Chicago Communities Go Extra Mile To Ensure Safety For Kids, Teens, And Adults This Halloween
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Neighborhoods across the city were actively working this Halloween to make sure celebrations would be safe after little kids were finished trick-or-treating.
As CBS 2's Marie Saavedra reported, communities agree the best antidote to aimless Halloween antics is to plan things where teens and young adults can celebrate safely. Several events were held throughout the South Side Sunday aiming to do just that.
First, even our camera got into a Halloween mask costume for a "Trunk or Treat" in the Eggers Grove Forest Preserve, along the Indiana State Line on the city's Southeast Side. This is a huge event every year, drawing thousands of people feeling festive and spending hours going car to car for candy.
And in a year where kids and their parents might have social distanced more than they wanted, celebrations like this are a release.
"People come out here to see each other every year," said Martha Vasquez-Weber of the East Side Chamber of Commerce. "People want to see their compadres, and this is sponsored by the small businesses."
As it grew later in the evening, the activities across the city target an older audience. Three years ago, the Hyde Park community infamously saw vandalism and violence on Halloween.
This Halloween evening, an event was set to be held handing out gift cards, snacks, and hygiene products to teens in the neighborhood with the hope of celebrating the night on a positive note.