Trick or Treating in Ft. Meade

The tradition of trick or treating is still alive and well in the city of Ft. Meade. Annually the city has trick or treating the Sat. night before Halloween. I've heard a couple reasons why, but mostly so kids won't be out late and hopped up on sugar on a school night.

Sat. the 27th was the annual event and hundreds of children turned out. It's the way you remember it from being a kid. No going to the mall or to a school fest, but honest to goodness walking door to door and yelling "Trick or Treat" at the top of your lungs for two hours.

Some folks even set up their own haunted houses year after year, just for the fun of it. One family who usually does, but due to illness scaled it back this year is Don and Willenne Pawley. They live on 6th Street, the mecca of candy seekers in town. But they still put on a great house, strobe lights, decorations and lots of candy. I know they spend at least $50 a year in candy, and usually give it all out and need more.

A ritual my best friends and family have had for the last 10 years is to gather at a friend's house, have a potluck dinner, let the kids scramble to get dressed, then load everyone up on a flat bed trailer hooked to a pick up truck with bales of hay to sit on, and take off.

Last night was no different. A neat thing about small towns is that you can still do this and have a great time. The Ft. Meade police were out in force, watching over everything and handing out candy to the kids from their cars! Way to go!