A ‘Big’ Bash — students, community members mingle with kids

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SHEPHERD — Niles graduate student Thomas Payne and seven-year-old Andey Strand are wrap stars.

The duo, dressed as Super Mariomushroom and Luigi, won the mummy-wrapping competition at the Creepy Crawly Costume Bash Saturday at the West Midland Family Center, 4011 W. Isabella Road.

The event was put on by students from RPL 430: Planning Recreation Programs and Events, which partnered with Big Brothers Big Sisters

“I love working with kids and what better organization to partner with than Big Brothers Big Sisters?” said Lansing senior Emily Nuss. “They were so excited when we told them about it.”

The RPL students were put into groups to put on their own community service event, said Liviona junior Tricia Deboer.

“We started on the first day of class, so we only had a short time to get everything together,” Deboer said. “I’m really pleased with the way everything turned out.”

Children up to age 12, their ‘bigs,’ and some of their parent’s got their faces painted, decorated cookies, made paper masks and played Halloween bingo.

Colorful decorations covered the entire gymnasium and children in from princesses, to wizards, and even a feisty Lady Gaga could be seen prancing from each fun station to the next.

Most of the children are in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, but some were community members.

The free, not-for-profit event was a way for children, even those who couldn’t afford costumes, to celebrate Halloween in a safe and happy environment.

“This is what I want to do after graduation,” said Detroit senior Antasia Maddox, a Big Brothers Big Sisters intern. “It’s such a great organization and it truly only takes one person to change the life of a child.”