Life Care Center brought candy, hot dogs, popcorn, and smiles to the Valparaiso community on Wednesday, October 16. Families came through the campus to celebrate its annual Trunk or Treat event.
Angela Monahan, director of business development at the Life Care Center, looks forward to this event every year.
“This is our annual event that we do to involve the community and let them know that we are a safe place for all the family needs. It helps kick off the holiday season with Halloween before we get into Thanksgiving and Christmas,” Monahan said.
The theme for this year’s event is Disney. From Mickey Mouse to “Monsters Inc.,” each of the vehicles had a unique aesthetic to it.
“We love doing events like this and making them unique,” Crystal Carlson, Life Care Center director of nursing, said. “The Trunk or Treat is one of our biggest highlights all year. People in the community get a chance to learn about who we are and what we do. Nobody ever disappoints in decorating their cars to make sure each one stands out.”
More than 30 vehicles controlled the parking lot for the event. Judy Kukelka, communication education representative for Heart to Heart Hospice, never takes this event for granted.
“We just love supporting the community and being able to support Life Care,” Kukelka said. “This is a great way for us to give back to the people who support us and inform people about us if they haven’t used our services before.”
Nobody has a better time at trunk or treat events than the children. Glen Ewen, president of the Winamac Old Car Auto Club, loves showcasing the organization’s cars at community gatherings and helps contribute to positive memories for the kids.
“It’s wonderful to be a part of this event,” Ewen said. “The Life Care Center has been very good to our club. We’ve been coming here for a few years now and it’s always a good time. The residents here enjoy checking out our vehicles. We love to see all the kids smiling as well.”
While this event is popular for the children, it’s always exciting to see some of the patients who come outside to celebrate the occasion with their friends, family, and others.
“It’s really rewarding to see some of these residents come outside for the event.” Heidi Dennies, owner of Care In Motion, said. “It warms my heart. I went inside and brought them all a little bag and it made their day as well. We’re all about connecting with this community.”
It wasn’t just the kids and adults that were dressed up with Halloween spirit. There were multiple dogs dressed as superheroes such as Batman and Superman. Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon was partnered with a canine that drew everybody’s attention. He was happy to see so many kids interacting with the dog.
“The kids absolutely love our canine,” Balon said. “He’s specially trained so his temperament is approachable. We also love giving the elderly who live here an awesome environment outside where people come and go. They see the kids with the customers and it puts a smile on their faces. It’s nice that Life Care Center does this and we hope they continue to do so for many years to come.”
Even though this is a one night event, the planning to make this event come together successfully takes much longer than that. Monahan is glad to see how the hard work paid off and led to another incredible Trunk or Treat event.
“We’ve been preparing months in advance for this day,” Monahan said. “We order plenty of candy and have a staff who always puts the residents first. We’re grateful for the vendors who donate their time and effort in making this possible. Their support allows us to put together events like this one for the community.”
For more information on Life Care Center of Valparaiso, you can visit its website.
