After months of intense practice, class work and numerous games, a number of Penn State athletes got the chance to take a break and give back to the community at the All-Sports Museum’s fourth annual Trick or Treat Night on Tuesday.
Over 1,000 children from two months to 14 years old, came to the museum adorned in their Halloween gear. Every character from Cinderella to John Cena was represented as the children toured the museum, bowled and “pin the tail on the Lion” with the help of the athletes.
“It’s always good to reach out to the community and help,” said Sidney Sanabria, a junior on the women’s gymnastics team. “We do the same thing basically everyday so it’s nice to just forget about training and school and just do something fun.”
Ken Hickman, director of the All-Sports Museum, has enjoyed the involvement and growth he has seen in the event since its beginning four years ago. The museum teams of with the Student Athlete Advisory Board to give the athletes a chance to be involved with some community service.
“It’s been wonderfully successful each year,” Hickman said. “It’s one of the really great opportunity for varsity athletes to come out and interact with the community as well as filling their community service requirements. You can really see how much they enjoy becoming a bigger part of the community.
From the football team, to the Lionettes, each respective team had some representation at Tuesday night’s event. Nicole Logan, a sophomore on the Lionettes dance team, expressed how special the opportunity was to work with the children.
“I’m in love with children so this is my favorite event of the entire year next to THON,” Logan said. “It just makes me so happy to see the little kids, I love it.”
Parents and children alike enjoyed themselves. Several families returned for the second or third year, alumni and other members of the Centre County community are able to join together in a night that is special for the children.
“We like it, it’s our second year in a row and it’s a win-win, he gets to get candy and hangout and I get to walk through a sports museum, you can’t lose,” said Greg Balllis, of Bellefonte. His son Cameron, 5, dressed as Spiderman, and said the bucket toss was his favorite game of the day.
Diana Norseen (senior-elementary education) is an employee at the All-Sports Museum and has also enjoyed how she’s seen the event grow in her three years of involvement.
“It’s our biggest event of the year and for me as an elementary ed. Major, it’s so fun to see the kids,” Norseen said. “I think it’s nice because it’s contained indoors and parents don’t have to worry about their children wandering, so it’s fun for them too.”
