Despite the inclement weather this past Saturday, several hundred people braved the elements which forced the annual Jack-O-Lantern Jam indoors at the Choctaw County Community Center. According to Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Donna McKay, approximately 350 people attended the Halloween event.
Kids were able to play many different games and to pick up goodies from different ‘Trunk or Treat’ trunks including: Ackerman 20 Century Club, Dr. Seuss; Ackerman Church of God-Youth, Fall in Love with Jesus; Ackerman Discount Drugs, Happy Pumpkin; Ackerman Elementary PTO, Rainbows & Unicorns; Circuit Clerk Amy Burdine, Frozen; Brandon Busby for Sheriff, Zoo; Choctaw County E-911, Sweet Shop; Choctaw County Republican Party, Patriotic; Choctaw County Sheriff’s Dept., Toy Story; Choctaw Regional Medical Center, Luau; Kevin Connell for Sheriff, Old Wild West; Enon Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Wild About Jesus; Pyron’s Body Shop, Candy Land; Heather Wood, The Addams Family.
Trunk winners were Amy Burdine, Best Overall; Kevin Connell, Most Creative; Heather Wood, Best Halloween Spirit. Games were provided by: Choctaw County 4-H, Ackerman Juniorettes, Ackerman Elementary School, French Camp Elementary School Beta Club, and Weir Elementary School Beta Club.
In conjunction with Jack-O-Lantern Jam, 327 people made their way through the spooky interior of the Haunted Library in a two-hour period. Library Director Cristin Chandler that they were really surprised at the response to the first ever such event, and the only negative comments were due to the wait because of the numbers.
The Haunted Library was the idea of staff member Jean Ann Brock and required 25 volunteers, local high school and college students, to pull it off. Chandler expressed her appreciation for all of the volunteers and stated that they made the Haunted Library experience possible.
