Every year at Fort Jackson, Halloween means there is fun to be had on post by all. This year, on the evening of Oct. 30, houses are decorated, a haunted room was set up by teens, and folks from Family and Morale, Welfare and recreation, and Child Youth Services put on a big Halloween bash called the Fall Festival for Soldiers and their Families.
More than 800 people, vice the 500 last year, attended the Festival to enjoy a variety of games for all ages, bouncy houses, arts and crafts, hayrides, miniature golf, and just running around in costume enjoying all the festivities - the children winning prizes for crafts they made.
Children and parents alike showed up at the events in various costumes, ranging from pretty Snow White to scary zombies.
Kim Holliday, a Child and Youth Services employee with Outreach Services for Kids on Site, organized the Fall Festival.
"This is just a safe place for kids to come to have fun, to be with their families, I love watching the little ones," said Holliday.
Adan Tagle, in a handmade green 'Yoshi' [from Nintendo's Super Mario] costume made a pirate flag and tried his hand at other crafts while his mom Celeste, in her red 'Yoshi' costume, looked on.
"Tonight is great, I love it! It's what we were looking for -- crafts and things for him [Adan] to do -- he's the only child and here he gets to interact with other kids," said Celeste.
Krista Brandon got her hair painted hot pink at one of the booths set up it the festival.
Avian Glover, in her 'Rainbow Brite' Halloween costume, was found at the ghost making craft table, getting a prize for her creation.
"It's fun [the Festival] -- I played almost everything here."
Near the bowling game, 4-year-old Thron Williams showed off his skills as Leonardo, one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, dashing about doing kicks and karate chops for all to witness.
Thron's friend, Three year old Corey Dwyer, dressed as Chase from Paw Patrol, raced around too, laughing at Thron before he zoomed off to find another fun event.
While folks were having fun at the Festival, busses arrived at the Solomon Center to transport the braver souls from the Festival to the 'Haunted Room' at the Teen Center just up the road.
Shanee Jenkins, lead program assistant for the high school students with FMWR Child, Youth and School Services organized the Haunted Room event. High school students put the room together in four days with the assistance of four soldiers and other CYSS employees.
When the doors opened at 7 p.m., the volunteer teens were dressed in scary costumes and stationed throughout the dark and creepy maze that wound through the large room, waiting to scare visitors.
A mechanical skeleton and a witch were placed in strategic locations, cloth and string hung from the ceiling for people to walk into and an electric chair, graveyard, operating table and other ghoulish props were manned by a volunteers.
Seven-year-old Gracie Brandon covered her eyes as she lead her sister Brooke and her mom Cherish, carrying her other sister Krista, through the Haunted Room.
"It wasn't scary -- I just closed my eyes cause of all the screaming," said Gracie, referring to the soundtrack and the real screams and yells of the acting teens.
Solo Sauval followed her children, Constantine and Achilles, through the Haunted Room.
"I thought there were a bunch of zombies in there -- someone grabbed my leg!" said Constantine.
"I felt very scared so I kept my head down and I only listened to the sounds -- the thing I liked best was all the screams!" said Achilles.
While all this was happening, just down the road from the events, Kisha Thomas and her husband Staff Sgt. Herman Thomas had gone all out decorating their house for Halloween. They had won the post Halloween decoration contest and were awarded a $50 check by the Balfour Beatty Community Center.
They planned to finished up decorating on Halloween Day and Herman would dress as a werewolf and Kisha as Little Red Riding Hood on Halloween night to greet trick-or-treaters.
"I like to paint and I like to draw -- to be creative," said Kisha. "We're still not done here, this area [in front of the garage] will be a haunted house -- we wanted there to be a little creep factor to it -- but not too much - it's kid friendly."
Back at the Solomon Center, the Fall Festival had wound down and clean up was under way.
Darius Lane, athletic director for FMWR, and Child and Youth Services employee, Kirsten Baker, swept the floor as other volunteers packed up chairs and tables after a very successful and festive night on Fort Jackson.
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