18,000 pieces of candy were estimated to be handed out on October 31st from 2-4 p.m. in Theophilus Tower on the University of Idaho campus. This was for the 48th Tower Trick or Treat, a yearly event where students decorate each floor of the first-year residence hall and hand out candy, while families ride the elevator up to the eleventh floor and walk down while trick-or-treating and playing games to win prizes.
This year, the entire theme for the tower was retro video games. Residence assistants for each floor picked a specific retro game as their theme, so every floor was decorated as a different game.
From the eleventh floor to the basement, the themes were Daytona USA, Sonic, Frogger, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man, Kirby, Galaga, Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda, Tetris, Castlevania, and Mario Bros, the last of which was decorated by the Residence Hall Association. The first-floor lobby was also decorated with a second theme, Wreck-It Ralph.
For students, there was a $100 prize for the best-decorated hall to spend on their floor, voted on by attendees. The winning floor was the ninth floor, whose theme was Frogger. This floor paid homage to the original game by showcasing both the road and water hazard zones. Along with little log rugs on the floor, colorful lighting, and 3D elements on their walls.
Besides voting on the best floor, attendees of the event were also encouraged to bring canned food to donate to the food bank; 38 items were gathered. As for the turnout, 585 adultsand children from Moscow and the surrounding areas showed up with both parents, children, and teens sporting Halloween costumes.
There were also 86 volunteers consisting of Tower student staff, residents, and professional staff. A resident volunteer who helped hand out candy, Madelon Nute, when asked by the Argonaut why the event should be important to students, said, “I think it helps them have something to do on Halloween rather than focus on other things, and I think bringing joy to children really helps brighten people’s days, especially when they’re away from home during the holidays.”
Along with handing out candy, students also worked as greeters, helped decorate the halls before the event, and ran the games. In the lobbies of the even-numbered floors, there were games, those being corn hole on the tenth, marble balancing on the eighth, hopscotch on the sixth, tic-tac-toe on the fourth, and Go Fish on the second. Prizes for the games were candy and fidget toys.
Resident Director of the Tower, Wemba Okonda, reflected on the importance of the event for the community, telling the Argonaut, “I think Tower Trick-or-Treat has great value because it creates a sense of belonging. The Tower staff, residents, and other student volunteers dedicate their free time to welcome guests, host engaging activities, hand out candy, and help make Halloween memorable for hundreds of children. Not only are they able to give back to their community, but they are also able to develop a stronger sense of leadership, service, and connection to those around them. Bringing so many people together for a shared experience helps create meaningful relationships and build the kind of community we all want to be a part of.”
McKinley Forth can be reached at [email protected].