Omega Psi Phi Inc. teaches children Halloween safety

Students transformed the third floor study lounge of Hinton James Residence Hall into a haunted house. The fifth floor was turned into a candy land.

Pumpkin Palooza sponsored by Helping Youth by Providing Enrichment Omega Psi Phi fraternity Inc. and the Residence Hall Association was held Friday to teach low-income children from around Chapel Hill and Carrboro about being safe on Halloween.

Student volunteers showed the children a presentation with tips for Halloween. These tips included not visiting dimly lit houses and staying with a responsible adult.

Following the presentation the children accompanied by volunteers visited the first six floors of the residence hall and demonstrated what they learned.

Volunteers decorated each floor with a different theme. There was a fortune teller on the sixth floor and pumpkin painting on the second.

Omega Psi Phi had been working on the idea for about a month and half before they contacted Helping Youth.

Senior Rwenshaun Miller a member of the fraternity said the group wanted to do something for the children living in the community.

He hoped that by attending Pumpkin Palooza" the children would learn how to be safe on Halloween.

The two groups further discussed the event and asked for funding from the Residence Hall Association. Hinton James leaders agreed to sponsor the event.

""It's a good opportunity for the kids to have fun"" said first-year student Olamide Olusesi, who volunteered at the event.

The kids also expressed excitement about the event.

During one of the activities, Zechariah Ballad, one of the kids, had to stick his hands into different bowls and try to figure out what was in it.

The bowls were filled with cherries and spaghetti, designed to feel like gross and gory items.

When he looked down at his hands at the end, he was shocked by what he saw.

Grossy" grossy" grossy!"" Ballad yelled. ""Can I do it again?""



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.