Halloween finally began to make a comeback this year after the pandemic took a toll on the much-loved candy-giving holiday. But some areas around Los Angeles have experienced additional challenges to the fall festivities, and the community of Lake Los Angeles is one of those.
Located in the Antelope Valley, it’s a rural community heavily impacted by poverty. (Backers of PESA and readers of this newsletter know that we provide a great deal of support to the area’s Challenger Middle School in the resource-strapped Wilsona School District.) Add to that the sparsely populated nature of the region—houses spread apart by great distances—and you’ve got one tough town for trick-or-treaters.
But that’s where Trunk or Treat comes in! For those unfamiliar with these community events held across the country, they’re a fun alternative to traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating in which volunteers come together in large parking lots and decorate the trunks of their vehicles with Halloween flair. Kids in costume can then safely make the rounds of the parked cars, taking in the sights and sounds and—yes!—gather some sweet goodies.