VENTURA : Ghosts, Goblins Invade Home to Patients’ Delight

The usually serene halls of Treacy Villa Convalescent Home in east Ventura were invaded Tuesday morning by goblins, witches, cowboys, clowns, pirates, dancers, Snow White and Pocahontas.

More than 300 students--kindergartners to eighth-graders--from the nearby Our Lady of the Assumption School provided a colorful, sometimes scary-looking crowd to visit the senior citizens for some trick-or-treating fun.

They were some of the hundreds of youngsters who donned costumes and hit the streets to celebrate Halloween.

At Treacy Villa, the students cheerfully greeted the 45 residents and handed out Halloween souvenirs: handmade cards, construction paper pumpkins and ghosts, lots of hugs and kisses and numerous “Happy Halloween” greetings.

“Don’t you look scary? What a darling,” said Geraldine Weitz, 77, as a young boy wearing a long black robe gave her a small white paper ghost. “You are so adorable.”

Nearby, 83-year-old Dora Kelsh was getting a big hug from a life-size Raggedy Ann doll--7-year-old Lauren Cabral.

“I just enjoy the youngsters so much. They have such a cheerful personality, and I love their costumes,” Kelsh said. “It’s such a treat when they come over.”

And there was plenty of creativity in the costumes.

One boy arrived as a half-human, half-beast creature, sparsely covered with patches of short, thick red hair; a little girl dressed in a long, white gown and veil pretended to be the Bride of Frankenstein.

Stephanie Martin, 11, returned to her own childhood by wearing a long white nightgown, braided hair and carrying a blanket and a teddy bear. She said she enjoyed the day because it was a good deed that broke the routine of wearing uniforms.

“I think elderly people deserve to have fun, too, and I think this is a nice way for us to do something for them--especially because they can’t go out,” Stephanie said.

Students from the school have visited the nursing home each Halloween for the last five years, said Marsha Robinson, director of Treacy Villa.

“All the residents love it; they dressed up for the event and they have been waiting for the children since early morning,” Robinson said. “The kids make their day really special.”

As they left the convalescent home, the youngsters were rewarded with a variety of chocolate candy.