By Carolyn Lee
The Imperial Republican
Imperial area residents will have several opportunities to enjoy Halloween festivities this year.
One is the 27th annual Cox’s Ponds pumpkin patch and corn maze, Oct. 13-14.
Another is the Pumpkin Run Oct. 13.
Still another is the EMS haunted house.
Cox’s Ponds
Families are invited to dress in costumes and visit Cox’s Ponds, two and one-half miles west and one-fourth mile north of Champion.
Many events are planned, including a petting zoo and pony rides by Troy, Judy, Shelby and Skye Brandt. There is a scarecrow contest, with youth and adult divisions. Entries may be set up before 6 p.m. on Oct. 12.
Photos of visitors will be taken. Pumpkin kits, crafts, pumpkins, squash and gourds will be sold.
Live local music will be spotlighted. Hot dogs and chips will be sold as a fund raiser for the Challenger’s 4-H Club, and tamales will be sold by Emma Jenkins.
Hay rack rides will be available to the corn maze, which was decorated this year by Amber Yaw, the Vitosh family, All-Stars 4-H Club, Tracy and Macy Coleman, Jacci, Maddison and Myla Brown, Imperial Girl Scouts, The Country Girls dance group, the Glitter, Sparkle and Shine jump rope girls and the Cox and Cupp families.
Popcorn and drinks will be sold, and cookies and pretzels will be given out by the Cupp and Cox families.
Cox’s Pond will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Storm dates are Oct. 20-21. People are urged to bring wagons to haul pumpkins, and cameras.
Pumpkin Run
The annual Pumpkin Run will begin this Saturday with check-in and registration at 7 a.m. at Cox’s Ponds.
The 10-mile race will begin at 7:30 a.m. and will wind through Cox’s Ponds and Champion. The three-mile race will begin at 8:30 a.m. and will take a shorter route.
The kids’ run will begin at 9:15 a.m. for those 12 and under. Awards will be presented about 10:15 a.m. at Cox’s Ponds.
The kids’ run is free. The cost for adults is $18.
Contact Chairman Jill Moline at (308) 883-5389 for more information.
Haunted house
The Imperial Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is again sponsoring a haunted house. It will be held in the city gym at dates and times to be released later.
The haunted house is a fund- raiser for the EMS scholarship fund.