The volunteers who made a Halloween party for the Roosevelt Park community, left to right: Jana Silvis, Frank Tokarczyk, son Frankie, Mirelda Sanchez Tokarczyk (a Roosevelt Park city councilwoman who lost her seat in the November 5 election), Carlos Sanchez (Mirelda’s father), and Johannah Olsen.
– PHOTO BY CYNTHIA PRICE
Some may think of Halloween as a sort of competitive sport, with children racing from door to door collecting as much candy as possible.
However, Mirelda Tokarczyk sees it more as another opportunity for people to get a feeling of community. “People don’t even know their neighbors anymore,” she said. “Such a small place has a lot of opportunity for people to feel closer together, so we’re trying to provide events that help that.”
Volunteers Jana Silvis and Johannah Olsen joined Tokarczyk (who was defeated in the Nov. 5 election in her bid for re-election to city council) in providing games, a costume parade, refreshments, a fire engine visit, and spooky decor for over 100 people including 60 kids.
Event sponsors included the Station Grille, Lewis Farms, Walmart, Aldi’s, Walgreen’s and, of course, Tokarczyk Landscape Services.
