Haunted house hosted at high school

Those wanting to enjoy a spooky good time and benefit local students can head to Green River High School's haunted house.

The Halloween event is hosted by the GRHS Student Council.

"It's all of our Student Council kids who put it together," Student Council Supervisor Marisa DeClercq said.

Council members design, create and run the haunted house, along with the help of FFA, DeClercq explained. The students build the rooms, sometimes making or bringing props from home and often working together with the school's theater department to provide additional props. Students also work as the actors to bring the haunted house to life.

This year's haunted house will have five rooms for guests to move through, with each room being run by a class of students - freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors -and one room run by FFA. Each room will have a unique spooky theme decided on by each class.

This is the fourth year the Student Council has hosted a haunted house at the high school.

The event raises money for the Student Council that helps them do a number of things, including attend the Student Council State Convention next month, according to DeClercq. She described the haunted house as "our main big fundraiser that helps us throughout the whole year."

This year, the Student Council decided to also use the haunted house to help others, so the event includes a coat drive.

"We have a lot of students in need of hoodies and sweaters and winter coats with the weather changing," DeClercq said. She explained that the high school's counselors started a pantry to provide for students in need.

The pantry includes items like canned foods, toiletries and clothes. However, the counselors recently said they are in need of warmer winter clothes for students who need them, can't afford them or don't have enough. This inspired the Student Council to do the coat drive.

Those who bring a new or lightly used hoodie, sweater or winter coat to donate will receive $1 off the haunted house admission price. DeClercq hopes they will be able to collect enough coats to have extras to give to others in need in the community.

There is no age restriction on the haunted house, and children's participation is up to the discretion of the parents. Photosensitive visitors should be aware a strobe light effect is used.

The haunted house began on Wednesday night and will run tonight and Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. upstairs at the Green River High School. Tickets are $5 for a single ticket, $8 for a couple and $15 for a family of four.