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The haunted house attraction will be open from 6 p.m. to midnight on Sunday, October 31. (Photo supplied by Dylan Wood)

Lethbridge haunted house attraction collecting food bank donations on Halloween

Oct 29, 2021 | 6:45 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Halloween’s coming up on Sunday, and those in Lethbridge looking for a fright can get spooked while helping out a local cause.

Dylan Wood is part of a team that’s designed a haunted house on the city’s west side.

It will operate Sunday, October 31 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., with COVID-19 safety protocols in place, including only allowing small groups inside the house at a time. Guests can check it out at 68 Aberdeen Road West in Lethbridge, behind Save-on-Foods.

Wood said he came up with the idea, but it came to life with the help of his roommates and fiancée.

He told LNN that he grew up in Chestermere and “one of my neighbors did a huge haunted house every year and so, I just really loved how much that really got the community together.”

Wood added his passion for Halloween, and experiences working at ScreamFest in Calgary, helped inspire the initiative.

“As well, events like this really bring people together and are really good for stress relief in times where we kind of need a good stress relief.”

Not only will visitors enjoy some Halloween fun at the free event, but donations of non-perishable food items are being collected for the Interfaith Food Bank.

Wood said, “it’s a really good cause and I think kind of with everything getting a little colder, it’s important to put some food on tables for people that don’t really have that opportunity.”

He explained that the theme for the haunted house is zombies. Outside of the attraction, there will be music and the team will be dishing out candy to anyone who stops by.

“You don’t have to go through the haunted house to get any candy. [There will be] lots of decorations and fun activities going on outside, but in the haunted house it gets a little scarier. It’s zombie themed, so be prepared for that. Be prepared for a good scare going inside.”

Wood added that the whole team is very excited for the big night, and Wood’s been working on putting the house together for roughly five hours every day this month.

“We’ve put a lot of work into it. I just want to thank again, my fiancée, my roommates Wyatt and Carter and just my neighbors and my community all together. They’ve been really supportive of all this.”

“It started out as kind of a pipe dream and has gotten to where it is now and I’m just really [appreciative] of all the help I’ve been getting.”