9th Annual Haunted Hall of Horrors 2009

Calling for Volunteers! Contact us today!

• Volunteer Chair: Christine MacKenzie at kandc@eastlink.ca or (902) 382-2082
• Executive Director: Dodie Goodwin at dodie.unitedway@ns.sympatico.ca or (902) 755-1754

Please join our Facebook Groups if you can:

United Way: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=81512980650

Haunted Hall: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25257756235

NOTE: This page will evolve to meet team needs as the event approaches. If you choose to join this volunteer team, please check back often, and welcome!

Introduction

The Haunted Hall of Horrors event started in 2000. It is an annual fundraiser for the United Way of Pictou County, and raised about $6000 in 2008.

United Way of Pictou County is where we come together to make a difference for those in need and to provide a better quality of life for all. A gift to United Way changes lives and builds a strong, healthy and safe community. As Pictou County changes and grows, United Way is committed to meeting the needs of our community*. Since 1960, United Way of Pictou County has been a trusted community partner. Our role in the community continues to expand as we act as a catalyst for change, a facilitator for solutions and a fundraiser for local programs.

* United Way of Pictou County distributes funds throughout the year. For updates on our investment in the community, please visit our web site: http://www.pictoucountyunitedway.ca 

This year, the main event will take place on the evenings of Monday, October 26th and Tuesday, October 27th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm each evening.

Schedule for Volunteers

CREATIVE TEAM MEETINGS: Tuesdays: Sep 8 & 29, Oct 13 (7-8 pm)
Victoria Plaza 342 Stewart St. Unit #1

SETUP:  Friday, October 23 (5-9 pm) and Saturday, October 24 (9 am - 1 pm) [Roof goes on between 1 and 2 pm]

FULL DRESS REHEARSAL:  Saturday, October 24, 2-4 pm
[ALL volunteers invited!  Attendance for Creative Teams is MANDATORY]

MAIN EVENT:  Monday and Tuesday, October 26 and 27, 5 to 9 pm (or as indicated in schedule below)
Creative Team Members must fully clean out rooms Tuesday night, and all are asked to help with additional clean-up going as late as 10:30 pm as possible.

Notes for Creative Teams

Planning to prepare a room? Great! 

Here are the 'rules' that all Creative Teams need to keep in mind:

DO

• Have a distraction, then a scare!! Much more effective!
• Have minimal number of actors in each room... don't overcrowd!
• Remember this is a fundraiser... Your expenses will not be refunded without prior approval from the committee.
• Give thought to the flow and detail of your room... keep themes flowing and items linked as much as possible. Be realistic...
• Leave space in the room so that a security person can stand in and so room is wheelchair accessible.
• Create costumes that are comfortable and cool... you will be in them for a long, long, long time!
• Focus on the element of fear and surprise
• Only include reliable people as actors and workers on your team!!! Can't commit = don't participate. If you know someone is unreliable, politely either decline their services or point them to a job that is not as integral to the running of your room. Make sure you have enough actors to staff your room.
• Use actors that can get “into character”!! The character makes the room... the actor is IMPORTANT.
• Consider carefully what lighting effect you want, and ensure your desires are clear to creative coordinators to allow planning as early as possible.
• Take water, flashlight, and earplugs into the house each time.
• Be considerate of those that are not enjoying being frightened. If you see patrons in distress, show them the emergency exit.
• Stay in Character at all times when in the house... stay in your own room... do not wander from room to room.

DO NOT

• Do not expect to use strobe lights in your room.  Only orange, black, red, yellow or maybe other coloured lights available.
• Do not plan to paint on site... all painting MUST be done in advance! Fumes are intoxicating and we've had a number of incidents where paint was spilled outside/tracked in. Water based ONLY! May take tarp home, paint, fully dry then bring in and fasten securely.
• No paint or staples on floors.
• Do not use excessive blood during set up... again, fumes can be intoxicating.
• Do not use any spray that will not dry completely... need to ensure nothing rubs off on patrons.
• No fog machines will be permitted - NSCC has a no scents policy.
• Do not have items on floor that will be tripped over... everything must be clear for walking and wheelchairs.
• Do not touch anyone when you scare them, they will inadvertently hurt you!!! NO TOUCHING or GRABBING!!!
• Do not use hazardous materials... our lighting crew will hook up all electrical needs.
• Do not use a solid rope for a NOOSE... always CUT APART and then tape, so that if you fall you are not hurt!
• Do not leave any trip hazards in your room... holes in levels of floor, lose tarps, etc. can trip people
• Do not change your theme/room once your ideas have been passed in without approval of the committee... we do not want overlapping themes.
• Do not expect to borrow hammers, staple guns, electrical tape, etc. Many groups rely on these items for their set up. Try to come completely prepared with everything you need for set up. If you will be requiring some set up items, contact the committee in advance to make arrangements for them to have these items available, and be sure to return them after use.

Floor Plan

Overview

We've booked the NSCC as the location for our event (see above), and we've begun to contact our sponsors to ensure we have the more expensive materials we need every year (wood, screws, etc.).  

We are now beginning to contact each volunteer involved in the past that we believe may wish to participate again, plus we need to advertise to expand our team.  Our main objective is to identify our floor plans for the Kids Hall and Big Hall.  We want to identify how many Creative Teams will be available to design and decorate rooms in the Halls.

After we are confident that we have sufficient support in the community to proceed, we will begin to assemble our full team of over 100 volunteers.  We will form a Witches Kitchen team to plan the ghoulish delights we sell, a Pumpkin Patch team to prepare a supervised area intended for young children, a Ways and Means team to ensure we have all materials we need, a Special Effects team to ensure we have lighting and sound for the event, and a Security team to ensure we have security plans clearly outlined.

In September and October, we meet (once every few weeks or so), to firm up our decorating plans for the main event. 

We also build our full on-site volunteer team at this time (see volunteers schedule).

Once the rooms are set up, the Creative Teams move in on Friday evening (7-9 pm) and Saturday during the day (9 am-4 pm). Each Creative Team, usually 4 or 5 teens and adults, accepts responsibility for uniquely decorating one room in the constructed hall. These teams are assisted by our Special Effects team to add special lighting effects in each room. Every year, the rooms are different. (Check out pictures at one of our meetings!) Once all the rooms are ready, we will put a huge tarp on top to make the rooms dark.  We will also ensure our plans are in place to set up the Witches' Kitchen in the NSCC entrance area for sale of ghoulish delights each night and the Pumpkin Patch in the cafeteria upstairs as a supervised place for young children to play while they wait for their older siblings and parents visiting the Haunted Hall of Horrors.  The team would be excited to consider new ideas to expand the venues at this event!

On Saturday afternoon before the main event, we will hold a full dress rehearsal party.  All Creative Teams will need to participate, plus we invite all other event volunteers to participate as well.  We will turn on the lighting effects, start up a loud and spooky sound system, and have fun!

The formal, main event will be held in the evenings of this year on Monday, October 26th and Tuesday, October 27th, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm for the public (usually about 5 or 6 to 9 pm for the team).  Clean up will follow immediately on Tuesday evening, when Creative Teams will be expected to remove all personal belongings.

Finally, tear down will occur on Wednesday, October 28th.

Old Floor Plans: 2008 2007 2006

I look forward to hearing from interested volunteers!

Sincerely,
Christine MacKenzie
Chair for the 9th Annual Haunted Hall of Horrors for United Way of Pictou County
kandc@eastlink.ca
(902) 382-2082