REPORTER FIONA HURLESS: You may not think of ice cream when you think of Halloween, but you probably don’t think of being inside, either. Charlee’s Ice Cream has only been open for three years, but this is the third year they’ve hosted a halloween party. While the event was initially supposed to take place outdoors, it moved inside due to the weather. Owner Ben Hussong was prepared for the move and says he appreciates having options, especially as a parent.
BEN HUSSONG: For having our children ourselves, we like to have alternatives especially when they were younger to regular trick or treating where you’re dealing with cold and rain and weather and cars. So we started doing this as a way for them to come out, get some candy ahead of time in a controlled environment where they can be inside. The weather’s not there, they’re not whining, they’re not complaining, and the can have a great time.
HURLESS: While fellow business owner Andrew Cambria was there to pass out treats, he also attended as a parent who has an appreciation for these kinds of events.
ANDREW CAMBRIA: What’s nice about them is that they’re usually in a safe environment, so the kids can come in, they can walk around, we don’t have to worry about cars, it’s light, we don’t have to worry about the weather, and they get to see other businesses and get as much candy as they can fit in their little bags.
HURLESS: For those looking for some old-fashioned trick or treating, however, there are a few things to keep in mind. The Neighborhood Watch Groups of Syracuse has some suggestions for trick-or-treaters everywhere.
While the posting is a few years old, it still has helpful advice, like making sure children are accompanied, that their candy is checked, that children utilize the buddy system, and to watch out for fire hazards.
And if you’re looking to make a Trunk-or-Treat event tonight you can catch one at 6 p.m. in North Syracuse at the Gathering Place and one at Thrive City Church starting at 6:30 this evening.
CAMILLUS, N.Y. (NCC NEWS) – For those looking to avoid the cold, cars and safety concerns of trick-or-treating, there are other ways to celebrate Halloween. Charlee’s Ice Cream in Camillus is just one of several Central New York businesses who hosted an alternative way to celebrate the holiday.
Although the ice cream shop has only been open for a few years, it’s the third year that they’ve hosted a Halloween event. This year, owner Ben Hussong and his wife, Kristin, organized a Trunk-or-Treat as an easy and safe way for families to celebrate Halloween.
“Having children ourselves, we like to have alternatives for them, especially when they were younger to just regular trick-or-treating where you’re dealing with the cold, rain, weather and cars,” Hussong said.
While Trunk-or-Treating is meant to allow children to stay in the car while volunteers fill their trunks with candy, the unpredictable fall weather impacted this Halloween celebration. The event was moved inside after a morning of rain, but Hussong said the turnout was even better than he expected.
The Hussongs had reached out on social media alerting the neighborhood about the event and looking for small, local businesses to take part. From here, several businesses came out to pass out treats and goodies to children in their costumes.
“They couldn’t be nice enough, they couldn’t contribute enough, it’s just been great,” Hussong said.
One of the many children in attendance was Hussong’s own son, Connor. The 12 year-old said the shop sees a lot of kids during normal business days, but that events like these bring more out.
“I like events like these because I get to see the kids and we get to see their smiles,” Connor said.
