October 23, 2007

Haunted Trail set for this weekend

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. – What frightful apparitions and shriek-inducing horrors lurk in the woods and water at Southern Illinois University Carbondale? Thrill-seekers from far and wide can find out at this weekend's Haunted Trail.

The Raymond D. Wiley Chapter of the Public Relations Students Society of America (PRSSA) is sponsoring the Haunted Trail Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27, at the SIUC Campus Beach. The trail begins near the boathouse and winds through the woods, along the bewitched lake to the haunted beach house.

Ghouls and frights will pack the trail from 7 to 10 each night. There are no advance ticket sales and all are welcome to attend.

There's a special children's haunting too. From 6 to 7 each evening, the trail will be a bit tamer, indeed kid-friendly. During that time, youngsters can also enjoy a variety of free activities with the price of admission to the trail. There's a kiddie costume contest along with face painting and pumpkin painting. Children can also pose for a picture with one of the "Full Moon Massacre" movie characters on hand for the spook-filled adventures.

The Haunted Trail is going to make life better for some Southern Illinoisans too. A third of the admission proceeds go to the Coach Kill Cancer Fund. And, participants who bring a canned good item for donation to a local food pantry get a $2 discount on their admission to the trail. The regular admission price is $5 per person but it's $3 with a canned good.

The PRSSA is a registered student organization working with the Public Relations Society of America in St. Louis. Its membership is open to all students. Typically, most members are students in the speech communication or public relations fields, garnering hands-on experience and at times, class credit, for their involvement with the group.

The rain dates for the Haunted Trail are Nov. 2 and 3.