9/22/04

Town Council Encourages a Safe and Courteous Halloween
Public Safety Chief Gives Tips for Safe Holiday

While the minds of most children might be focused on filling plastic pumpkins to the max with candy this Halloween, the Holly Springs Town Council is reminding parents and guardians to make sure this Halloween holiday is a safe and courteous one. The Town Council passed a resolution Sept. 21, 2004, with the following guidelines for the holiday.

Trick-or-treating should take place on the actual Halloween holiday, Sunday, Oct. 31, 2004, and should be restricted to children under the age of 13. While teenagers (ages 13 to 19) are encouraged to refrain from participating in trick-or-treating, those who do participate should not wear masks. Trick-or-treating should be conducted during reasonable hours, preferably between early evening and 8:30 p.m.

All children taking part in trick-or-treating should be clothed in safe costumes, featuring materials that can be seen in the dark by motorists and masks that do not obstruct the children’s vision. All children or groups of children taking part in trick-or-treating should be accompanied by a responsible older person who can protect the children from harm. Children should trick-or-treat in their own neighborhoods, visiting only familiar homes. Residents who choose not to participate in Halloween should indicate so to others by leaving their porch lights off; and, participants should respect the wishes of those who choose not to participate in Halloween by not visiting homes where porch lights are off.

Parents and/or guardians should inspect collected treats carefully before the treats are consumed by children. Suspicious activities or collected treats that show signs of tampering should be reported immediately to the Holly Springs Department of Public Safety.

“We would like children to trick-or-treat in well-lit, safe areas where they know the people they’re trick-or-treating from,” said Holly Springs Public Safety Chief Cecil Parker.

Parker said that Halloween holidays in Holly Springs traditionally have been safe. However, in addition to the officers typically scheduled for duty on Sunday evenings, Parker is sending four more police patrol vehicles out on the holiday for increased visibility in Town neighborhoods.

“Obviously, don’t eat any candies that look suspicious, and only eat candy in original, unopened wrappings,” Parker said. “Be safe, and have fun.”

Town of Holly Springs - PO Box 8 - 128 South Main Street - Holly Springs, NC 27540 - (919) 552-6221 - Holly.Springs@hollyspringsnc.us