Fall festival fun

Youth in the Cherokee Nation’s Early Childhood Unit got a jump on Halloween fun Friday.

By BETTY RIDGE

Nobody could blame the youngsters at the Cherokee Nation’s Early Childhood Unit for starting their Halloween celebrations a day early Friday.

Especially not their parents, who took some time out to enjoy watching their children have fun, or the local “helpers,” representatives of various agencies who handed out treats to the kids and explained their services to the parents.

The Early Childhood Unit held its annual Fall Festival, a chance for all involved with the children to have a good time.

“This is our seventh year for the Fall Festival,” said Karen Ryder, a center operations specialist supervising classrooms and teaching staff.

Ryder was handing out bottled water and packages of teddy grahams, a more healthful alternative to some of the candy being distributed. The kids seemed to welcome the small crackers as much as the other treats.

“It’s kind of an alternative for trick or treating and scary costumes,” Ryder said. “It’s about our community helpers and their part, too. They’re always willing to come out and bring their resources , information for the parents and good for the children.”

Children dressed in a variety of holiday garb. There were several black and gold striped bumblebees, several pirates (with and without the eye patch), Spiderman, angels, princesses of all varieties. Accompanied by their parents or staff members, they went from table to table, trying out activities and meeting the volunteers.

The exhibits came from a wide range of health and safety agencies. Many of the presenters also wore costumes.

T.J. Burkey, of the Oklahoma Forestry Department, made a big hit as Smokey the Bear, while his colleagues handed out flying ring toys and information on forest preservation.

Resembling a furry and somewhat out-of-season Santa, Smokey was equally adept at welcoming children to climb up onto his lap to have their photos taken. But unlike Santa, he remained mute for the duration of the event, only nodding his head when addressed.

While most of the kids liked Smokey, one or two were a bit taken aback by the unfamiliar creature.

However, the scariest costume was sported by Laura Henson, who portrayed the wicked witch in a “Wizard of Oz” themed booth from Sequoyah School.

Tera Shows contrasted Henson in a good witch costume, and Lisa Burrell, clad in the requisite pigtails, pinafore and ruby slippers, made a convincing Dorothy. “They’re so cute, and they like my shoes,” Burrell said as she handed out candy.

“This is a popular year for Dorothy,” Shows observed, pointing to another Dorothy at a competing booth.

Although many of the youngsters who came through the festival may attend Sequoyah in the future, the school’s representatives just wanted to add to the fun.

The witch did tend to frighten a few, especially some of the smaller ones.

“I like to watch people’s faces when they see here,” Burrell said. “They warm up to her, though.”

The Sequoyah group has been coming to the festival for about four years.

There was nothing scary, though, about Junior Miss Cherokee, Ashley Miller. Wearing her gold crown, she personified the princess a number of the young girls aspire to become.

“Come here. You want some candy?” she said, extending a hand with a treat to Gracie Mae Rollice, 20 months old.

Gracie Mae already had a piece of candy, and the generous toddler offered it to Miller. Miller told her the idea was for Gracie to get the candy, so Gracie gracefully accepted it.

Domenic Rollice, Gracie Mae’s father, said he was enjoying the change to spend a nice morning outing with his family.

And Miller said she was enjoying visiting with the children.

“You’ve got candy, you get a good response,” she said.

Baren Teehee, 18 months, wore his Mickey Mouse costume and waved at everyone, before getting down to try his tiny hands at a ring toss game.

“He’s waving at the dinosaur. He likes that costume,” said his dad, Bobby Teehee.

He said the family was enjoying the festival.

“We’re visiting in the classroom and spending some time here,” he said.

And Baren’s Mickey Mouse costume will get plenty of use before he grows out of it.

Later in the day the family planned to attend another event in Siloam Springs, then go trick-or-treating Saturday.

Full of enthusiasm, Baren appeared to be ready for a full weekend of Halloween fun.