The Fox Lake Police Department’s annual Halloween Howl, a tradition dating back more than a decade, drew an estimated 1,000 people on Monday.
The three-hour event included inflatables, tractor hayrides with a trick-or-treating stop at the Fox Lake Fire Department, bubble gum blowing contests, free hot dogs plus chips, a costume contest, iceless hockey scrimmages, touch-a-truck opportunities and a trivia game with contest questions submitted by local grade-schoolers.
Fox Lake police Sgt. Rick Howell said 700 goody bags were to be distributed to children. A Spring Grove farm donated between 200 to 300 pumpkins, and complimentary hot chocolate and hot dog meals were also donated via community partnerships.
“We have a great turnout … and we love interacting, especially with kids with the families,” he said.
“Everybody’s having fun and it’s just a nice change of pace,” Howell added. “I feel like the community loves it, the officers love it, coming out and just having fun with the kids.”
Police Chief Dawn DeServi wore monarch butterfly clips in her hair and on the top of her uniform so people of all ages could select a butterfly as an educational, fun takeaway party favor.
One adult chose a prominent monarch butterfly from her collection and festively placed it on his long beard.
DeServi met with many children, including Minnie Mouse, Margaret Daliege, 4, of Edison Park.
Margaret selected her butterfly from the police chief while seated snugly in a wagon.
“We love coming out to Fox Lake,” said Margaret’s mother Leighann Gallian. “They give so much back to the community. It’s so nice.”
The police chief said of the event, “We like to make sure there’s something safe for the kids to just relax.”
Fox Lake, is a village where, “everyone’s invested; the families are invested,” DeServi said.
“We don’t do this by ourselves,” she continued. “All of the departments of the village do it. Almost everybody here is volunteering their time; our businesses jump in. So everybody contributes, everybody enjoys. You can’t do it without the entire village.”
Fox Lake Mayor Donny Schmit was among the volunteers helping to distribute hot dogs.
“It’s all about community for me,” Schmit said. “This is a safe place for the kids to come and meet their friends, and parents get together. We’re a family-oriented town.”
While there were lines for the hayride and the inflatable slide, there was also a line for a unique attraction — a tour of the jail.
Elizabeth Becerra of Spring Grove took the tour with children Cecelia, 7, and Raphael, 3.
When Cecelia was asked right before the tour and the door opened if she was ready to go to jail, her eyes widened with shock and she was speechless, but smiling. During the tour, she noted now the bed in one holding cell was surprisingly soft.
