With spooky season in full swing, many of Penn State’s organizations, fraternities and sororities have organized fundraisers and events in light of the Halloween spirit. Lion Ambassadors and the Forensic Science Club held events last week, while numerous frats and sororities have paired up to host haunted houses in the upcoming week.
The Haunted Valley
On Oct. 20, Lion Ambassadors held The Haunted Valley event, running from Old Main to the Hintz Family Alumni Center, which tells the story of the infamous ghosts that haunt Penn State. Just after dark, members of the organization dressed up as figures of our campus’ past such as George Atherton and his wife Frances, the young woman who was mysteriously murdered in the stacks of the Pattee and Paterno Library, and many others.
“These characters tell their stories and answer questions from the audience,” says Nick Pazuchanics, president of Lion Ambassadors. Despite the weather adding to the eerie aspect of the event, the Lion Ambassadors said Haunted Valley was a huge success.
“This year’s event was awesome for me because despite the heavy rain and chilly fall air, we still had a great turn out of people. Penn State’s haunted history is something that people were willing to walk in the rain to experience,” says Pazuchanics.
No Screen to Hide Behind
On Oct. 18, 19 and 20, the Forensic Science Club hosted a haunted house in the Spruce and Pine Cottages on campus. Charging $4.99 at the door, a portion of all the proceeds were donated to H.E.A.R.T, an organization that offers outreach programs designed to help rape victims on their path of healing.
Jilli Neeper, the president of the Forensic Science Club, said that this year’s haunted house was their biggest success yet. Hosted over Parent’s Weekend, families and students went to the cottages in hopes of catching a good scare.
“What stood out about the event this year is that we really did well with attendance and money raised,” says Neeper. So many people attended the event that the club ran out of tickets! This year’s haunted house raised the most money since its debut in 2010.
The Forensic Science Club will also be hosting a new Escape Room event on Nov. 2 and 3 at the cottages with proceeds benefitting THON.
Beware – Frat Land is Getting Spooky
On Monday, Oct. 28, Pi Kappa Phi and Penn State’s Office of the Physical Plant (OPP) will be hosting “Horror Night.” The haunted house will open its doors at 409 E. Fairmont Ave from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are $5, and benefit THON on behalf of Pi Kapp and OPP.
On Tuesday, Oct. 29, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Kappa Alpha Theta will be turning the Sig Ep house into haunted halls from 5-9 p.m. At 524 Locust Lane, tickets will cost $5.00, benefitting the State College Food Bank and CASA, “a national association that supports and promotes court-appointed advocates for abused or neglected children, in order to provide them with a safe and healthy permanent home.”
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, Sigma Pi and Epsilon Sigma Alpha will be hosting their fourth annual haunted house at 303 Fraternity Row from 7-10 p.m. Tickets will be $5, and all proceeds will go toward the Amazing Day Foundation, an organization seeking to memorialize and educate communities about suicide prevention as well as St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Be sure to stop by these frightening fundraisers! You are guaranteed to get a good scare, all while being a part of the effort to raise money for some great causes this Halloween.
