BAUMHOLDER, Germany -- The Warrior Zone in Baumholder isn't normally a place people associate with paranormal activities and hauntingly peculiar events, but this Halloween weekend the FMWR facility on Smith Barracks just might scare the bejesus out of you.
The BOSS Haunted House will open to community members Oct. 27-29 in the basement of the Warrior Zone, Bldg. 8106 from 6:30 to 10 p.m., and the cost is $5 per person.
Children ages 5 and up may participate, but anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian and must sign a waiver. All guests are encouraged to arrive early to avoid long lines and wait times.
"We expect a lot of visitors," said Mary Jane Spreier, the Warrior Zone manager and Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation BOSS advisor, "and I don't expect anyone to be disappointed."
About 25 Soldiers have spent many hours preparing the basement of the Warrior Zone for the Halloween weekend event. With the help of Better Opportunities for Singles Soldiers (BOSS), and in conjunction with Baumholder FMWR, the haunted house is the only one of its kind at Smith Barracks this year.
One of the Soldiers volunteering at the BOSS Haunted House is Spc. Alec White, an air defense artillery Soldier with B Battery, 5th Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment.
One side of the haunted house is a phobia maze, said White, who is also the BOSS vice president in Baumholder. The other side is an insane asylum. There will be elaborate props, well-constructed horror scenes and live-action characters in scary costumes throughout.
"Each portion of the insane asylum has its own story line. The tour guides will be telling these spooky stories to their guests as they visit each room," said White. "It's going to be very entertaining."
"At one point, patrons will have to literally crawl on their hands and knees," Spreier said. "I've been going home at night and having bad dreams, just thinking about it."
The BOSS Soldiers are very serious about putting on a great event. They've worked late into the evenings and on weekends to prepare everything. These Soldiers are very dedicated, she said.
But the haunted house isn't the only event the BOSS Soldiers at Baumholder have put a lot of time and dedication toward.
Their car show event a few months ago was the first of its kind and a big success. They also volunteer in the community by periodically cleaning up the roads and streets around the installation and in the town, by visiting a local cemetery and providing much needed restoration to fallen U.S. Soldiers' grave sites there, and by helping out at the Warrior Zone and other FMWR facilities as needed.
"One of the most successful BOSS initiatives is their work at a local elementary school where they go to help teach 'American English' to German school children," said Spreier.
Proceeds from the BOSS Haunted House will be used to support the Soldiers with upcoming FMWR trips and events. Some of the Soldiers have visited Italy and Croatia, for example, and the money earned can also be used for other events like bowling parties or ski trips.
For more information about the BOSS Haunted House, call the Warrior Zone at 0611-143-531-2913 or 2914 during regular business hours. For information about the BOSS program in Baumholder, call 0611-143-531-2912.
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