Aside from the chill in the night air, a distinct sound could be heard rising out of the Grace Hall woods last weekend. Approaching the chapel, ear piercing screams became louder as crowds of people were seen making their way toward the scene. What was the commotion that had gotten campus screaming? The Cabrini College Haunted Trail.
Beginning in the Grace Hall atrium, the Halloween fun abounded. There was a table for painting pumpkins, snacks, Cabrini student volunteers in costumes and eerie black lights to set the frightening mood. After a brief wait, small groups were escorted out of the side doors by their “ghostly” tour guides. As groups approached the wooded area, screams could be heard in the distance, while the guides entertained their groups with stories of the Cabrini College haunting.
Making their way through the darkened woods, huddled groups faced masked creatures, foggy tunnels, severed limbs and even the Cabrini ghost herself, dressed in white and accompanied by her elusive “missing baby.” There was even a grand finale as SGA president Colin McGinley burst out of the woods armed with a face-mask and a chainsaw. Colin had no inhibitions about chasing down his fellow classmates for a good scare.
Students weren’t the only ones to enjoy the scary excitement of the Haunted trail. There were Brownie Troupes, birthday parties and families from surrounding areas all here to join in the fun. Freshmen class President Tim McIntyre was pleased with this year’s turnout. “A lot of people came, especially on Friday night. There were a lot of students but also a lot of people outside of the campus community.”
Perhaps the cause for the significantly larger turnout than previous years was due to the hours of work put into the project. “We worked from 10 to six on Friday,” McIntyre said. Their hard work seemed to pay off as the line formed outside of Grace Hall to get a piece of the Halloween action.
“I was surprisingly impressed,” sophomore Laura Girrlando said. “I went last year but it wasn’t nearly as good. This year was scarier and a lot more fun.” Girrlando was not the only one who favored this year’s trail to the ones in years prior. Krista Michalowski brought her entire family to the Haunted Trail this year, including eight year-old Cousin Danielle. “She really loved it,” Michalowski said. “She wouldn’t let go of my leg for anything. My whole family had a good time.”
According to those in charge, this years Haunted Trail was an overall success. “CAP board and SGA did a good job of putting the whole thing together,” McIntyre said. If the screams coming out of the Grace Hall woods were any indication of its success, the Haunted Trail may be around for many Halloweens to come.
