Trick or treat! What? No candy?

Photo by Corey Sitkowski

This is the second in a series of stories researched and written by the Junior Reporters Club at The Charlotte News. Amelie and Flossy are in 5th grade. Any students, grades 3 through 8, are welcome to join us in the newsroom on Tuesdays after school.

It’s October 31! Halloween! You should be excited, but instead a sense of dread fills you: you’re low on candy and it’s too late to head to the store. What do you do?

Problems like this can be avoided. We’ve gone to one of the most popular trick-or-treated streets in Charlotte, Greenbush Road, which gets about 400-500 kids a year and asked homeowners how they avoid such problems.
You may be wondering, what is a reliable place to get candy and other Halloween items? There’s always Amazon and Party City, but Greenbush Road resident Susan Stuck mentioned a shop called Scratch & Dent. She also recommends shopping for candy for about a month in advance. She had two baskets on the floor filled with a truckload of candy, such as sour patch kids, chocolates, pretzels, gummy bears and more.

“I think my favorite part of Halloween is all the pumpkins and the kids. I love kids,” Stuck commented. She also added that a good place to shop for pumpkins is Shelburne Orchards.

Stuck also warned future trick or treaters, “Be prepared to say trick or treat, or you’ll get an onion!”

An interesting fact about Stuck’s house is that it was actually put on some of Vermont’s possible haunted houses list. Her address was featured on a TV channel that exclaimed loudly, HAUNTED HOUSES–don’t get scared, though! She says the ghost left long ago. Make sure to visit her house and say hi!

Another one of the popular visited houses is the Valliere family on Ferry Road. Last year they had a variety of candies that earned their house an absolute go-to for trick or treating. Here’s what they have to say about trick or treating and Halloween:

Flossy’s first question was simple, “How do you like having a lot of trick or treaters?” she promptly asks. Twelve-year-old Trevina Valliere, the younger sister of the house, takes a moment before answering, “I like it because I get to see all the costumes.”

Trevina says she likes the decorating and pumpkin carving that happens during the month of October. Carve pumpkins, get candy, and trick or treat! Make sure to say hi to Trevina’s family and thank them for reserving their time to feed kids candy!

Amy Vazquez has lived in Charlotte for years, but she just moved into a house on Greenbush Road. She’s going to line her driveway with jack-o-lanterns like a runway to the barn where she’ll be sitting in the barn.

“I cannot wait to hand out candy,” Vazquez said.

Our junior reporter Marianna Fairweather had a suggestion.  “Make it more creepy,” Marianna suggested. Vazquez said she wasn’t sure how gruesome to make it.

“So, more spooky?” Vazquez wondered, standing in her front garden with her dog. “Yes,” said Marianna, 8, nodding.

Mark Moser, who lives near the Old Brick Store, plans to hang a big bat “with electric wings that go back and forth” and a vampire “who makes a loud shrieking scream,” along with a pretend skull with a crow sitting on its head.

He’s been hosting trick or treaters for 35 years. Asked if he is looking forward to Halloween, he says, “Am I ever!” He says a group of friends come over for dinner, and they take turns answering the door. “Halloween is a special night.”