One Penetanguishene family knows how to celebrate Halloween in fine style.
Again this year, David Brunelle and Lisa Duquette-Brunelle along with their children will welcome visitors to their annual tribute to all things related to ghosts and goblins.
“The entire neighbourhood gets on board with Halloween in our area and the name ‘Halloween Town’, which we have been labeled, is certainly fitting,” David says.
The name of the family’s popular endeavour this year is Nightmare Hollows with the following message: “If you’re not scared, you’re already dead.”
They plan to start welcoming guests to their spooky haunt October 24 and continue until November 2 (anytime after 6 p.m.).
“We had over 1,300 people come through the maze last year and this year is bigger and better with a full-size haunted house façade, new scares and special effects,” David tells MidlandToday.
While providing scares and frights, the Brunelles are also raising funds for something close to their hearts.
“As a not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organization, Candlelighters Simcoe endeavours to lessen the burden carried by families in Simcoe County and surrounding areas who struggle with childhood cancer, letting them know that they are not alone in their fight,” Lisa says.
Last year, they raised more than $2,300 in donations and hope to exceed that total this time around.
The family was personally impacted by childhood cancer when Lisa and David’s son Joshua was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2011.
“Through his four-year battle, Candlelighters was there to help our family through such a dark, scary and uncertain time in our lives,” Lisa explains. “We will be forever grateful as a family for Candlelighters and what they have done for our family.”
According to Lisa, their son’s battle and the assistance they received from the charity provided the catalyst to embark on their Halloween project in 2015 with the skid maze added five years later.
“Now as a family, we can pay it forward each year during Halloween as we set up our haunted maze for all to enjoy,” she says, noting all monetary donations are given to Candlelighters Simcoe to help them with their Christmas baskets for families with a child in active treatment.
Lisa says local residents truly enjoy attending their Halloween celebration.
“The feedback and support from the community has been nothing short of amazing,” she says. “From even the beginning of construction, people are guiding us to where we can pick up skids until Halloween evening where families will line up down the street and wait to come through.”
For more information on the family's event, check out their Instagram page.
