As the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth welcomed families for their annual trick-or-treat event, the department booth decorating contest added creativity and friendly competition to the celebration of All Hallows’ Eve.
All Hallows’ Eve connects the familiar Halloween celebration to the Catholic tradition of honoring the saints. At Nazareth, the annual trick-or-treat event offered an opportunity to extend Christian hospitality and share time with neighbors.
Two awards recognized the efforts of Nazareth departments to add fun and creativity to the evening, which had an overall theme of “Classic Family Fun.”
Housekeeping Takes Best Overall Booth
The Housekeeping Department earned Best Overall Booth for its Mario-themed display. The video game-inspired booth was a favorite among visitors and judges alike.
Visiting Global Exchange Sisters from India judged the contest, evaluating entries for creativity, team participation and originality. Housekeeping’s booth featured several handmade decorations and interactive design elements, giving families more to enjoy as they stopped by.
SCN Center Wins for Sustainability
The SCN Center, bringing together COFA, the Central Leadership Team and the SCN Ministry Fund, received the Sustainable Booth Award for choices that reflected the Sisters’ commitment to caring for God’s creation.
Carolyn Cromer, director of ecological sustainability, evaluated more than 10 department or employee entries. Each was scored on a scale of zero to five across categories that included reused decorations and costumes, avoidance of single-use plastics, candy packaging, plans for materials after the event and water conservation.
The SCN Center scored highly throughout. Every decoration was reused or purchased from a thrift or salvage store. All costumes were reused, including witch hats made from staff member Ashley Spalding’s baby blankets.
Apart from candy wrappers, the booth used no single-use plastics. Organizers planned to reuse or repurpose every decoration, keeping those materials out of the landfill.
Other departments also found resourceful ways to celebrate. Participants repurposed cardboard boxes, reused costumes and decorations, and limited disposable plastics. Cromer noted very little visible waste, with the SCN Center’s comprehensive approach earning the award.
Congratulations to Housekeeping and the SCN Center, and thank you to everyone who welcomed families to Nazareth.
To view more photos from last week’s Trick-or-Treat event, click below.