Months of planning will come to a head when the Athens Halloween Block Party kicks off Saturday evening.
Ohio University starts preparations for the party three to four months in advance, said Joe Adams, associate vice president of Risk Management and Safety.
Event organizers include the Athens Police Department, the city’s safety director and code enforcement officials.
Representatives from the university include the OU Police Department, Parking Services, Environmental Health and Safety, Facilities, and the Division of Student Affairs, said Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones.
“We put some additional safety measures in place several years ago now, and those resulted in positive outcomes,” Hall-Jones said. “We have seen fewer high-risk incidents and more students safely enjoying themselves and respecting both people and property.”
The university usually spends about $100,000 on Halloween, Adams said. Part of that money is recouped through the $35 guest registration fee.
What isn’t covered by the guest fee comes from general university funds, which don’t comprise student fees, Adams said.
A portion of the money is used to provide the members of the Green Jacket volunteer group who patrol the streets during Halloween with equipment such as green jackets, hats, flashlights and radios and to compensate those volunteers and residential assistants with a $50 gift card to Baker University Center.
OU also hires additional people with that money to watch residence halls’ entrances to make sure no one sneaks in, Adams said.
About $1,700 is spent on the wristbands for students in the residence halls, said Peter Trentacoste, the executive director of residential housing.
The main goal is to keep students safe, Trentacoste said.
“It’s about safety; we want a safe and fun event,” he said. “We’re not trying to stop fun; what we’re making sure is people are safe.”
md781510@ohiou.edu
@MariaDeVito13
