Even though COVID-19 is still a very real boogeyman lurking behind every mask, Coronavirus has not ghosted the Halloween Trick or Treat Parade at Cuyuna Regional Medical Center’s Care Center.

Activities Supervisor Mary Dehning devised a creative and fun outdoor way for youngsters to roam along the building in search of sugary and spooky delights. Residents will stay inside their rooms while children trick-or-treat for self-serve candy at scary stations that will be set up outside of their individual windows. The stations will be more than six feet apart and all candy will be pre-packaged.

All tiny goblins, superheroes and ghouls age 10 and younger are asked to gather outside at the back of the Care Center on Saturday, Oct. 31, beginning at 5 p.m.  They must maintain proper social distancing as they trick or treat from each spooktacular station to the main entrance collecting their loot. They’ll be able to greet residents through their festively decorated windows. The community will also be able to vote on the residents’ window decorating competition at a station under the Care Center’s main entrance.

The Care Center is also seeking candy and monetary donations to help support the event as COVID-19 has not allowed residents to hold their usual fundraisers. Generally, more than 500 youth trick or treat at the Center and thousands of pieces of candy is distributed. Donations may be sent to CRMC Care Center Activities Department, Attention Mary Dehning, 320 E. Main St., Crosby, MN  56441 any time before Halloween. They may also be left at CRMC’s main entrance screening station at any time before Halloween. For more information, contact Dehning at Mary.Dehning@Cuyunamed.org or 218-546-4353.

---