Archive for the ‘Halloween fun’ Category

Be Safe and Have Fun on Halloween

Tuesday, October 29th, 2013

The “Can Do” kids want to share their Halloween safety tips with you so you are sure to be safe and have fun on Halloween.

  1. Be sure to have a snack or dinner before you go trick or treating so you won’t be tempted to eat anything from your treat bag until you get home
  2. Don’t complain when your parents want to add some reflective tape on your costume. It will help drivers see you as you walk along a dark road
  3. Wear face paint and a hat and not a mask, since masks can make it hard to see, especially on dark roads.
  4. If you are with a group, with one or two parents, stay with the group, don’t wander off
  5. Don’t go into someone’s house unless your parent goes with you.
  6. Be respectful…say thank you for the treat, whatever it is, even if it is not a favorite of yours. You can always trade with a friend later or the next day.
  7. Once you get home, let your parents inspect everything you have in your treat bag to make sure it is safe to eat. They will check to make sure that all the candies are popular, well known candies that they recognize from the grocery store and they are all unopened and well sealed.
  8. Be sure not to share any small treats or toys with a younger brother or sister, as they might choke on them.
  9. Don’t eat too much candy at once. You will only have tummy troubles later on and that is no way to end a fun Halloween.

Pocket

A Hurricane Happening and Delmar’s First Halloween

Wednesday, November 7th, 2012

School is reopening after being closed for a week due to Hurricane Sandy. Coach Campbell is out front, taking big bags of garbage out to the dumpster as some of the “Can Do” Kids walk up and call out…

“Hey Coach! Whatch’ya doing?

“Hey guys,” answers Coach. “I am just about finished cleaning up the yard out back, lots of tree branches came down during the hurricane. The yard had to be cleared, and made safe, before we can go back there and play.

How are you guys? Did you make it through Hurricane Sandy OK?”

Hector answered first, saying, “Yeah, I’m OK. We lost electricity for a while, that was horrible. No computer, no TV. Ugh!

Arthur J. added, “My grandmother’s basement flooded, but she is OK.”

Then Katie chimed in, “The hurricane ruined our Halloween trick or treating!!”

Coach smiled and said, “Well now, I am glad you all made it through OK, and if missing Halloween trick or treating is the worst of it, then you were lucky. Lots of folks lost everything.”

HalloweenAnnie asked, “What about you Coach? WHAT ABOUT DELMAR?!? Was he OK?”

“Delmar was fine, said Coach. “He didn’t like the big winds too much, but once he was back inside, he settled down and was his normal self.

Orrie asked, “Did Delmar have Halloween?”

Coached chuckled and said, “As a matter of fact, he sort of did. No trick or treating, but he went to a local kids Halloween parade. He wore his special pumpkin sweater too.”

Bobby butted in asking, “Did he have fun? Did he get any treats?”

Coach answered, “Oh sure, tons of fun, but no treats. Candy is no good for puppies, and chocolate is a huge NO-NO. Dogs are allergic to chocolate, so no Halloween treats for Delmar.

But, that’s OK, I think he enjoyed sniffing all of the downed tree branches a lot more than the parade. I mean, when else can you sniff the top of a tree without having to climb the tree?”

“Ha, ha…good one Coach,” said Bobby. “Did you take any pictures?”

Coach nodded saying, “Oh boy, you bet I did.”

Bobby looked at Coach’s pictures and said, “Wow, that’s a lot of kids at the Halloween parade. Sure wish parts of my Halloween weren’t cancelled.”

Coach nodded and answered, “Well, that is tough. Halloween is a real fun holiday, but sometimes we don’t get to do what we want. Sometimes, we lose…and I don’t just mean losing as in playing a game.

You lost part of Halloween, but there will be next year, and many years after that of Halloween. Try to remember how lucky you are that you did not lose your home, your toys, or even you entire neighborhood.”

Hector nodded saying, “Yeah, I saw some pictures on TV. It looks real bad.”

Coach agreed, “It is, and in the coming months there will be lots of chances for you to help. Next week we are collecting clothes to send to those who lost their homes. Also, starting next week, you may see some new faces around here. Some kids that lost their schools will be coming to schools near here.”

The “Can Dos” all looked at each other and then seemed to all say at once, “Really, new kids?”

“Yup, and they will need new friends to help them out,” answered Coach.

Annie added, “Maybe we could have a Hurricane-Halloween Party?”

“You know, that might not be such a bad idea,” said Coach.

Coach left them with something to think about, asking, “What other ideas do you guys have about what we can do to help out the new kids coming to our school next week?”

 Story by: Ned Campbell

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The Halloween that Almost Wasn’t

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

There was no school on the day before Halloween and the electric company said there would be no school on Halloween.

When Hurricane Sandy hit “Can Do” Street, everyone was prepared to be safe and they were. Oh, there were problems…some streets flooded and a few basements of houses, some homes even lost electrical power for a day or so. But all in all, most problems were fixable. Well, almost all problems. You see the school had to close, because the lights went out.

The Can Dos” were really disappointed! No school! Most times they would be happy to hear…No school, but not on Halloween.

What about the costume parade, the prize for best costume, the Halloween games?

Not only was there no school, there would be no house to house trick or treating. The mayor had announced that some of the streets were in darkness and some streets had trees down…not safe conditions for walking from house to house.

Miss Sue, the director of the “Can Do” Street Community Center, came to the rescue. The day before Halloween, some of the parents came in to decorate the center. The seniors club made up treat bags and made Halloween cupcakes and punch.

Halloween Day dawned gray and misty, but the “Can Dos’ were glad they had somewhere to go to celebrate a favorite holiday.

The festivities began at 2PM with a costume parade all around the center. After the parade the judges gave prizes for the best costumes. Willie won for being an M&M. Maria won for being Dora the Explorer. Bobby thought he would win for coming as Sponge Bob Square pants, but there were several kids who wore that costume, so…he didn’t win.

After that there was a Halloween play staring Nellie and Hector.

Then it was time for the cupcakes, the fruit punch and Halloween songs and poems.

Just as they were getting ready to leave, the “Can Dos” were told to line up and pass in front of the line of parents grandparents and neighbors standing by the door. Imagine how surprised the “Can Dos” were when each adult dropped a Halloween treat in the baskets!

Well…it sure was a different kind of Halloween but all the “Can Dos’ agreed it was a good one.

 

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