"It's kind of a reverse trick-or-treat," Erin O'Neal said. "We're dressed up and the kids aren't, but we're giving out treats." The staff invited students in grades pre-K through 5th.
OHC's director, Cheryl Ballance, gets the credit for the idea of decorating the center and inviting the schoolkids from next door. Everyone took her idea and ran with it.
"After the hurricane, we wanted to do something fun, and this idea blew up!" said Dr. Erin Baker. Erin's office was transformed into a creepy pet shop of skeletal mammals and furry spiders. She enlisted the help of her daughter, Zoe, a 2nd grader at Ocracoke School for the creative decorating. "Zoe and I were here until eight o'clock last night," she said.
The Health Center is long and narrow, with nooks and crannies on either side of the hallway, and dark corners where sharks or mummies or witches can lurk. They lurked in a friendly way, handing out "treats" – rubber creep-crawlies, spider rings, Halloween pencils, toothpaste, and toothbrushes. Notice there was no candy. It's a HEALTH Center, people. But if you're going to trick kids into accepting candy-less treats, you gotta make it fun. Nicole O'Neal was dressed as the Tooth Fairy to remind kids about good dental hygiene. Petros Burleson promised her, "I brush and floss every day!"
The final stop was at Cheryl's office, where she was giving out "magic apples" from a cauldron – kids burst out the back door asking their teachers if they could eat the apples right now!?! The apples were a big hit. Score one for healthy snacks!
Each of the Health Center employees dressed up and decorated their own stations or offices. "It was really good for our morale, too." said Dr. Baker. "We're all having fun."
