Lake Tyee’s 2009 Halloween festivities started Friday night with an eerie wind blowing through the community, knocking out power to most lots and part of the clubhouse. 

On Saturday, at the Craft Fair, cookies were loaded with frosting and candy and pumpkins were adorned with feathers, pompons, and buttons.   The movie, Monsters vs. Aliens, had a delayed start due to a complete power outage but everyone remained in good spirits while a back-up plan was brewed.  A witch (Puget Sound Energy) was summoned to cast a powerful spell and surprisingly the electricity came back on in the clubhouse and remained on through the rest of the evening. 

The Lake Tyee Werewolf (Kurt Kazda) made a surprise appearance during the haunted hayride thrilling kids and adults as he loped across the haunted lane. During the hayride kids spotted ghosts, witches, graveyards, pumpkins, spiders, and a security skeleton warning that “speeders will be hung”.  (Thank you Katie Aldrich, Jayne Bergerman, Joelle Milholm, Paula Ratcliff, and Janet Walsh for decorating your lots). 

At last, it was time for the party.  Halloween would not be complete without Trick or Treating.  At Gary and Sharon Williams’ we were greeted by an elaborate pumpkin and bowl full of candy and spiders; at Peggy and James Cook’s we were greeted by a ring of fire and a witch with a bowl of charmed candy. 

It was finally time to visit the much anticipated “Haunted Closet”.  Clayton (age 4) was the first brave soul to venture behind the closed closet door guarded by the witch (Helena Esau).  Behind the door ghosts, spiders, skeletons, the ghoul (Brian Esau), and Dracula were waiting to entertain the young and old alike.  Some would only venture through once while others made repeated trips to experience the thrill. 

Kids visited the Witch’s zoo where they got to pet mice, bats, snakes, roaches, and other creatures and they went on a skeleton scavenger hunt looking for skulls and boney hands.  Last but not least the kids sat around a boiling bucket of brew creating their own Lake Tyee Ghost Story. 

There were over 40 entries to the Costume Contest, over 20 entries to the coloring contest, and 7 entries to the pumpkin decorating contact.  Thanks to all the participants. 

The thrills and screams did not end Saturday night…..on Sunday morning as kids played pool in the clubhouse lobby they heard the “Monster in the Attic” (Alex Thibert) putting away the Halloween decorations.  Four kids were heard yelling and screaming and seen running from clubhouse across the field as fast as their legs could carry them. 

Thank you so much for attending the party.  We know some people didn’t come to the Lake and others went home early Saturday because there was no power to most of the lots.  At times we worried no one would be left for the party but there ended up being 100+ kids and adults who attended making it a huge success. 

Thank you Barb Thibert for planning, coordinating, and orchestrating the event and Alex Thibert for setting up the movie, arranging for the hayride, designing and creating the “Haunted Closet”, and all the tear down and clean up after the event.  Thank you Colleen McKnight for co-organizing the event, decorating, arranging all the food, and hanging up signs; Allen Ward for being the event photographer; Kim Ward for filling in whenever help was needed; Monty and Judy Smith and granddaughters for your help with craft clean up, food set up, and party clean up; Peggy and James Cook for filling in whenever help was needed and for counting the ballots; Darren Esau for helping set up Friday evening; and Helena Esau for bring yummy cupcakes.  Thanks to all of you who lent a helping hand whenever one was needed. 

We are accumulating pictures to post on the website and to make a poster to hang in the office and clubhouse.  If you have any great pictures please e-mail them to bthibert@comcast.net.

********    This summer we are planning a Pirate Festival Weekend for late July or early August.  We wanted to let everyone know in advance so you can acquire Pirate costumes and accessories on clearance after Halloween.