Park packed for Halloween party
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MINGO JUNCTION -- Halloween in Mingo Junction was extra lively due to an annual party in Aracoma Park that offered food, live music and activities all for free Saturday night after trick-or-treating.
It is the sixth year for the party, which is hosted by Jeffrey Schuetz, owner and director of Schuetz Funeral Home, along with six other sponsors. Halloween decorations galore adorned Aracoma Park's large shelter house, which was bustling with attendees.
Lines of people stretched through and outside the shelter house to receive free food, including sloppy joes, roast beef sandwiches, hotdogs, freshly cut french fries, hot chocolate and funnel cakes, as well as candy and other small treats. Just outside the shelter house was a walk-through haunted house, cloaked in a ghostly haze from a fog machine and guarded by a number of frightening animatronics.
The Wheeling pop and rock band Seven South performed on the park's stage. Many kids played on the park's playground during the festivities, and some attendees had their caricatures drawn by Pittsburgh artist Sam Thong.
A tent's worth of free costumes, masks, wristbands and coloring books was distributed to kids without any costumes of their own. Finally, a fireworks display lit off by Jeffrey Schuetz rounded out the night.
Debbie Schuetz, volunteer at the party and Jeffrey Schuetz's mother, estimated that between 500 and 600 people attended the event. Schuetz helped at the party with her husband, Gary Schuetz.
Many attended the party in costume, including Ezeakela Zealea, who dressed as the Joker from the Batman series. Additionally, his partner dressed as the villain Harley Quinn, and his son dressed as Batman himself.
Zealea said the atmosphere at the party was beautiful, and he appreciates Jeffrey Schuetz for putting on the event, adding, "The biggest thing is the kids and the youth. If they ain't got nothing, (then) we're nothing."
Also in costume was Jayden Wallen, who dressed as the character Lieutenant Simon "Ghost" Riley from the Call of Duty video game franchise. Wallen, who plays Call of Duty in his free time, said the Halloween Party was "a good time."
Originally from Pottery Addition, Wallen said Mingo Junction's trick-or-treating scene has his previous hometown beat.
Friends Austin Frazier and Bobby Trott dressed as a mobster and a serial killer respectively, with Frazier sporting a bullet-shaped necklace and Trott having a bullet hole in his shirt. Neither is from Mingo Junction, but both heard about the event on Facebook and decided to come and see.
Speaking over the excited shrieks of kids playing in the shelter house, Frazier said the event was "a little bit crazy but, overall, really nice."
Also in costume were Nova Johnson, a skeleton; Bri'elle Mitchell, a witch; Vileigha Mitchell, a cowgirl, and Mayaunna Mitchell, "prince charming." Their favorite part of the night was getting to play in the park, and Mayaunna Mitchell added that the whole party was "pretty fun."
Although not in costume, party attendees Bill and Patty Yoho still had Halloween spirit, as is evidenced by the lawn decorations at their South Commercial Street residence. With two yards containing 10 inflatables, the two said their lawn can rival those featured in the Herald-Star's "Hauntingly, boo-ti-ful displays" article from its most recent Sunday edition.
"You want to come up our steps, you've got to come under a dragon then under a spider," Bill Yoho said.
The Yohos have come to each year's Halloween Party, and Patty Yoho said she is grateful for the good job that Schuetz does every time.
"I was just telling somebody today about how generous (Schuetz) is," Patty Yoho said. She referred to one of the event's sponsors, adding, "The chief of police for Mingo is great."
Sponsors for the event include Schuetz Funeral Home, Pesta's Country Store, Toni Moreland State Farm, the Woman's Club of Mingo Junction, the Mingo Junction Lion's Club, the Mingo Junction Police Department and Softite Community Federal Credit Union.
Helping to distribute food were representatives of the Woman's Club of Mingo Junction Stephanie Rouse, president, and Mary Jane Tiberio, member. Rouse said that what Schuetz does for Mingo Junction is "fabulous," especially in regard to everything being free.
Becky Pesta, party volunteer owner of Pesta's Country Store, said the party had a "good turnout," and received just as many attendees as last year's party.
Jeffrey Schuetz's niece, Sophie Schuetz, helped to distribute candy to kids. She said she has been helping her uncle with events, along with her brother, Conrad Schuetz, since she was 11 years old.
This was Weirton resident Stacey Long's first year attending the Halloween Party, bringing along her three granddaughters, son and grandson. Long, who always goes to Schuetz Funeral Home for business when needed, said the Halloween party was "awesome."
"They don't ask for anything back," Long said of the free event's organizers. "(Jeffrey) is an awesome man to give back to everybody in the community like that."
Schuetz will be hosting another Halloween event in Benwood Park, south of Wheeling, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. The event will feature music from Twice as Nice and will serve the community where Schuetz Funeral Home operates a second location -- in addition to its Mingo Junction location.