Thick smoke filled a hallway of the former Milroy School building Saturday evening, but it wasn’t a fire that people were fearing.
Thanks to a group of about a dozen volunteers that included some Milroy Lions members, the old school building was transformed into a very haunted house, as the Milroy PTO hosted a spooky event that included S’mores by the campfire, hot chocolate, hayrides, activities for the kids and an impressive haunted trail.
There were actually two trails for kids — one for the very young and one for older kids who, if they were daring enough, could walk through a dark, smoke-filled maze, complete with ghoulish decorations and some scary characters waiting to send chills down their spines.
Alicia Eliason said it took about two weeks for everything to come together.
“In years past, the Milroy PTO did this just for the students of the school, so this is something for people in the community who wondered if there was going to be something at the school,” Eliason said. “They knew in the past it was really fun.”
The decorations were supplied mostly by Eliason’s mother, Sue Skoblik — “she very much goes to thrift stores!”
Eliason said several volunteers were already talking about next year and ways they can make the event even better.
“They’re like, ‘We could do this and this and this,’” she said. “When we get done, we’ll be able to figure out what we can do different.”
The tractor — driven by Larry Carstensen — trailer and hay bales were donated by the Welu family.
The haunted house will be open to the public again on Halloween at 5 p.m.
ALICIA ELIASON was a scary sight as Michael Meyers in one of the haunted trails inside the old Milroy School building.
AVERY SMITH OF MILROY was pretty as a princess as she headed into the old school building in Milroy.
GUIDING BRAVE SOULS into a haunted trail Saturday was Deb Beebout.
