BAINBRIDGE, Ohio — This Halloween was a scary time for many parents, trying to weigh their kids' desire to trick or treat with the safety risks. Some said they felt it was no more dangerous than picking up fast food at a restaurant, and after months of being cooped up at home, kids just needed to let loose this Halloween, pandemic or not.
Perhaps that's why at Avon Lake High School it seemed like social distancing at a big Trunk or Treat event was secondary.
Some parents created contactless candy delivery systems, and there were kids who came armed with socially distanced candy scoopers, even if they forgot to use them. Others showed up in COVID-proof costumes that covered every inch of their bodies. But masks were definitely not mandatory.
In other Northeast Ohio communities, concerned parents came up with creative ways to put fears of COVID aside.
In Bainbridge, a group of parents called the "Boo Crew" drove around their neighborhood with a flatbed in tow, throwing candy to about 250 families.
One of the Boo Crew organizers, Sonali Morris, told us, "We have 500 individually wrapped bags. Everything is quarantined and safe."
But the creativity didn't stop there. In other neighborhoods, homeowners used zip lines to deliver candy. And long chutes to deliver candy from front porches could be found everywhere, including at the Licygiewicz's, whose decorated home is a big draw.
“There are children that take pictures in front of the house every year. And I didn't want to take that from them,” Eve Ann told us.
Another homeowner made a self-sanitizing Frankenstein treat dispenser called the Transyl-vending machine.
"We're using UVC light to kill any germs. to sanitize," said creator Chris Meade. “You will then step in front of the machine and it goes through a sequence to actually distribute the candy to you.”
But lest you think the adults were left out of the celebrations, they got treats delivered socially distant as well. But their treats were the type you drink. Like in Bainbridge, where the Boo Crew tossed beers to the parents.
Now hopefully these Halloween safety measures, like the drive through Halloween display we found at one home, will have helped prevent any outbreak, and will spark creativity for our next potential super spreader holiday: Thanksgiving.