Haunted fundraiser makes its return to Woodlot Park

by Madeleine Johnson, Social Editor
   It was a dark and stormy night.
   No, really.
   Chilling rain and rivers of mud might have put a delay on Friday’s events at the Dardani’s annual haunted trail and hayride, held at Woodlot Park on New Road, but it didn’t stop a few brave souls from seeking a night of scares — and the usual ghouls were ready to terrify thrill-seekers.
   Fortunately, Saturday’s fright night came with festively autumn weather, which drew a much larger crowd to the fundraising event.
   ”Saturday night was phenomenal,” Carolyn Dardani said. “On Friday, we had close to 600 people go through each trail and probably over 1,200 on each trail on Saturday. It was packed on Saturday.”
   Ms. Dardani was pleased with how many people came out to get into the Halloween spirit a few days early.
   ”I’m happy with the turnout, but I’m disappointed it rained,” she said. “The crowd on Saturday was super, and God bless the people who came out Friday and braced the storm with us.”
   Regardless of the weather, those who dared to enter during the two-day haunted spectacle were treated to a spookily satisfying experience.
   Angry orange eyes surveyed the park from their vantage point on the haunted trail while smoke billowed around the trail’s entrance. Mood-setting tunes such as “Thriller” and the theme from “The Twilight Zone” emanated from a green glowing tent.
   And, upon venturing into the disorienting depths of the haunted trail or the twists and turns of the hayride, trail-goers startled cries mingled with the volunteers’ ghastly laughs and sardonic screams.
   But the evening wasn’t all about scares and thrills. Even though Friday night’s Little Vikings Fun Time Forest Trail, a nonspooky event for young children hosted by the South Brunswick High School’s dance and softball teams, was rescheduled for Saturday, the two-day affair attracted quite an audience.
   ”The junior trail got moved to Saturday and Sunday afternoon, but it definitely brought out some nice families,” Ms. Dardani said. “There was a lot of families there. We were very happy to see that.”
   The inclement weather did bring another last-minute change — the radio station that was scheduled to broadcast on Friday had to cancel because of the rain — and wind and rain pummeled a few of the trails’ tents, but the volunteers’ dedication shone through in spite of it all.
   ”They gave 110 percent, even with the rain,” Ms. Dardani said. “A couple of tents got destroyed when a typhoon came through, but everyone picked it right back up.”
   The promised smaller attractions, such as the rock wall, bonfire, a DJ and the two bands — The Kootz on Friday and The Dawgs on Saturday — all helped to make this year’s spooktacular event a success.
   ”I would have to say it went off very smoothly,” Ms. Dardani said. “It was great.”
   The two days of games, music, fun and hauntings may have provided seasonally appropriate entertainment to the community, but they also serve a greater good.
   ”The hayride money this year is going to (South Brunswick High School’s) Project Graduation, the trail money is going to the specific needs of Amanda Callagy’s family and Ryan White’s family — the money has to go to something they need — and the junior trail raised money for the dance team and softball team,” Ms. Dardani said.
   Amanda Callagy, an 11th-grader, has Sandhoff disease, a rare disorder that causes progressive destruction of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, and Ryan White, a sixth-grader, has muscular dystrophy.
   And, while she is thrilled with this year’s turnout and another successful weekend of terrorizing local residents, Ms. Dardani is also quite thankful to the community — both for visiting the haunted trail and for donating to several worthy causes.
   ”I’m just glad that everyone came out and supported us, and I want to thank everyone for coming out and being so generous,” she said.