Happy (almost) Halloween, my frightful friends and weekly readers! As always, I am very excited for Halloween this weekend and look forward to seeing pictures of everyone’s costumes on social media.
Things will be a little different for our family this year since we no longer reside on Spinning Wheel Court, which seriously is the best place to take kids or grandkids trick-or-treating! Don’t get me wrong, there’s a strong chance we may end up back in the old neighborhood, and maybe our friends Jim and Lorna Hasken will save us a parking spot in their driveway!
The pandemic forced one of my favorite annual events to change how it operated last year. That said, I am pleased to share with you all that it is back! This Sunday, Oct. 31, will mark the 26th annual Stinky’s House of Horrors; Frightening for Food (at 911 East 11th Street). Muscatine’s only locally owned and operated haunted house supports a good cause, collecting non-perishable food donations for The Salvation Army of Muscatine County.
Troy “Stinky” Philpott will once again be turning his own home into a haunted house for one evening to serve those in need. When I stop and think about how remarkable it is for Stinky and his friends to do this, I’m full of pride and so incredibly grateful for their efforts.
The fun will officially begin at dusk this Sunday at 911 East 11th Street here in Muscatine. For those not wanting to wait in line, you can pick up an “axe-press” pass by donating two cases of food all this week.
While the haunted house celebrates its 26th year, the collecting of non-perishable food marks 10 years this weekend. Get this: Stinky’s House of Horrors has collected nearly 50,000 pounds of food over the last 10 years that have all stayed local for those in need in our community. How about that?! I’d have to imagine that this weekend’s event will generate another 5-8,000 pounds of food, pushing the total closer to 60,000 pounds.
I should note that all the food collected during Stinky’s House of Horrors is dropped off while Two Weeks of Love: Freezin’ For Food is happening. The food then goes directly to The Salvation Army of Muscatine’s food pantry. Local people decided to give back, and it’s the best!
I have to credit my pal, Shawn Frye, for supplying me with the stats connected to Stinky’s House of Horrors. While you may not recognize Mr. Frye, trust me when I say that he will be part of the haunted house this weekend!
My thanks to “Stinky” and ALL his volunteers who work so hard to make this possible. You are all fantastic, and I hope you know how much you have helped our community!
So, here’s to a great, safe, fun Halloween weekend. Add Stinky’s House of Horrors to your list of things to do, unless you don’t like haunted houses. You can still donate food for the cause! Happy Halloween!
