HAVRE, Mont. (NMB) – Due to the increase in COVID-19 cases in the area, The Havre Jaycees have made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s iteration of their annual haunted house.
Chapter President Kaylee Gooch says they had to put the health and safety of the community first.
“Some people, I know, almost feel obligated or they like to support us, and so we just wanted to keep in mind all the people who could have been affected coming to the haunted house. We didn’t want anybody to get sick. We didn’t want (the virus) to keep spreading. (Cancelling the event) is in the best interest of the public.”
The haunted house has been a Havre tradition for years, and planning for it usually begins in late August or early September. This year, they didn’t began planning until later because of the large possibility it would be canceled.
“We have been working on it for about two weeks. Not really in depth, but we wanted to get a plan down, make sure that we were prepared depending on what our decision was. We do only meet twice a month. So we wanted to just be prepared…If the COVID stuff was a different outcome, we just wanted to be prepared so we weren’t too far behind if we went on with it.”
Entrance fees into the haunted house go towards Jaycees community projects, and are typically discounted if people bring in a donation for the Havre Food Bank.
“It’s a big chunk for us to them and we love donating to them. We make it a priority to us that we do that food can drive.”
To help make up the gap in food donations that this cancellation will lead to, the Jaycees are working on a drive-up food drive event.
“We are in the works of talking about it. We don’t have a 100 percent plan yet, but as soon as we have a plan and we will release it to the public.”
The Jaycees are still planning on doing a Christmas donation event.
“We just want to make sure everybody is taken care of during Christmas, too. Food, presents, anything that would help them. We’re just in the works right now of getting a plan on what we’re going to do for Christmas.”
Stay tuned to New Media Broadcasters for updates on the food drive and Christmas project.
