Milverton community teams up to deliver Halloween treats to kids

It was a community effort to rescue Halloween.

When a large amount of kids were sent home to self-isolate last week due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Milverton Public School, the community banded together to bring Halloween to kids who couldn't trick-or-treat.

Classes were moved online and kids were told to self-isolate until after Halloween.

“Parents, obviously, not super happy about it and kids, really not happy about it,” said a resident of Milverton and parent who wished to remain anonymous. “One of the mothers in town posted on Facebook that anyone who was looking for a treat bag, she was going to drive around and drop them off for these kids who had to isolate. Well, that was on our local Facebook group and it just kind of snowballed.”

The original post on Facebook was made by Sandra Keupfer.

The resident said that locals pitched in candy, businesses donated toques, and the local fire department offered to deliver treat bags to kids.

She said that 220 bags were dropped off on Halloween day.

She added, “It kind of made it a memorable Halloween, considering the negative we were going into on the weekend. It really turned around.”

The resident said that everyone involved was very appreciative of the efforts.

“Everyone was posting kind of a thank you to the organizer, the fire department, and anyone who donated anything. I saw tons of picture of kids with their loot in front of them, so just smiles all around,” she said.

The resident said she thinks the small town mentality is what drove the Halloween efforts and she hopes the kids learn that sense of community.

“You're not necessarily there or living just through yourself, you're living through your neighbours, and you want to make your community the best,” she said.

She added that the fire department also delivered to kids in communities outside of Milverton in Millbank, Newton, and Brunner, who also attend Milverton Public School.