Mid Michigan College’s Harrison Campus offers nearly 20 miles of trails for hiking and mountain bike enthusiasts to enjoy. But, in October, the trails offer community members and guests from all over Michigan something very different—a haunted, fun-filled walk, and this year was no exception.
Over 800 brave people walked the haunted trails in 2020, the second biggest number of participants in its history. The students raised $7,385 and funds will be used to give back to the community through service projects, such as helping underprivileged children in the area during the holidays, and to send students to leadership and skill development conferences.
“I am so proud of our students and the success of Mid’s Deadwood Grove events this year, it was by far one of the best! We hosted many families and everyone was eager to experience the fun while observing social distancing best practices to keep one another safe,” said Tammy Alvaro, Director of Student Advancement.
The Deadwood Grove Haunted Forest is designed and staffed by students who are members of Mid’s Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honors society for two-year college students. This year the events were hosted with a total of 25 volunteers, including Eric Kreckman, Mid Michigan College Trustee, and Dr. Scott Mertes, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Community Outreach at Mid.
“Attendees really enjoyed hearing the ‘history’ behind how Deadwood Grove came to be haunted, an original story written and read by Dr. Scott Mertes at the event, and the Outdoor Classroom provided the perfect atmosphere,” explained Alvaro.
“As a Mid graduate, Deadwood Grove is one of my favorite events, and I return year after year to volunteer. Seeing the amount of support and joy that Deadwood Grove brings to the community was positively overwhelming during these unprecedented times,” shared Sarah Kohler, Mid Graduate and PTK Member.
For more information about Deadwood Grove or Phi Theta Kappa at Mid, contact Tammy Alvaro at talvaro@midmich.edu or (989) 386-6634.
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