Belvedere Senior Housing hosted its annual Trunk or Treat event on Friday, October 23, creating a Halloween experience for its residents and the broader community. The event saw residents of the senior living facility donning costumes and visiting decorated car trunks, where staff and community partners distributed candy. Among those contributing to the festivities were members of the Winnimac Old Auto Club and the Merrillville Police Department, who manned their cars for the occasion.
The Trunk or Treat was not limited to Belvedere residents; Merrillville families and community members were explicitly welcomed to partake in the celebrations. Beyond the central trunk-or-treat activity, attendees enjoyed a range of additional features. Staff at Belvedere Senior Housing set up a bouncy castle, catering to children present at the event, and offered a walking taco station, providing dinner for all participants after their activities.
Kristie Palomo, the Director of Marketing and Sales at Belvedere Senior Housing, stated the event's core mission was to "incorporate the community with our residents." She explained that the event aimed to offer a fun experience for all ages and highlighted the involvement of various community partners who joined staff members in decorating cars.
For residents, the Belvedere Senior Housing Trunk or Treat is an eagerly anticipated annual occurrence. It provides them with an opportunity to leave their usual lodgings and engage in a festive, lighthearted holiday. More profoundly, the event serves as a catalyst for bringing families together, often drawing out children and grandchildren, all dressed in costumes and displaying evident enjoyment. This atmosphere of collective joy and intergenerational interaction is a key aspect that Belvedere Senior Housing aims to cultivate.
Palomo elaborated on this inclusive vision, explaining that the event is designed for both "residents' families to come" and for individuals "outside of Belvedere to come." She conveyed a desire to showcase the community and emphasized a strong belief in building "intergenerational relationships" that provide "fun for all ages." She noted the presence of residents with their families, including grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins, all participating in the trick-or-treating. Attendees, both family and community members, received bags to collect candy from the various decorated trunks.
The Belvedere Senior Housing Trunk or Treat has demonstrated consistent growth, expanding in scope and attendance each year. On the day of the event, countless families and residents were observed actively moving through the parking lot, collecting candy from diverse community members and vendors. Whether it was the creativity of the costumes, the participation of community partners handing out treats, the excitement of the bouncy castle, or the convenience of the provided food, residents and employees of Belvedere Senior Housing reported immense satisfaction and happiness from the event. The families of residents also shared in this positive experience, their collective smiles contributing to a widespread sense of enjoyment.
