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Old Town gives children candy fix

The Old Town La Verne business owners celebrated Halloween here with safe trick-or-treating, held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nineteen-month-old Dallas Senft enjoyed collecting candy from Don Hauser, who owns the Coin Depot on D Street. / photo by Kourtney Brumfield
The Old Town La Verne business owners celebrated Halloween here with safe trick-or-treating, held from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Nineteen-month-old Dallas Senft enjoyed collecting candy from Don Hauser, who owns the Coin Depot on D Street. / photo by Kourtney Brumfield

Stephanie Duarte
Web Editor

Families enjoyed a special treat this Halloween at the annual Old Town Merchants Safe Trick-or-Treating.

Local merchants and businesses in Old Town La Verne provided candy for the local kids.

“We come because it’s safe,” said Kathy Brumley, mother of trick-or-treaters dressed as the Disney Princess Belle and Blue’s Clues’ Steve.

“You don’t always know who you’re getting your candy from (with door-to-door trick-or-treating),” she added.

Children were not the only celebrating Halloween.

Coin Depot owner Don Hauser said he also gets visits from high school students out in search of tricks and treats.

“It’s all fun,” Hauser said. “La Verne is a wonderful place and I’m glad to be here.”

The trick-or-treat extravaganza attracted more than La Verne residents.

Danielle Blanco of Tri 5 Classics said people come from San Dimas and other neighboring communities as well.

“It helps the business by getting people down here,” Blanco said.

Although her business has operated for one year, her father’s business, Rainbow Printing, is in its 15th year of service to the La Verne community.

“We must go through 1,000 candies,” Blanco said. “After 3 p.m. it gets even busier since school gets out.”

The trick-or-treating was started by the Old Town Merchants Business Improvement District in an effort to provide the community with safe trick-or-treating.

“We have a regular board and a committee that plans events for Old Town,” said Bettie Kalousek, member of the advisory board.

“It’s really safe,” said Veronica Campos, who has been trick-or-treating here for more than 10 years. “I see parents more involved and people watch out for each other.”

Safety was definitely the selling point of the day for the parents. However, the kids had a different agenda.

Getting the candy was clearly every kid’s favorite part.

Warehouse Pizza owner Kenny Schoenfeld shared the sentiments of the other shop owners in Old Town La Verne.

“It’s just great to see all the kids and families,” Schoenfeld said.

“It brings people downtown. Some people aren’t aware of what’s down here,” he added.

Part of the good natured fun came from the sheer atmosphere of Old Town La Verne.

“I love the small town atmosphere,” Hauser said.

“Everyone treats everyone decently,” he added. “It’s a real community.”

Stephanie Duarte can be reached at duartes@ulv.edu.

Stephanie Duarte, Arts Editor
Stephanie Duarte
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