Another program the Spooktacular will help fund is a sensory table day, which Goodkey said she hoped to plan for January.