Celebrating After School Programs with the 4th Annual Happy Haunting Hike

The Duluth YMCA celebrated Lights On Afterschool with its 4th annual Happy Haunting Walk on Tuesday, October 29th. Lights On Afterschool is an annual national rally highlighting the work done by afterschool programs to help young people.

“This gives those families who need extra care; being able to have really good, quality programs for their kids,” explained Leslie Bucar, community services program director for the Duluth area YMCA. “We have a strong focus on environmental education in our area after school, so we really enjoy using the woods.”

During the Lucky Haunts walk, costumed families had to follow lit-up luminaries through Stowe School Forest and “trick or treat” with baskets of treats donated by local businesses and individuals. They then had to take part in the Trick or Treat event sponsored by the Stowe OTA.

“In Minnesota, unmet demand for afterschool programs is at an all-time high, with more than 325,000 children would be enrolled in the program if it were available to them,” explained Heather Drangin, director of marketing for the Duluth-area Family YMCA. “Demand for post-secondary education is growing in Minnesota as parents see the key benefits of post-secondary education, including keeping children safe, helping them learn and grow, and providing peace of mind to working families.”

Those interested in learning more about the Duluth Area YMCA family and what they offer can call 218-722-4745 x124 or click here.