116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Dressing up ‘feels like a second skin’ to Washington High student
Safety tips for trick-or-treating Halloween night
Oct. 24, 2022 3:00 pm
CEDAR RAPIDS — Washington High School junior Cordy Alpers is a “haunter” at Circle of Ash Haunted Attraction in Central City during the Halloween season.
Alpers, 16, works year-around to prepare for the haunt and plans her costume months in advance. This year, she is dressing as “Drusilla,” a historical character who thinks of herself as the daughter of Satan.
Her costume includes a store bought dress she altered with fake blood to look scarier, combat boots and horns on her head. Her costume also includes fake teeth — for which she made her dentist promise to take her braces off by the end of last month.
When Alpers first started dressing up for Circle of Ash years ago, she said she was “nervous people would make fun of me.”
A lot of people feel uncomfortable dressing up, but the point of wearing a costume is to “not fit in” and not be yourself, Alpers said.
“Embarrass yourself all you want as that character. It’s not you the person,” Alpers said. “You can be anything you want to be for Halloween.”
Other haunters at Circle of Ash dress as clowns, bunnies and doctors, Alpers said, who prefers to be a character with horns. “It fits me in a way,” she said. “The costume feels like a second skin.”
Trick-or-Treat
This year, Halloween falls on Monday, Oct. 31. Kids and families will take to the street to go door to door in hopes of getting some treats.
Stay safe with this advice from the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics:
- Have a trusted adult with you: Children younger than 12-years-old should not be out at night without adult supervision. Pin a piece of paper to your costume with your name, parent’s address and their phone number in case you get separated.
- Trick-or-treat only at homes with porch lights that are turned-on and never enter a home for a treat.
- Carry a flashlight with fresh batteries.
- Wear a costume with bright colors or decorate it with reflective tape and grab some glow sticks to be visible in the dark.
- Avoid tripping or falling by choosing a costume that doesn’t drag on the ground.
- Watch for cars when crossing the street.
- After enjoying your haul, brush your teeth thoroughly to remove sugar from the sweet treats and candy. Brush and floss your teeth twice a day to prevent cavities.
Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com
Cordy Alpers, 16, a junior at Washington High School, applies makeup to a co-worker at Circle of Ash Haunted Attraction in Central City where she works during the Halloween season. (Photo provided by Dan Alpers)
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