Saturday, October 31, 2009
Families found fun and fright Friday night at Elks Lodge 683 with its fifth annual Soggy Bottom House of Horrors. Proceeds support the lodge's charities.
"I've been coming up here for three years," said Skylar Starr, 10, who braved the dark halls of the haunted house without screaming. "I come back because it changes a little bit every year. It's still scary and fun."
 TERRI HAHN/News Messenger |
| An eerie smoke fills the cemetery scene as Death, played by John Green, makes his frightful appearance Friday during the fifth annual Soggy Bottom House of Horrors at Elks Lodge 683. |
Skylar was excited to go in to see what was new this year, but she has her favorites.
"The best part is when they take you to the kitchen and show you the people and things they are cooking in there," she said.
The scary parts also keep her coming back, like "whenever they take you to the prisoner's cage."
Madison Fefel, 7, was excited to visit for the first time.
"This is my first time here," she said proudly.
"I'm not scared."
While the Elks' haunted house is tame enough for all ages, it's not for the faint of heart.
With dozens of ghouls, evil clowns, luscious vampires and a really evil Death, anybody might let their guard down just enough for a fright.
"We talk about it year-round and how we can change it up and make it a little better," said Danny Sallee, who organized the well-attended gala of ghouls.
"The last few years, we have had a 45-minute to an hour wait to get in, so it has been pretty good."
The visual and sound effects were well-timed and expertly designed to take even the most apathetic people into the depths of darkness.
Plus, the tour lasts long enough for those on the tour to thoroughly enjoy the exhibits.
"We have 30 volunteers working from 8 and 9 years old on up," Sallee said.
"There are 14 under 20 volunteering to work, and a lot of them have worked every year.
"Scaring the children is the best ... scaring the grown-ups is good too. We scare our share of grown-ups," he added.
If you think you know what's around the next corner, beware.
The walls wiggle with yucky moving things and the walkway is no sacred area when spooky figures move through the walls, watching and haunting.
"There was a woman in her 30s who was talking about how nobody would be able to scare her," said Shayne Davis, a volunteer in the production.
"Then the clown on the ground came out at her. She screamed and was ready to go."
The Elks raise funds year-round to send special needs children to the Texas Elks Camp and to fund many other charity programs. About 350 children ages 7 to 15 with emotional or physical special needs visit the camp for one week during each summer.
Tonight will be the last night for fright at the Lodge 683, 411 E. Austin St.
Haunted house tours will be given from 6:30 p.m. until the crowd dies down.
Entry costs $3 for children 10 and under and $5 for adults.
Guests are asked to use the back entrance.
Contact Terri Hahn: 903-927-8918 or thahn@marshallnewsmessenger.com.
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