HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-10-31, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2019. PAGE 19.
Blyth Halloween Walk set to become bigger, better
Philip Dunsby is continuing to
share his love of Halloween with his
fifth-annual Halloween Walk at his
Blyth home, and this year will be
bigger and better than ever.
Dunsby, who lives at the corner of
Queen and McConnell Streets, has
utilized animatronics, volunteer
actors and general scares for four
years to share his love of everything
Halloween.
The walk will take place on
Halloween night.
“I design my backyard to really
capture the Halloween spirit,” he
said. “Halloween just isn’t
celebrated how it used to be. I want
to make sure children have the
chance to experience the holiday like
this.”
A father himself, Dunsby said
keeping a fun holiday like
Halloween alive in rural
communities is very important.
The event originally started in
Wingham, but when he started at
Tim Horton’s in Blyth, he moved
into the community, bringing the
Halloween tradition with him.
Last year Dunsby welcomed 326
people to the Halloween walk, which
took about three minutes per
participant. That was a stark increase
from the 126 the year before.
“It was great to have that kind of
response,” he said.
This year, he is aiming for a
bigger, better and more tailored
experience for those going through.
“We’ve added the ‘Chicken Path’
which is more Halloween scenes and
less scary for those looking for that,”
he said.
The spooky spirit of Halloween
will be alive and well, however, in
the rest of the walk which Dunsby
has called “The Terror of the Purge”,
based on a lawless society.
“This year there will be story-
based components to the event,
which is going to make it a bit
longer,” he said. “There will be
special effects, digital media and a
special hologram surprise.”
Dunsby has been managing the
preparation for the walk himself and,
as of Halloween, it will mark nearly
a month he has been working on it.
The night of the event, however,
he will have at least 14 volunteers
helping out.
The event is for all ages, Dunsby
has said in previous interviews, and
if younger children are going
through a “safety word” is used to
let actors know to dial back the
scares. That said, Dunsby has had
older teens screaming when they left
the walk.
Dunsby grew up loving Halloween
in Welland, a small community near
Niagara Falls, and said he wants to
ignite that love in others.
“I love the holiday and want to
make sure kids have a safe place to
go,” he said.
The entry to the walk will be on
McConnell Street in Blyth, and
Dunsby will have a volunteer at the
entry advising people of the scare-
levels of the various parts of the
walk.
Donations will also be accepted at
the start of the walk as he is
discovering it’s getting to be an
expensive task to take on himself.
Dunsby explained that, last year,
he spent $300 on candy due to
the great response the walk
inspired.
This year, Dunsby has also had
some help, both material and tips,
from Bev Blair who was one of the
key players in the now-defunct Blyth
Witches’ Walk.
Dunsby said he was happy to have
that kind of connection with Blair,
and said that he was disappointed
when the Witches Walk was
shuttered several years ago.
There were five tables of cards in
play at the Community Centre on
Friday, Oct. 25. Winners were: high
gold, Mary McIntosh, second high
gold, Brenda Brooks; most shoots
gold, Frances Breckenridge; high
white, Mac Brooks; second high
white, Joann MacDonald and most
shoots white, Blair Leibold.
The next card party will be on
Friday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. Everyone is
welcome.
A hot lunch will be held on
Wednesday, Nov. 6, 11:30 a.m. to 1
p.m. at the Belgrave Community
Centre. No tickets are needed.
Payment is by donation. For further
information contact Kathy Procter at
519-357-3557. Everyone is
welcome.
Matthew Cottrill and Kathleen
Bender were married on
Thanksgiving weekend, Saturday,
Oct. 12 at Windermere Manor in
London. It was a beautiful day for an
outdoor wedding.
The community congratulates
Matthew and Kathleen and wishes
them all the best.
Joyce VanCamp of Calgary was a
guest at her parents, Jim and Mary
Hunter, while she was here for two
weeks. She visited with other family
members, relatives and friends.
The Elementary School Fair Board
and Belgrave Kinsmen are hosting a
fish dinner fundraiser on Nov. 2 at the
Belgrave Community Centre from 5 -
7 p.m. Next year will be the 100th
School Fair. Tickets are available at
the Belgrave Co-op, Edgar’s Feed and
Seed and from Steve Michie.
Knox United Church, Belgrave is
having a roast beef supper between
5-7 p.m. at the Belgrave Community
Centre on Wednesday, Nov. 13.
Gluten-free meals are available.
Tickets are available from any
steward.
NEWS
FROM BELGRAVE
By Linda
Campbell
Call
357-2188
PEOPLE AROUND
BELGRAVE
Celebrating 60 Years
of Marriage
November 7, 1959 - November 7, 2019
Berne & Doris (Johnston)
McKinley
Love from family
Fall school fair fundraiser set
Continued from page 6
the upstairs hall was the celebration
of Murray Dennis for his 90th
birthday. There were over 100 in
attendance throughout the afternoon
to enjoy birthday cake, squares and
fruit along with coffee and punch.
Following the open house was a
family dinner, with 33 enjoying a
roast beef dinner. Happy birthday
Murray!
Downstairs was the celebration of
Hope Lowe for her 80th birthday.
There were over 80 who arrived to
wish her happy birthday and enjoy
birthday cake. The family also had a
roast beef dinner following the event
with around 30 enjoying the meal.
Two functions take many hands
and the Branch had nine Comrades
put to work. Comrades Jo-Ann
McDonald, Judy Lee, Sandra
Brown, Deb Ross, Linda Bird, Judy
Emmrich, Kathy Burkholder, Lisa
Glanville and Joan Smith did double
duty providing for all. Great job
ladies!
Lowe celebrates 80th birthday
Enter if you dare
Blyth resident Philip Dunsby has quickly turned the corner of McConnell and Queen Streets
into a Halloween tradition for the village of Blyth with his annual Halloween Walk. This year,
the entrance is on McConnell street just east of Queen, shown above. (Denny Scott photo)
By Denny Scott
The Citizen