ESTEVAN - A Halloween fundraiser helped Spruce Ridge School cover some expenses for their amphitheatre project that was nearly completed this fall.
The school's first-ever Haunted House, held on Oct. 30, attracted about 550 guests and raised $2,775 for the project.
Principal Cheri Haberstock said the event was "absolutely incredible".
"We did not anticipate the success of it. It was way beyond our expectations," Haberstock said.
The school community council (SCC) suggested that they should do a fundraiser, and soon it was decided that a Halloween event would be a perfect fit. Haberstock suggested getting Grade 8 students involved, and they were really excited to come on board.
"I asked if there was any interest, and they were almost all interested. They brought their creativity. And they had all these ideas. They found a theme for each area of the school and decorated it. They provided all the props and all the costumes, and they did all of the work," Haberstock said. "They just did an amazing job. I am so proud of the students."
She added that students also put a lot of thought into making their haunted house scary in some areas and also diverse.
"There were places where people were screaming, people were scared. But there were different levels of scary," Haberstock said. "They started off going down this long hallway. And then they went into an insane asylum. And then they went to a bloody birthday party. And then they went to a creepy restaurant and a mad scientist's lab. And then they went through a corn maze. There was a bunch of different things, and this all came from the students' imagination."
The event was open to the community, and there were a lot of people present who weren't connected to the school. Haberstock said there were so many guests of all ages that they were lined up out the door.
Admission was $5 and the SCC provided everyone with free popcorn. All proceeds were directed towards the costs of the outdoor amphitheatre.
Spruce Ridge School added an amphitheatre to its playground area in mid-October and it became a big asset for students and for the community as a whole. The facility is the first of its kind within city limits and is a place to gather to practise, perform and watch shows in an outdoor setting.
The work on the amphitheatre started in September, and now all the school has left to do is seed grass and put up a sign recognizing their donors. The students already got to use the new facility.
"We've had classes out there, drama classes, particularly, it's a great place for that. We haven't tested how many kids can sit there comfortably, but we're thinking 50 to 60 students can fit on it and observe a performance down on the bottom circle," Haberstock said. "It's a really cool thing for our school."
Students appreciate the addition that allows them to have classes outdoors during warmer times. Haberstock said they might still use it sometimes even in the winter, depending on snow cover.
While there was a lot of support coming from the community, not all of their expenses were covered, so the school plans on running a few more fundraisers in the future.
"We're still paying for the cost. We're going to still have a few fundraisers. We had a lot of donations, but still, there was a good chunk of money that was not covered by donations that we're having to raise," Haberstock said.
She also thanked everyone who one way or another supported their unique and very beneficial project.
"Thank you to all those that attended our haunted house and [contributed] to our amphitheatre. And if anyone still wants to donate to our amphitheatre, they should feel free. Give me a call," Haberstock said.
