Children have roamed Eau Claire neighborhoods and wandered down the halls of UW-Eau Claire dorms in search of candy on Halloween year after year.

The unique atmosphere of the residence halls continues to draw in trick-or-treaters and their families.

Jeff Crowell, a music professor and father of three children, has brought his kids to the residence halls every Halloween for the past four years. He said the dorms are a nice alternative to trick-or-treating at houses in Eau Claire.

“It’s warm, it’s inside and it’s like hitting a hundred houses all in one block,” Crowell said.
The dorms provide a safe escape from the frigid October air and they give kids a convenient one-stop shop for lots of Halloween candy.

Crowell said he also likes how the residence halls start the trick-or-treating event early at 5:30 p.m. This is good for young children whose bed times are early, he said.

Crowell’s family gets into the Halloween spirit with Halloween-themed decorations in dorms like Oak Ridge Hall, he said.

Along with the exciting environment, Oak Ridge Hall Director Linda Pratt said the residence halls give children a unique experience they can’t get elsewhere.

“It gives them a glimpse into a world that maybe they’re not familiar with,” Pratt said. “It peaks their interest about this (college) world and that future for them.”

The event is fun for students as well. Sophomore Nicole Brandon said she enjoys handing out candy and seeing kids in costumes.

Brandon also said the event gives students “a little taste of home.” For many students living in the dorms, it is their first Halloween away from home. Being able to greet children on Halloween allows them to feel more of a sense of community, Pratt said.

The excitement of students giving out candy and complimenting trick-or-treaters on their costumes creates a positive and festive setting for Crowell’s family and others in the community.
However, Crowell said his family still ventures out to the neighborhood from time to time, along with many other Eau Claire families.

Residents Gary and Mary Clark said they have some concerns about taking their four children trick-or-treating, but they said it wouldn’t stop them from participating this year.

Mary is an executive pastor for Valleybrook Church and Gary is a social studies teacher at Altoona High School. Even though the majority of their neighbors are UW-Eau Claire students or student-aged adults, the Clarks plan to take their children, ages 9 to 14, around their Graham Avenue neighborhood to trick-or-treat.

The Clarks have been living at their current residence for three years. Before, they lived in a neighborhood with little to no students. The move did not invoke too many concerns.

Mary Clark said she estimates two-thirds of their neighborhood is comprised of students.
“Our block doesn’t get a lot of trick-or-treaters because we’re right on the edge of the third ward and a lot of students don’t hand out candy on Halloween,” she said. “I don’t blame them, it’s
expensive.”

One of those students not handing out candy is Kelley Lai, a senior public relations major.
“I live in apartments on Water Street so that’s not really a good opportunity for me to hand out candy,” said Lai.

Lai said she thinks children would have a better experience trick-or-treating in traditional, family-oriented neighborhoods.

“A lot of students probably don’t give out candy and they’ll probably be half drunk by that time,” she said.

Although running into houses that don’t participate in the festivities is a bit of a party-crasher, running into houses that participate too much is another worry for the Clarks. Loud parties, along with the profanity that usually comes with them, is another concern
for the couple.

“If you’re going to hand out candy for the kids, don’t wear an adult costume or a scary costume,” Mary Clark said. “The kids won’t want to come to your door.”