Community Notice: Halloween Tips

Some important Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween has become a family tradition that allows parents and children to spend time together creating costumes, carving pumpkins, planning trick or treat activities and participating in family parties. Halloween is also a time for students, parents, and schools to take extra care to ensure safety and security. 

TRICK OR TREAT SAFETY

If parents are concerned about trick or treating, here are some basic safety rules to follow:

• Have your child carry a flashlight.
• NEVER go into a stranger's house.
• NEVER trick or treat with people you do not know.
• Trick or treat only at homes you know.
• Children should always stay in groups if no parent is present.
• Younger children should ALWAYS be accompanied by an older person.
• Accompany your child when trick or treating.
• If you can not accompany your child then know the route your child will take.
• Flame resistant (retardant) costumes are in order. Keep costumes short and remind children to stay away from pumpkins with candles in them.
• Remind children to stay away from pets they do not know.
• Remind children of road safety rules. Cross only at corners. Do not criss-cross the road. Go up one side of the road and down the other side. Never cross between parked cars. Walk facing on-coming traffic if there is no sidewalk.
• If adults are driving their children, drive slowly, with lights on and be cautious when pulling to the side of the road.
• Children should NEVER eat any treats until parents have had a chance to go through them and inspect them. Parents should look for tampering of packages and discard any they believe to be unsafe.
• Children should wear their own shoes when trick or treating. Wearing costume shoes/boots can be dangerous and uncomfortable.
• Remind children that not everyone celebrates Halloween, and to avoid any homes that have no lights on. Also remind children not to run through neighbours yards or gardens.
• With older children be sure to know what other events (such as parties) they plan on attending.
• Set time limits when children should return home.

HOME SAFETY

If you plan on giving out treats this year here are some suggestions to follow:

• Have your treats prepared by the door so you don't have to go hunting for them when the tricksters come.
• Create a unique way to hand out treats, in a carved out pumpkin or basket
• Clear your yard and walkway to remove any obstacles.
• Position pumpkins with candles in an area that is safe so children will not trip over them.
• Consider using flashlights instead of candles.
• Replace lights or bulbs that are burnt out so the area where the tricksters will arrive is brightly lit.
• Restrain any pets, as animals may become alarmed when children arrive at the door wearing unusual clothing.
• Make nutrition a consideration at Halloween by selecting healthy treats
• If you plan on dressing up to greet tricksters, remember that some younger children may be frightened of your costume. Avoid frightening small children.

HALLOWEEN COSTUME SAFETY

Whatever a child wants to be for Halloween, a movie character, or something more frightful, here are some important safety guidelines for making or buying a costume.

• Choose light colored costumes, or add glow-in-the-dark tape to both the front and back so your child can easily be seen.
• Make sure the costume is not too long or too heavy. Your child needs to be able to walk without tripping.
• Make props from cardboard. Don't let children carry sharp objects.
• Don't buy a costume unless it's labeled "flame retardant". This means the material is made so it won't burn easily.
• Children should wear their own shoes when trick or treating. Wearing costume shoes/boots can be dangerous and uncomfortable. High heel shoes should never be worn by children
• Wigs and beards should not cover a child's eyes or mouth.
• Don't let a young child wear a mask. Masks can make it difficult for children to see or to breathe. Instead, use face paint or makeup. Have younger children draw you a picture of what they want to look like. Older children will have fun putting the makeup on themselves.
• Put a nametag on your child's costume with their address and phone number just in case they get lost.

SCHOOLS AND HALLOWEEN SAFETY

• Teachers should review Halloween Safety Tips with their students.
• If classrooms or schools are planning Halloween events, they should observe the same safety suggestions listed (above) for parents.
• Teachers should use this opportunity to review the history of Halloween to clarify misconceptions and to lessen unnecessary worries or fears that children may have about this event.

Additional School Safety - Elementary

The same safety rules as for parents (above) should apply at school.

• School parties can be fun at Halloween time but they must be inclusive and allow all students to participate.
• If students are collecting monies for a charity, remind them of the importance of always being with an adult, especially if they are collecting money.
• Students need to be reminded about taking care while coming to and from school in costumes:
• wear own shoes
• do not cover faces
• do not use or wear anything that resembles a weapon.

 Have a Safe and Happy Halloween!

Community Notice: Candidates Night October 20, 2010

It was pleasure for the Henry Farm Community Interest Association to host the Councillor all Candidate and Mayoral Debate.

It has been a tradition in Henry farm to host all candidate meetings for local representatives.

The questions from the residents for the council candidates were formulated by  Peter Erwood, Thea Haller and myself and the meeting was presided by Chair of Henry Farm Municipal Affairs  Peter Erwood.

This year we took on the task of organizing the Mayoral debate amid the challenge to get all the Mayoral candidates to commit to attend our debate.

We should be all proud that Henry Farm Hosted the last Mayoral Debate and we were able to get all the three main candidates to attend our debate.

The goal of our debate was to get the Mayoral Candidates to address  issues that affected our neighbourhood.

Our message to the next Mayor through our debate topics was
1. Ease the Gridlock

2. plan the neighbourhoods and
3. give value for our tax dollars.

The Topics were Mayoral Debate was formulated by Past Presidents of Henry farm Jane Grant, Richard Whittle and myself.

A Special Thank you to John Tory for moderating the event and the Henry Farm Executive and the organizing committee for all their hard work to make the event a success.

Approximately 300 people attended the event.

Namby Vithiananthan

President,

Henry Farm community interest association.

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