By Kellie O’Brien, ’19.
Minions, Superheroes, and Princesses took over Saint Joseph University’s campus this Halloween weekend. Groups of excited neighborhood children threatened a trick if they did not receive a treat from equally excited SJU students.
Boo Crew, an annual program that St. Joe’s provides to serve the local communities in Philadelphia, gives children who live in surrounding neighborhoods, a fun place to trick-or-treat in the freshman dorms. Also, many of these children have working parents, so Boo Crew provides them with the opportunity to celebrate Halloween together. For the past twenty years, Campus Ministry invites students to participate from different elementary schools and afterschool programs.
“We’ve also extended the offer to individual families through [Weekly Service partners] this year,” said Campus Ministry Associate Alex Gaynor.
Campus Ministry collaborated with Residence Life for the past two months to organize the volunteers, plan activities, and buy supplies. Volunteers were given candy to hand out to the children that come through their halls or were given the chance to participate as “Goblin Guides” to take groups of trick-or-treaters around campus.
“I decided to participate in Boo Crew because I always loved Halloween and my favorite part ever since I was little was to hand out the candy,” said Boo Crew volunteer Meghan Corona, ‘20.
“I would always make sure I was home early enough to hand out candy, even if that meant cutting my own trick or treating short. I am just so happy that I can continue that even though I am not at home.”
The children trick-or-treated for about an hour in the four freshman residence halls on campus. After they filled up their pumpkin buckets and pillowcases with candy they played field games on Villiger Lawn. Activities included face painting, moon bounces, pumpkin decorating, and music. This is where students were given the opportunity to talk with the children, the parents, and the teachers that participated in Boo Crew. 
“To be honest I think I might be more excited than the kids. It means a lot that I will be doing something that helps kids do something that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to do,” Corona said.
Corona was not the only one this excited, many others could not stop smiling and spread the same energy through campus. Students were bursting with joy as they celebrated with all of the children.
“The purpose of Boo Crew is to share the quintessential Halloween experience than many of us here have been given,” Gaynor said. “We hope to share a fun, exciting, and carefree trick-or-treating experience with these kids!”
