Trick or Treat at Beverly Hills

The Board of Directors of Beverly Hills Association, Inc. decided to have a Halloween Children's Party when I was a board member about ten years ago. I was the first project chair and asked my niece, Leahliz Sia, who was still a college student then, to facilitate the program flow. She promptly asked the help of her "barkadas" among the neighborhood teeners. I engaged the services of a magician and bought a lot of eats and ice cream. We had more kids than we expected and the heartwarming cooperation of households along Grape and Canyon Roads that prepared candies at the gates for the trick or treat walk-around of the children.

I supervised the next couple of Halloween Happenings, one sponsored by Nutella with clowns and lots of prizes. Over the years, I have missed the fun and laughter of the Halloween children's party that the association continues to celebrate. However, I never miss out on the trick or treat tray of candies at our gate. This year was significant for me, since my first grandchild, Margaret Therese, only three months old, participated in the Halloween fun. As what this year's project chair, our administrator Mrs. Dolores Gapas, wrote to Beverly Hills residents: "Our children are growing very fast, this grandparents know only too well. Suddenly, the children have grown, leave home to live lives of their own and raise their children, in turn. The Halloween party is an opportunity for a meaningful fun-filled experience with our younger generations. It contributes to beautiful memories to be cherished…and beautiful memories are what we can bequeath the younger generations, since these will stay with them for always."

There were clown and a magician, lots of food, like cupcakes, hotdogs, meat rolls, banana cakes, a fish ball "vendor", cotton candy man and an ice cream man - all for free for the young ones, as well as for the young once. The number of children was impressive and the costumes and props they had were more impressive! Contests and prizes and laughter and zany antics everywhere…make up those beautiful memories we will forever cherish.

It was a happy Halloween happening in Beverly Hills once again this year. Congratulations to all concerned, especially to the cooperative residents along Grape and Canyon Roads who always make the trick & treat walk-around of the children an exciting and sweet experience. Boooh!