Neighbors Plan 'Reverse Trick Or Treat' For A Crete Family Who Missed Out
CRETE, Ill. (CBS) -- For one Crete family, snowy weather and health challenges forced them to skip Halloween. But the community has come together to salvage the holiday with a unique solution.
It's an effort online calling for people to put on their costumes and get out to Crete Saturday for some kids who couldn't do so Thursday.
Matthew and Jayden Farris found themselves staying indoors Halloween night.
The hope was that they could spend time outside trick-or-treating, but their unique and life-threatening medical conditions prevented that from happening.
Their mom, Jeannette Farris, said both struggle with a rare undiagnosed degenerative disease, and their medication weakens their immune systems.
The ailment slowly erodes their motor skills and the treatment in part prevents them from spending extended time in colder temperatures -- like most kids did Thursday for the unseasonably chilly Halloween.
But an effort on social media plans to bring the holiday to the kids Saturday.
It's called a "reverse trick or treat," where for an hour, kids and parents from around the block and beyond will visit Matthew and Jayden, delivering candy and the spirit of Halloween to them.
Neighbor James Jedlicka calls it wonderful, but hardly shocking.
"It's a small town feel, very tight-knit," Jedlicka said.
Farris was overwhelmed to hear about the special post-Halloween plan.
"I cried, I jumped for joy, I was like, 'This is amazing,'" she said. "This community is just absolutely amazing, so many people have donated, reached out, said kind words."
Jedlicka said he plans to stop by, too, on Saturday.
"It's heart-warming. It's nice to hear," Jedlicka said.
The reverse trick or treat is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday at 3489 Innsbruck Lane in Crete.
A GoFundMe page to help out with medical costs is also set up, and can be found here.