A Cochrane devotee of all things devilish hopes to scare up donations for the Veterans Food Bank by transforming his home into a manor of the macabre for trick or treaters this Halloween.
“I’ve always loved Halloween and I’ve always loved decorating,” Gary Robertson said this week. “This year, I thought, ‘Why not take that passion and try to do something good with it?’
“It’s a good opportunity to reach out and help people.”
For the last several days, Robertson – a firefighter – has been converting different parts of his house at 70 River Heights Crescent into a creepy insane asylum.
The indoor foyer area will be filled with zombies, his garage is being converted into a laboratory … and the yard, the piece de resistance, will remain a surprise until All Hallow’s Eve.
But the most important decoration Robertson will dolly up is a place for costumed kids and their parents to drop off a donation for the Veterans Food Bank.
Robertson will accept foodstuffs, along with toiletries, toothpaste, shaving foam, toilet paper and other essential items, for the Calgary-based charity organization from 5 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 31.
Given the time of year, Robertson said collecting for the veterans’ group seemed like the perfect fit.
“Right after Halloween comes Remembrance Day, which is probably the most important day that there is,” he said. “They kick off their food drive Nov. 1, and they’re always challenged with meeting the demand. (Veterans) have given and sacrificed — and they are the people that continually make the sacrifices for our freedom so we can have fun events like Halloween and not have to worry about our safety.”
To make his charity haunted house as horrific as he can, Robertson said he’s hit up his out-of-town neighbours for their Halloween decorations and he’s recruited some friends to stand in as scary asylum workers.
“I’ll probably be the scientist working in the laboratory,” he said with a laugh, adding he also built out-points into the spine-chilling experience so younger kids or freaked-out grown ups can pull the pin on the more terrifying parts of the tour.
“Some of the zombies look quite real. There will be some frights and there will be some things that jump out … hopefully not many tears.”
Robertson added while he hopes to bring in a good haul for the Veterans Food Bank, those who don’t have a donation if they walk by Halloween night can still take part in the eerie experience.
“(I wanted) to make something that draws people out,” he said. “If you’re coming by … you can being something.”
