Hundreds of costumes fly off the shelves at Ghouls for Good
The Halloween costume giveaway hosted in October by the Butler County Young Professionals has turned into a trick or treat of sorts, where children and families get information about resources available to them, in addition to costumes and candy.
Audrianna Bly, co-chairwoman of Ghouls for Good, said at the distribution Monday, Oct. 14, the young professionals gather donations throughout the year to put toward the event. In addition, the young professionals partner with nonprofits like the Butler Collaborative for Families and Center for Community Resources to get other items to the children who benefit from the costume drive.
“Dairy Queen gave a free ice cream cone, $5 for Fun Fore All, and CCR gave a packet on information for local resources if any of the families are in need,” Bly said. “It’s evolved into more than a Halloween costume they get; we try to support them with a little bit more.”
By the drive’s halfway point Monday afternoon, more than 250 children had received costumes, nearly breaking last year’s total. Kristen Kane, the event’s creator and its self-described “Hallow Queen,” said Ghouls for Good went from having 300 costumes to give away its first year into several hundred more costumes in its ninth year thanks to sponsorships and community cooperation.
Bly said the price of Halloween costumes for children may have driven more people to the event this year. Mikayla Moretti, co-chairwoman of Ghouls for Good, also said she noticed a lot of families with multiple children at the giveaway.
Ghouls for Good continues from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Butler Cubs hall on South McKean Street. Kane said the agencies that partnered with Ghouls for Good helped distribute vouchers to children to get costumes through it.
Kane said the young professionals group is cooking up a special plan for next year’s Ghouls for Good, which will be the 10th time for the event.
“We’re doing it big next year,” Kane said.
